The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1915-07-09

The old gray hen of the American
IA rnyard would be within her rea-
sonabIe rights II she should hle SUIT
fdf DAMAGES to the extent OF $z5VS
900 900 q year against the men VINO
handle the eggs she lays.
Between the deposit of the eggs
lin the nests and their appearance on
the breakfast table there IS waste
which. il saved. would double the
siza ~ the American army and navy.
This waste IL due to inefficient hand
ling. The department OF agriculture
knows Just where the leaks occur.
II is making a strenuous enort 70
arouse the handlers OF eggs TO sucn
an extent that they will stop those
leaks.
It holds that II the leaks were all
stopped the food value of the egg
crop would be increased something
like twenty-five per cent, the public
receiving the benefit. The increase
of the egg supply would lower the
price paid by tie consumer. The
greater quantities reaching the ulti-
mate market would, despite this put
more money In the pockets of the
farmers.
1t is mistake to assume that the
legE business is of minor Importance.
| It is estimated that the consumer
pays $3.50, 900 900 year for the
eggs he eats. The products of the
American barnyard give precedence
lin Importance only to corn and. wheat
egg waste these other crops nigh
be surpassed, and eggs might be the
first IN value:
The egg crop is large because Tiers
are so many people engaged in its
production. The man who mai1r
tains chicken farms, given over ex-
clusively to this line of production
plays little part In the industry. IL
lis great because of the large number
Of persons who engage in it as a
side issue-as mere incident to
other farm activities.
There are 5,000.O00 barn yards In
the nation where chickens are at
home. One family in every four
raises chickens despite the predom1-
nance OF urban population. They
produce two billion dozen OF eggs ey-
cry year. Every man, woman and
child in the nation consumes 240i
eggs, on an average, ia the course OF
a year. So is egg production brought
home to practically every citizen.
It is because of this universal in
terest In the egg crop that the de-
partment has given 1t especial atten-
ton. Its study OF eggs revealed some
interesting facts. It found. for in-I
stance, that there we're great differ
ehces in the sizes, and therefore in
the value, OF eggs. There are certain
breeds OF Leghorn hens that lay eggs
a crate of thirty dozens OF which
weighs fifty-four pounds. The same
number OF eggs from the Hamburg
breeds weighed thirty-six pounds
These eggs were selling for the same
price while, as a matter OF fact, one
contained fifty per cent more food
value than the other. The conclusion
was that eggs should sell by weight,
and progress is being made toward
bringing this about.
The experts, that they might intelliT
gently advise as to methods OF get.
ting the egg crop to the consumer
without waste, set out on the trail
OF It's life story. They began at the
source-the farm. There they found
that the eggs were gathered from
the nests at irregular intervals and
often lay exposed to the sun for
hours or days. They were started
well on their way toward deteriora-
ton before the farmer ever took
them from the nests. An active cam
paign was Immediately begun to bring
home to the farmer the necessity OF
gathering the eggs soon after they
were laid.
After the eggs were gathered It
was found that the farmer often Kept
them in warm kitchen or some sucn
place Tor many days before market
ing them. The importance of keep
ing them in the coolest place ayaila-
BILE, and OF marketing them as quick
IL as possible, was pointed out. The
exact facts as to what would happen.
to q bog OF eggs that was placed in
the back of wagon where the sun