Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1916-10-19
THE POULTRY YARD
COLD STORAGE EGGS
BY ED WEBER

ing of eggs for sale in the markets.
decried all methods, whether preserv-
Ing, picking, or placing in cold
storage. tried to show that such
esgs were q fraud upon the market,
being in ninety mine cases out Of a
hundred, offered in competition with
fresh eggs.
My argument then was, and see
no reason for changing 1t now, that
THE average vender of such eggs Is
not honest, for the reason that he will
mot advertise the fact that his stock
is not fresh. The excuse offered is
that, the fresh egg demand Is never
fully reached by fresh eggs. That no
doubt Is so, but does that afford a
reason for counterfeiting them? Is 1t
any more credit to sell cold storage
eggs for fresh than It would be to pass
ccunterfeitN money for the real article
simply because the latter is not avail
able? How the. people squirmed when
'unprincipled dealers palmed off oleo-
margine for pure butter. The govern
ment has taken hold of that class
then why not use just as effective
| legislation against fraudulent eggs?
Homo Preservation Of Eggs.
The high prices Of fresh eggs in the
late fall and winter make it desirable
to have some simple, clean, cheap and
reliable method Of preserving the low
priced spring and summer eggs for
home consumption during the winter.
Such a process would allow the poul-
tryman or farmer to preserve eggs for
his own consumption, while he could
sell his fresh eggs in the winter time
fer high prices. 1t would allow the
consumer to buy, eggs when low in
price and save buying many when the
prices are high. On commercial
scale this is done by means of cold
storage, but this method is not prac-
ticable in the home. Furthermore the
price of cold storage eggs is deter
mined by the price of fresh eggs, and
Is, as a rule, much higher than the
cost of storage.
The spelling Of eggs is dueSo the en-
trance of air, carrying germs of de-
composition thru the shell. Normally
the shell has q surface coating of
mucilaginous matter which prevents
the entrance of these harmful or
ganisms into the egg for consider
able time. But if this coating is re-
moved or softened by washing or
otherwise the keeping quality of the
egg is much reduced. These facts ex-
plain the common methods of preser-
walton have not been entirely success
full. and suggest that the methods en-
ployed should be based upon the idea
Of protecting and rendering more eff
fective the natural coating Of the shell,
so that air bearing the germs of de-
composition may be completely ex-
icluded. The age Of eggs may be ap-
proximately judged by taking advant-
age of the fact that as they grow older
their density decreases thru evapora-
tion Of moisture.
A new laid egg placed in a vessel OF
brine made in the proportion Of two
will at once sink to the bottom An
egg one day old Will sink below the
surface. but not to the bottom. while
ore three days old win swim just I'M
mersed in the liquid II more than
three days old, the egg will float on the
surface, the amount Of shell exposed
increasing with age, and if two weeks
old only little Of the shell will dip
in the LIQUID.
Many methods of, preservation have
been tried by manyypeopfe and various
experiment stations. Some 4 of these
have been packing the eggs in salt.
oats, bran. peat dust or wood ashes,
covering them with parafine, vaseline,
butter, lard or a solution of salicylic
acid and glycerine, vanishing with
collodion or shellac, storing on shelves
and in racks in cool places, wrapping
in paper, sterilized by being immersed
in boiling water a few seconds, treated
with solution of permangate Of
potash or alum and packing in salt
brine lime water, and water glass solu-
tions. ,.I NJ
Water Glass Practicable.
Water glass Soluble silicate OF
sodiun) is a pale yellow, odorless
liquid 1t may be obtained from most
druggists at from go cents 'to 81 a gall
lon. Use only boiled water, which.
after cooled, add one pint Of water
glass to fifteen quarts Of water. This.
should be sufficient to cover about
IL dozen eggs in a four gallon crock.
II you use lime water mixture shake
three pounds of good quick lime in
a small amount Of water, then add the
milk line thus formed to three gallons
Of water. Keep the mixture we'll stirred
for a day, then allow the excess Of
lime to settle and use only the clear
LIQUID.
Only absolutely fresh, clear I'M
washed, sound eggs. with smooth, firm
shells, are suitable for preserving by
these methods.
Infertile eggs are preferred, as they
keep better than fertile eggs.
ANY dirty, stale. cracked, or thin
shelled eggs should be discarded as
they are liable to spoil and affect the
good eggs around them. Any eggs that
float in the liquid should be re-
moved, as floating indicates that the
contents of the egg are shrunken, leav-
ing large air cell. Such eggs are
usually stale, cracked, or thin shelled.
Any earthenware, glass, or wooden Jar,
tub, or barrel may be used as con-
tainer, depending upon the number Of
eggs to be preserved. Metal con-
tanners must not be used, as the solu
ton will attack and corrode them.
Wooden kegs or barrels should not
have nails protruding thru, as even
this small amount Of metal will spoil
the surrounding eggs.
Use Clean Vessels.
All vessels used must be absolutely
clean and sweet, because eggs are
very susceptible to doors and taints OF
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