The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-08-27
FOR SALE OF FANCY EGGS, WHOLESALE AND RETAIL
How to Obtain Good Outlets and the Prices That May Be Expected-DirectiOns for Packing and Shipping Eggs in Crates and Cartons
By PROF. FRANK c. HARE Poultry Husbandman, Clemson College,
 South Carolina.


 South Carolina.
 Next in importance to the production of fancy table eggs is finding a regular out let for them at good prices. Their sale in regulation shipping crates through commission merchants, or to a private trade, packed in sealed cartons, Is to be considered This article is intended to point out some of the easiest ways to secure both markets.
 There are two methods of selling fancy eggs. One is by shipping in the regula- tion wooden egg crate holding 30 dozen, to commission merchant, and the other is by selling the output to the local trade in cartons holding one dozen eggs. The former method is more dependable for the owner of an egg farm, the capacity of which in fancy eggs is sufficient to fill two crates in not over five days. This requires a daily production of at least iJO selected eggs. Express companies do not weigh egg crates, but bill them at 53 pounds each. Two crates are billed at 106 pounds, which weight is sufficient to give them the lowest express rate, The rate on two or more crates of eggs from South Carolina to New York Is about 3A cents per dozen eggs.
 Selling eggs through commission mer- chant is advantageous. He will handle the entire product at all seasons; the eggs are paid for weekly; there is, with reasonable care in selecting the commits sion merchant, no loss from bad debts. The seconds and culls should be packed in separate cases, and they will bring what they are worth.
 NEW YORK QUOTATIONS
 An explanation of some of the grades of eggs sold on the New York market, with the wholesale quotations (prices paid the shippers by the commission mer- chants) of these grades on June 21, 1916 will furnish interesting information to many. The highest prices were naturally paid for State, Penn. and nearby hem nery whites, fine to fancy, 2S and 29 cents" Eggs to obtain this grading must be laid at 'hennery' or egg farm with in a reasonable shipping distance of New York city, they must be not over six days old, snow white color, of large size having a firm, smooth shell, and pref erably sterile. These same "hennery whites, ordinary to good, 251s to PIC; and hennery browns, fine to fancy, 27 cents; browns and mixed, 231a and 26 cents. !" The best grade of carefully selected, fresh country eggs Is known as fresh gathered, extra fine 25 and 261a cents." Then follow lower grades in this same classification fresh gathered" Extra firsts, 2S1a and 241a cents; firsts, 221s and 23A cents; dirties No. l, 2Oh and 21k cents; dirties, No 2, 1872 and 20 cents; dry checks, 1912 and 20 cents' The last grading is for cracked eggs that do not leak. "Undergrades and checks, 16A and 19 cents."
 The highest prices of the year are paid in November Here are few of the quotations for last November to in- fn hot Ia kal ;r rrri,, ter: State, Pennsylvania and nearby hennery, whites, fine to fancy, 60 to 63; hennery browns, 40 to 4S; fresh gathered, extra fine, A to 45, extra firsts, fl to 43; firsts, 35 to 40; dirties, Mo- 1, 22 to 23." These quotations or those you can obtain of the market to which you ship, emphasize the import ance of producing and selling only fine to fancy or "extra fine" eggs.
 When the production of eggs is suf- ficient to justify selling them through a commission merchant, obtain the name and address of a reliable firm from the director of the extension di- vision of your state agricultural col lege. Write this commission merchant that you intend to ship eggs to him and ask him to express you 10 sec ond-hand egg crates. When these are used, you can obtain more, or you can buy a stock of returnable egg crates with hinged covers. The latter, stem oiled with your name and address, can be returned to you when empty for 10 cents express charges.
 For crate of hennery eggs to grade fine to fancy, every one must be of the highest quality. The specifications were given in the New York quotations. but the words Large size" are difficult to understand without something definite to judge by. It Is simple matter to cut an egg scale from the edge of thin board. Make two saw cuts one and five-eights Inches apart and re- move the wood between, which re- suits in a D-shaped opening. Grade all doubtful eggs for size, and reject all eggs that do not touch crosswise both points of the scale-in other words, reject the eggs that are less than one and five-eights inches in diameter across the center. This scale