Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1916-06-28
"CAN" EGGS
IT'S SATISFACTORY
Having Swatted the Rooster, All
That is Needed is Clean Eggs,
Crock and Water Glass.
ART PRESERVING EGGS
NEITHER NEW NOR DIFFICULT
For Centuries the Chinese Preserved
Eggs by PIastering Mud and
Ashes Over Them.

is past, all male birds should be con-
fined away from the hens, in order
that infertile eggs may be produced
for market purposes, says Profitable
Farming. The advantages in quality
of infertile eggs over fertile ones are
manifold. 1t is a positive fact that
the keeping power of infertile eggs
is always greater than that of fertile
eggs, and more so at this time OF
year on account Of the increased tenn
perature.
At 20 degrees F. the germ of fer
tilted egg will begin development;
at constant temperature of so de-
grees to 1913 degrees F. incubation
will proceed in normal and natural
manner. Infertile eggs will not ger
inmate or produce chick development
under any condition. The enormous
advantages of infertile eggs for i'm
mediate use and for preserving pur-
poses are therefore readily apparent
The art Of preserving eggs is one
that is neither new nor difficult, and
is one that may be used advantage
ously by every economical house
wife and thrifty farmer. For centur-
les the Chinese have preserved eggs
by the crude method of plastering
mud and ashes over the eggs.
in recent years a great amount of
experimenting has been done in an
effort to determine the most satisfac.
tory and economical preservative for
home use. The theory is based on
excluding air from the contents of the
eggs and thereby preventing the
growth of decomposing micro!orgal-
isms within the egg. The preserva-
tive determined Upon by number &C
experimenters as the best for home
use is sodium silicate, which is COM
monty known as water glass.
Water glass is heavy or thick
straw colored liquid, and may be pur-
chased at reasonable price from any
druggist. Many factors enter into
the price demanded Quality, quaint
ty, and the degree OF desire the mer-
chant has to become wealthy are the
three governing factors. In barrel
lots it may be purchased at from 20
tc 30 cents a gallon. In fve-gallon
cans it should cost from As to 20
cents gallon BY the gallon it may
cost as highGa5 So. 4e'..- sFe -e--
There is much water glass on the
market that is not good Good water
glass is but slightly alkaline, while
poor water glass contains an excess
sive amount of alkali, which deteri-
crates the shell Of the eggs to poi II
where it is so thin it is likely to
freak in the jar. To overcome the
excess Of alkali, from teaspoonful
to tablespoonful of vinegar should
lie added to gallon of the waite.
glass;. In making the preserving So
luton from ten to twelve parts Of
water that has been boiled and cool
ed should be used to one port of wat
Ell glass.
For receptacle in which to pacl
the eggs, nothing better than an or
binary three or five gallon stone crocl
can be used. However, wooden buck
cts or kegs may be used with entir,
satisfaction. The vessel should b.
Thoroughly scalded and placed in tn,
position in which it is to remain be
fore the eggs are put in it. The egg
should be stored in moderately cool
well ventilated cellar or room.
The ideal egg for preserving, be
sides being infertile, should be nat
urally clean and not washed clean
free from checks and cracks and no
over seven days old. The eggs SHOULD
be carefully packed in the jar unit
1t is filled to within an inch or an incl
and half of the top. The solution
is then poured over the eggs till the,
lare completely covered. Place a clotl
lcover and then The lid of the vesse
over them. From time to time lool
at the eggs to see that the liquid ha
not evaporated and allowed the toI
eggs to become exposed to the air
Should such happen, pour enough
boiled and cooled water into the ia
TO completely cover the eggs.
In general this completes the op
Ieration. However, there are a few
points to which attention should b,
called. A white precipitate, which il
silicic acid, forms in the jar. This i
a poisonous substance, but there il
absolutely no danger from ii if al
eggs are washed before using. T,
boil water glass eggs, pin hol,
should be mdae in the large end of tn,
egg, to allow for expansion Of air
Normally the shell of an egg is por
Gus, but when preserved in waite
glass it is sealed with a thin coatin,
OF glass, which is identical with win
dow glass and which makes it neces
sary to make an escape for the all
Il Il. I.sN.I L