Evening star., 1918-08-25


, each field to determine favorable
places for exploration. Scores of
the nee dug e d0ws to
whether any Of the beds were especi-
ally rich in nitrate. Then many
hundreds Of pits were dug each deep
enes gh to penetrate the upper part
OF the bedrock. Samples were taken
systematically from the trenches and
pits, each sample was weighed, ane
most OF the samples were ground,
mixed and divided to form represent
ative samples Weighing about q
poupd each. Preliminary chemical
pies showed that many of the de-
postts were of no commercial value.
4 \
A knowledge of Gambling is essential
to egg grading. according to special
J lists OF the Depart
Gambling ment of Agriculture.
Eggs. aa'as mara and Is ,no1s uee'%,us o,,a.
tomary in the sale and purchase OF
eggs, because only by Gambling can it
be made certain that shipments of
eggs comply with federal. state and
other regulations. and because the
most important quality Of an egg
freshness-can be best judged by
candling. The process. in simple
terms. is to hold an egg before a
shaded light in a dark room, and by
noting certain characteristics seen
through the semitransparent shell to
determine its edible and marketable
qualities.
Farmers or small gardeners with
only a few eggs to market may i'm
provise GAMBLER by placing a stove
pipe over a kerosene lamp, cutting a
small hole in the pipe, level with the
light: The egg is held in a slanting
position at the opening. 1t is twisted
few times to the right and left and
then from end to end. SO that its en-
tire contents may be visible. Care
should be taken that the fingers or
hand do not conceal small blemishes.
which otherwise would be disclosed
by the light. The beginner, the Of
ficfa1s say. should study carefully the
general formation Of an egg, as this
the application of the standards of
various grades and qualities.
The yolk ranges in color from
light yellow to orange. and occasion
ally is olive green. The eggs with
olive green yolks are less desirable
because of this color. but are consid-
cred edible. The yolk is contained in
q delicate membrane and on its sur
face is a small light-colored circular
area called the germinal disk. from
which the chick develops. The yolk
always floats in the white; with , the
lies a small quantity of thin white
and then a heavy layer of thick
white. Twisted cordlike coils of
opaque white material called chalazae
extend from the yolk, through the
white toward each end of the egg
and hold the yolk in position. yet al
low it to turn freely.
Between the white and the shell
are two fbrous membranes with an
air space between them. When first
laid. the contents nll the entire egg.
, but when the egg cools the contents
shrink. and these membranes sepa
rate. forming an air space. The size
of this air space is important in de-
terminng the freshness of the egg.
AS the egg ages the air space in
creasee in size. Most bad eggs have
enlarged air spaces.
A fine, thick white is found in a
fresh egg. and a weak thin white in
stale egg. As the egg becomes stale
the amount of thin white increases
and the amount of thick white de-
are indicated by discolored whites.
The yolk Of the fresh egg when
twirled before the candle is seen
dimly as dark object moving slow
ly in the white. The yolk of a stale
egg is seen more plainly than that of
the fresh egg. When the yolk is so
weak that the shake of the egg in
candling causes 1t to break. 1t should
be graded as unmarketable. the ex-
perts advise. In the fresh egg the
yolk is slightly above the center in
the large end of the egg Az the egg
becomes stale the yolk floats higher
and nearer the she'll 3D..
The start Of incubation in a fertile
egg may be detected by a reddish
glow surrounding the germinal spot.
Such eggs, although considered edi-
BILE by specialists. are not graded as
hrsts. This reddish glow is entirely
different from the so-called blood
ring. which indicates that the egg
Is unfit for food.
Where there is any doubt as to an
eggs fitness for food purposes, tho
| GAMBLER should give the consumer
the benefit Of the doubt and reject
it. the departments experts advise.
r.