The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1918-01-05

p,onared BY the United States Depart
F''p nent of Agriculture
Tho practicahility of shipping eggs
~ marcel post is demonstrated by the
,.ct that more parcels OF eggs than OF
any other one product pass through the
mails. In order TO test various meth
ds NJ hacking and handling eggs the
burpau of markets has shipped mere
,bon seven hundred dozen eggs through
me- mails from various points. under
vsrious conditions. and in different
,vnes of containers, without undue
lass either in the expense of shipment
r the condition of the eggs on reach
inc the consumers kitchen.
While the great bulk of eggs which
rome from distant producing territory
will continue to be shipped Ey other
methods. It is no doubt true that many
cites can be supplied with a consid-
prable portion Of their fresh eggs from
within the first and second zones by
parcel post to the advantage OF both
PRODUCER and consumer. BY such d.
rect contact the producer should secure
somewhat better prices for his eggs
than are realized by present methods
Of marketing. and the consumer should
obtain fresher quality at no increased
cost or. frequently. even at a reduc-
ton In price. The producer who does
not have satisfactory marketing facili-
ties may find in the parcel post a
means of solving his egg-marketing
problems. This applies especially to
the man whose flock is so small that
he cannot make case shipments, 1. e.,
shipments in the regular 3O-dozen-size
ex case.
Summary Of Results Of Experimental
Shipments.
Four hundred and sixty-six ship
ments were made in the experiments.
They comprised n total Of go 11-12
dozens, or 9,131 eggs. in lots Of from
one dozen to ten dozen each. The
number of eggs broken was 1927, or
slightly less than SO per cent Of the
whole number. OF these. 200 eggs, or
slightly less than % per cent. were
broken too badly to use; the remaining
liz we're usable. If 81 eggs broken in
parcels known to have received violent
usage be eliminated. the breakage re-
sultng In loss is less than 1.3 per cent.
The Instructions issued by the post
ONCE department for the handling of
fragile mail matter (Which includes
eggs) are carefully drawn and quite
ample If the proper preparations
were made for mailing. and if all en-
ployees of the postal service could be
educated to observe the instructions
ialthfully. the breakage could be re
uuced to a negligible minimum.
1hese experimental shipments were
uade over various routes and dis
'ances, including not only local ship
Inehts over short routes but points as
lar away from Washington as Mime
apohs, Minn., and the Rocky noun
'aias They began in October. 1913.
anu extended to February. 1914, thus
'uc'adlng the holiday rush. The ship
.ueils We're sufficiently numerous to
Justly the conclusion that eggs can be
!. s,ipped by mail satisfactorily under
-. .,'e existing postal provisions, provided
tAese are Vigorously observed.
Chance for Better Prices.
.nuer the present method the gen
sla' farmer. or in most cases the farm
!. "lfe. sells the surplus eggs to the
~. storekeeper. taking their value
- ~ trade. The parcel post offers
~ opportunity for a cash outlet at bet
y prices. 1t should prove valuable
Ls'p. especially TO those farms that are
sa.eo unfavorably in regard to con-
s'le market. II is not too much to
ba mat shipping by parcel post has
,s,. ~. demonstrated as practical prop
= when properly conducted.
~, SEND two-dozen-size parcel
~" cost about as follows: For con-
ao.. and wrapping, 8 cents; for
rh,'.s' cents. or total of II cents,
,a.. .n would be 81 cents dozen mar
,.s us cost. Marketing five-dozen
,o.... would cost about Is cents for
>eA0er and MranninD and Ii cents