Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-07-28
CARE OF THE. FARM ECGs;
SOME NEEDED REFORMS
The Loss-On System OF Buying Must
Take the Place of Case-Count
Trading.
KEEP AN EYE ON BRooDY HENS
They Should BE Eliminated Along
With the Gay and Festive BOOSTERS.
Importance Of Frequent CoIlcc-
tfons-A Few Other Notes.

In order TO understand why certain
fundamental changes are essential to
the successful elimination OF spoilaEe
IN farm eggs. we must first have some
tntelligent idea OF the conditions which
quality Of the, farm esq. the loss
h bro SHIT about bOun by the case.count sys-
equalled all others combined. In
point Of fact no substantial improve
trade practice is done away with.
In brief. the case count system OF
buying eGg,s consists of paying a nat
less OF their quality. 1t makes no diff
ference whether the eggs are fresh
been candied OUT Of the uSey na a
tina, is necessary 10 find a sale is for
the shells to be unbroken. One price
1t is hardly necessary to make an
extended argument to convince one of
the conditions that obtain under this
can be no incentive to produce and
deliver strictly fresh EGGS when no
premium is placed on QUALITY; in fact.
tenn has actually made the farmer
think more OF quantity than quality.
Loss-On System of buying.
The case-count system Of buying
must be done away with before any
noticeable Improvement can be made
in the Ggsliy Of farm eggs Through
and the State Agricultural Colleges.
this has been done in several of the
eeynE a pree Dozen a
esgs delivered the dealer now takes
the eggs offered and tests them for
quality by means of Gambling.
After the eggs have been, graded
proportion 70 Quality. II ali esss are
is paid Should there be a dozen or
more OF second quality the price paid
is several cen less This method Is
ing. and because 1t offers monetary
inducement for quality products. 1t has
improving the general quilaty Of farm
eggs from the States where it ia in
vogue.
There is no question that the loss
one big necessary factor to bring abou!
Improvement: The results obtained
ditions surrounding the production
and handling of farm eggs clearly
show, however, that unless many Of
ment are corrected the loss-oft system
Of buying will not correct al Of the
sSs loss Its Shqe i is e beon TO sn
thus indirectly help to bring about
better methods Of poultry manage
ment.
EVIL of Male Birds
factors which must be taken INTO con-
sderation in our problem of improve
ing the quality of the egg before It
essential feature is the status OF the |
male bird. Investigations Involving |
the handling OF thousands of dozens
storage on the farm revealed the fact
that the infertile egg, regardless Of
how it is kept, is much more resistant
to deterioration than the fertile egg.
This is especially true during the hot
summer months when most Of the an
nual loss occurs.
In many of the tests fertile eggs
kept in an unheated room OF the farm
them unfit for human food within less
than week. Contrasted with this. |
intertile eggs after two weeks OF in-
cubation were perfectly wholesome and
the keeping qualities of the lnfertile
product. There is no germ of life
present and evaporation is the only
change which takes place when the in
fertile egg is subjected TO several days
OF high temperatures.
All that is necessary TO produce in
fertile eggs Is to isolate the male
birds as soon as the Matching season
is over. In most localities this would
he the first OF June The belief held
by some people that the removal OF
the male bird from the flock will tend
10 decrease production has been proved
absolutely erroneous. Witness the
wonderful records made at the differ
ent egg laying contests where no males
are maintained.
II every farmer in the United
States would eliminate males during
the not season the bulk of the present
egg wastage would be thing OF the
past. Swat the Rooster" is now
popular slogan in states where deter
mined efforts are being made to make
poultry keeping more profitable.
Eliminate the Broody Hen.
The practice OF allowing the broody
hen the liberty of the nests for the
be corrected. Even when the eggs are
gathered regularly each day their quail
ity is injured by permitting broody hens
TO cover them for many hours at
overcome. All that is necessary is
specia! coop where the sitters can be
/ placed as soon as they exhibit signs
of broodiness. When handled in this
tected and the broody hen is returned
/ 10 her work of producing more eggs.
The storage Of eggs during the stay
on the farm is of no little Importance
/ in preserving quality. The studies al
ready mentioned showed conciusively
| that both fertile and infertile eggs de-
! terioratc when kept In ordinary room
| temperature during the summer. 1t
| was likewise evident that the same
| classes OF eggs stored In cool. dry
cellar arc far superior in quality. In
fact. the latter could be marketed as
strictly fresh, while many Of the Tor.
| mer had to be classed as seconds, and
| in the case OF fertile eggs as "rots.'
Regular Gathering and Marketing.
| Some OF the minor factors which in
! nucncc quality are frequency of gather,
| ing and marketing, and the genera
/ management of the flock as regards
feed. equipment. etc. EgEs should be
| gathered at least once daily. and our
ing very hot or cold periods twice daily
| IL possible. All eggs found In stolen
nests should be used at home: they
may be good, but this is doubtful. TO
! say the least.
To insure highest quality, the eggs
/ must be marketed frequently, not TESS
than twice weekly. If they are taken
TO town in an open vehicle. provide
a cover OF some kind to protect them
| from the hot rays of the sun.
The management Of the flock should
insure clean. wholesome feeds; clean,
vermin-f free houses and sufiicien,
number of clean nests we'll supplied
with nesting material. These little
things all exert big influence on
quality and the poultry kceper who
| gives them the proper consideration
will he ahlc 10 deliver eggs that com