Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1919-08-08
BEST METHOD FOR
PRESERVING EGGS

Experiments to preserving eggs con-
Quoted by the United States Depart
ment of Agriculture in the last year
obtained best results from a 10 per
cent solution of water glass-that is,
one part of commercial water glass
added to nine parts of boiled water.
Good results were obtained with
slightly weaker solution, using L part
of water glass to IA parts Of water.
Better results were obtained when the
water was boiled than when unboiled
water was used.
In test of different containers the
earthenware jar gave by far the best
and most satisfactory results. Soft
wood containers, such as candy pals,
did not give satisfactory results, while
hardwood containers such as kegs used
for cider and other beverages, gave
much better results than the softWood
pals, but did not begin to compare
with the earthenware crooks Even the
hardwood kegs gave considerable
trouble on account of leakage, and had
to be watched constantly, which made
them unsatisfactory. Galvanized met
oil containers similar to new garbage
pals were also used with success, but
were not quite so satisfactory as the
crooks
Tests with solutions other than wat
er glass were made, and limewater,
both with and without salt, gave salts
factory results Where unslacked lime
is more readily available than water
glass the lime water method is an ex-
cellent one to use and is cheaper than
the water glass. Tests in which the
eggs were coated with wax and soap
ann with other coating material did
not give nearly so atisfactory results
as when the eggs were kept in solution.
Directions for the use of water glass
and lime water are as follows:
l. Select gallon crock and clean
it thoroughly, after which it should be
allowed to dry
2. Heat a quantity of water to the
boiling point, and allow it to cool
3. When cool measure out quarts
of water, place it in the crock and add
quart of sodium silicate, stirring the
fixture thoroughly. This will be suf-
ficient to preserve Is dozen eggs, and
will serve as guide for the quantity
needed to preserve larger numbers of
eggs.
a The eggs should be placed in the
solution. If sufficient eggs are not OBJ
tainable when the solution is first
made, more eggs may be added from
time to time. Be very careful to al
low at least 2 inches of the solution to
cover the eggs at all times.
5 Place the crock containing the pre-
served eggs in cool, dry-place, we'll
covered to prevent evaporation. Wax
ed paper covering the top of the crock
and tied around it will answer this pur-
pose.
Pour small quantity of water on II
pounds of unslaked lime and when this
is thoroughly slaked add gallons of
boiled water. Allow the mixture to-
stand until the lime settles. Then
pour off the clear liquid. add l pound
of salt and use this for preserving the
eggs, throwing away the sediment in
the bottom of the receptacl Use the
same directions as recommended for
the water glass for putting the eggs in
this solution.
Fresh, clean eggs, properly preserv-
ed, can be used satisfactorily for all
purposes in cooking and for the table.
When eggs preserved in water glass
are to bs boiled, a small hole should be
made in the shell with pin at the lar
ge end before placing them in the wat
er. This is done to allow the air in
the egg to escape when heated and to
prevent cracking.
Eggs will keep from s to II months
in good condition but are better up to
the sixth or seventh month. Dirty or
cracked eggs should not be put into
the solution. Water glass costs about
$l20 gallon. making the cost of pre-
serving eggs with this material about
2 cents a dozen for the water glass
Water glass solution should not be us
ed again the second year unless it has
kept quite clear and no odor or thick
sediment has developed. The use of
limewater is much cheaper than the
water glass method.