The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1920-05-21
Water Glass is Best Egg Preservative

Egg production is not uniform. 1t
never will be uniform, unless per
chance the seasons undergo miracle
and winter weather is eliminated
and unless the nature of the fowl is
radically altered. Half OF the yearly
supply of eggs is produced in three
months-from the middle of March
until the middle of June. Spring is
the natural period for laying. Any
thing that resembles a fowl lays at
this time.
Spring is the season for overproduc-
ton, in that more eggs are laid than
we manage to consume. During the
remainder of the year production is
slight; in the fall and winter months
it is almost nil, except for the spe-
cialty poultry plants, where the hens
are cajoled by more or less artificial
means into making a lair showing
Such plants, however, do not repre-
sent one tenth of the poultry indus,
try, but impressively large collect
lively.
The consumption of eggs is virtually
uniform through out the year. And
the only thing that makes this pos
sible is the fact that we are far sighted
enough to store the surplus production
against the time when there is an
underproduction. The same holds
true of most foodstuffs-cereals, vege-
tables, fruit and the like Except for
the storage of food we would have d
very slim diet for six months of each
year.
Preserving Eggs is Sirrple Task
Preserving eggs is not so well
known as canning and preserving
fruits and vegetables. though it is just
as reliable and lot simpler. 1t is
unfortunate, perhaps, that it has not
been given more prominence, because
just as much of saving can be made
by preserving eggs as was ever made
by canning fruits and vegetables.
Strictly speaking, the whole idea of
preserving eggs consists of precau-
tions, because the actual task is as
simple as placing pickles in a vat of
brine. 1t is nothing more than that,
anyway, only a different preserving
liquid is substituted for the brine.
The precautions consists of provid-
ing clean containers for the eggs,
storing these containers in clean
fairly cool place, such as cellar, and
most important of all, to see that the
eggs are strictly fresh to start. No
difficulty attaches to he latter require
ments if the eggs are produced by the
home flock.
In order to fully appreciate the need
of these precautions little should be
known of the structure of an egg and
its susceptibility to the deterioration
When an egg is laid it is comparative
ly free from any bacteria of life which
might cause decomposition. But, like
milk. the egg is an excellent medium
for bacterial growth 1t spoils quickly
under certain circumstances, such as
dampness and dirt.
Water Glass Solution is Best
OF the numerous experiments con-
Quoted by agricultural colleges, chem
lists and others with the view to deter
minating which method of preserving
eggs give the best results, the water
glass treatment stands at the top, and
is to be recommended for al[around
use.
Water glass, or soluable glass, tech
nically known as. sodium silicate or
potassium silicate, comes in two forms
"a thick, sirup-like liquid of about the
consistency of molasses land as a
powder. Both forms are sold by lead
ing druggists, though the liquid ma