Imperial Valley press., 1922-03-22
EGGS
WHEN THEY'RE Low
by JOHN f. OSBORN
ASS. Farm Advisor, Riverside

The present low price OF eggs affords
an excellent opportunity for the house
wife to preserve her winter supply of
eggs against the season when the pro-
duction is lower and the price conse.
quently higher. Fresh eggs, properly
preserved, may be kept from eight to
twelve months in excellent condition
and used with good results Eggs laid
from now until the early part of June
have been found to keep better than
those laid later in the season.
| Use Only Clean, Fresh Eggs
If the best results are To be obtained
| il is absolutely essential that the eggs
be fresh and clean and prcterablw infer
| tile For this reason eggs should be
candled if possible.
y simple egg candler' can be made
| by taking a 2la or ) pound coffee can
and cutting hole in the side just a
trifle smaller than the egg A light
placed in the can from the top will
| enable one to see whether or not the
egg is fresh. A good fresh egg shows
| full > and clear before the light.
There is almost no air cell at the large
end, and the yolk outline is only family
visible Eggs from chickens which have
rua on alfalfa or similar green feed are
apt to have darker yolk than eggs
from fowls penned up. An air cell Of
one-eighfh to three siXteenths of az
inch i'll depth indicates fresh egg as
they run generally. \ large air cell
with a movable lower line indicates
according to size and fluctuation--a
stale egg or one becoming weak and
watery.
Eggs that float when placed in the
solution are not fresh and therefore
cannot be preserved. Where there are
no facilities for candling' this latter
method can be used as an Indicator.
When an egg is slightly soiled, a
cloth dampened with vinegar can be
used to remove such stains. Under no
circumstances should badly stained eggs
be used for preserving. Washing the
eggs removes the protective coat that
is on the shell and may tend to cause
the contents to spell. One Or more
badly soiled or cracked eggs i'll the jar
may spoil all of the others Use only
clean fresh eggs.
There are two methods of preserving
eggs in general use, the water-glass
and lima.
Water Glass Method
To preserve fifteen dozen eggs in
water glass, the following directions
should be followed:
l. Select five gallon crock (earthen
or stone) and clean thoroughly, then
scald and allow to dry.
>. Heat ten to twelve quarts of water
TO the boiling point and allow to cool.
). When cool, measure out nine
/ ,,f t.lo in tla crock
and add one quart of sodium silicate
| Commonly called water glass;. Stir
we'll so that the solution is thoroughly
mixed.
/. The solution is now. ready for the
! eggs, which should be placed iii the jar
very carefully SO as not to break or
crack the shells If sufficient eggs are
not available when the solution is first
made, additional eggs may be added
from time to time. Be very careful to
allow at least two inches of the solu-
tion to cover the eggs at all times,
otherwise the eggs may spoil.
Place the crock containing the pre-
served eggs in cool, dry place, well
covered to prevent evaporation. Waxed
paper covered over and tied around
the top OF the crock will answer the
purpose.
Lime Method
If water glass is not obtainable, lime
NAV be used Many consider this
method entirely satisfactory, though in
stances are known where eggs so pre-
served have tasted slightly. of lime
The same general procedure should
be followed as for the water glass
method
Dissolve two or three pounds of un-
slaked lime in five gallons of water
that has been previously boiled and
allowed to cool. Allow the mixture to
stand until the lime settles, then pour
off and use the clear liquid.
Place clean, fresh eggs in clean
earthenware crock and pour the clear
limewater into the vessel until the eggs
are covered. At least two inches OF
the solution should cover the top layer
of eggs. Sometimes a pound OF salt
is used with the lime, but experience
has shown that in general the lime
without the salt is more satisfactory.
Using Preserved Eggs
Fresh, clean eggs, properly preserved
according to these directions can be
,sed satisfactorily for all purposes III
eookinc and for the table. Eggs so
preserved will usually keep from eight
to twelve months.
If. however, preserved eggs are to
be boiled. "A small hole should be made
with a pin in the larger end of the
she'll before placing them in the water,
to allow the air in the egg to escape
when heated and thus prevent cracking.