THE SIZE OF EGGS

Auckland Star, Volume XXX, Issue 213, 8 September 1899, Page 3

THE SIZE OF EGGS

At a gathering of Auckland grocers and produce merchants to meet a Committee of the Agricultural Association re regulating market quotations for eggs and butter, a resolution was unanimously passed that it was desirable eggs should be sold by Aveight instead of by the dozen. This, of course, referred to eggs intended for table purposes and not for salting. We ha^e, however, heard nothing further of the matter. Under tbe present system of selling by the dozen there is little or no encouragement to the producer of large eggs. "Eggs is eggs," so far as the price per dozen goes, though a dozen eggs of good size might Aveigk a pound and a-half, while the same number of other eggs might barely Aveigh a pound.

Upon this subject of the size of eggs an English poultry Avriter remarks: —

"One of the A-exed questions in the poultry world is the size of eggs laid by different varieties. Perhaps no breed save the Hamburg is universally acknowledged to lay small eggs. For the rest, if a writer condemns any breed as layers of under-sized eggs, immediately breeders of the maligned variety take up their pens in defence of their favourites, and deny the accusation absolutely. But sometimes both sides are right, a fact often happening in controversies, though the disputants do not see it; sub-varieties and strains of the same breed often produce eggs of varying size. Wyandottes are a case in point. Personally I have found both Gold and Silvers producing eggs under the average, but there are strains of Wyandottes laying the full medium size. The only White Wyandotte eggs I have handled AA-ere larger than Sih-ers and Golds. Then there are Partridge Wyandottes, and Buff-laced, and Buff, all claimed to lay at least medium-sized eggs. Rather eddly, tinted eggs are seldom criticised as to size; Avhen sold for eating, they are ahvays saleable. Leghorn eggs vary much in size. I have had them as big as Minorcas, and as small as Hambnrgs, and that means

a mighty difference. The size of the hen, be it noted, has little effect on the size of the egg; a Cochin or Langshan will dwarf a Minorca, but. the latter will produce a bigger egg, and a very tiny Italian Leghorn lay a huge egg for its size. In speaking of Minorcas, Andalusians should not be overlooked; indeed, Aye might call them a branch of the breed, so near akin are the two varieties, and it is hard to find finerlooking eggs that can be taken out of their nest-boxes, fat, podgy eggs that decline to be extinguished in the ordinary egg-cup, after the manner of most eggs. Such eggs are a credit to the farm that sends them forth, and let us not forget that when really fine eggs are wanted, the home-groAvn article alone meets the demand. Really <r-i™ f ]i f |p ? j-.-. | no< fn . c j a jj| |,y some 0 f the cross-bred fowls, whether first or stvuiid cross. Here is one simple rule to improve the size of eggs, and the average of the Avhole; Aveed out all the hens that produce eggs beloAv the average standard. But what, the reader may ask, is the average standard? Well, in the Utility Club laying competition, reported last Avinter in these columns, two points were alloAved for each egg over ljoz, and one point for each egg under that standard. We must remember the birds were pullets. An egg of lioz is somewhat diminutive, and, personally, I consider anything under this humble standard not an egg at, all. I should like in nearly all cases to see 2 ozs the minimum; but pullets' eggs are always smaller than the eggs birds 'ay in their second year; if Aye haA'e to rely at certain times chiefly on pullets, big eggs are not to be expected."

Our Raglan Correspondent writes: — The sheep have come through the winter remarkably Avell. This has heen especially the case on the gorse farm,";. But that is no neAA'- thing for them, even though the sheep do not receive as much care and attention as on the ordinary farms. Where the flocks have been looked after they are in good condition, and give promise oi fleeces of more than average weight. The early lambs are greatly ki evidence and are as strong and vigorous as they are numerous. The prospects of sheep farming, the advance both in prices for freezers, and also in avoo], has encouraged the cultivation of early lambs, and if the fates be favourable, Raglan may give some little account of itself at the Auckland Freezing Works, to Avhich Aye Avish every success.—("N.Z. Farmer.")