BAD EGGS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 292, 3 September 1908, Page 3

BAD EGGS.

I. HOW THE EXPERT TELLS THEM. A BUSY STATE INDUSTRY. In the corrugated iron wall'on the sunny Bide of the Government Poultry Depot at Auckland are two holes cut to the shapo and sizo of an egg. 1 On bright clear days the sunlight streams into the depot through these holes with jyeat brilliancy. The holes play a great part in the science and practice of egg grading. ■. Observe the export. Some cases of eggs have just arrived from onp of the prosperous egg farmers for Which the Auckland pro- ; vince :is becoming , noted. - The case is opened, and. the expert applies an egg m each hand to the holes in the wall. The sunlight instantly. makes the eggs .transparent, so that tho.state of the contents is searchingly revealed. One egg, perhaps, is quite clear. AY itli the exception of tho colour-markings and granulations of the shell, there is nothing noticeable inside but colourless homogeneity. The egg is goodfirst grade—new laid—fresh. Thore will be no chicken to ; accost some breakfaster in the contents of that eggshell, and no faint odour to make him push it precipitately aside. It is of a kind that will do him good rare fresh egg. . . .. . Second Crado. /' ■ Now examine, the' other egg. As it is moved a slight cloudiness swims around inside, It 1 , lacks tho . clearness of the other egg. What is its trouble ? It was gathered on the same day as the other egg, and was perhaps laid aftor it. Why is it not fresh? Perhaps more hens have sat on it and caused the germ to proceed in its development. No matter what the cause, the egg expert, with the aid of his hole in the wall, knows hotter than the egg farmer who produced it that tho egg isn't first quality, and it is.,put,intb another class as second grade. It is fit.:for puddings a.nd cakes, but it "will not successfully. stand the keeping that an ordinary shop egg has to . oxpect. Very likely, iowever, the grocer will still sell it as new laid-fresh egg, but fhat is not the fault of the Government.■ A Chicken In It. look at this third egg. There is. a thick black'spot at the centre, from which radiates a nojiwork of red veins. The black spot is a' chicken. Tho red veins, are full of blood. ' The egg.-is absolutely uneatable, and it is ■ a pity that it- was ever taken from beneath the' hen, that was trying to turn it to good account. It is condemned. - Should Eggs ba Dated? It is perhaps to be regretted that the Government does hot stamp the grade and the daite on each egg.' The grade is shown . by a ticket placed inside , the case, and that, of?course, is .satisfactory for- the grocer. But what about the poor consumer who may be offered these eggs two months hence P Are-they-still first grade then? It is ccnBidorcd that the first grade oggs that, leave the depot are saleable as such for two or three' weeks afterwards. "What' then is to prevent them being stamped with such wads as these---"First grade till September 20?" or simply, "First grade, Sept. '4," leaving it to- the purchaser himself to allow' tho two or three -weeks' grace. ■ Crocers Against It. ■. Well, the real difficulty is that the grocers would not stand it. The Government may perhaps some''time introduce a system of stamping the eggs with a different colour for different weeks, so that in case of complaint it may r be apparent at' once how long the grocer has_ had;the eggs in his possession. A Growing Industry. Is the egg industry big in Auckland? The output was big . enough to bring the retail prioe down to. a shilling a dozen for the best eggs in the week after Fleet Week. This was fourpeniie a. dozen cheaper tb , dn'''ihe'We]- * lington price. But it is estimated . that-it costs nearly 3d.;a dozen in freightireakages, and other extra expenses to send" Auckland to Wellington-. Perhaps, when the train runs through'the, handling'and consignment less through breakages ';Will be jess; But there will still' be room for Wellington 'farmers to cater for the Wellington market with ah advantage over Auckland. Wellington eats more-eggs than any other city in New Zealand, and-its back country produces tho least. - A Few Figures. . . . Last 'year 2;500,000 eggs were graded by Mr. T. F. Leighy, the Auckland grader, beside'the considerable number which were put straight- upon the market of the producers ungraded. Some of the. egg farmers have large flocks. In the Auckland grading room in the-week; before last ono man had eleven cases of 30 dozen eggs each—a total of 330 dozen, probably a week's output. At, say, ninepence a dozen this would bring in about £12 for the week. Another had 21 boxes, 'containing 575 dozen—worth over £20. Poultry aro very sensitive to external influences for good or evil, and it is worth some trouble to learn how to apply these influences for good. For example, after the drought' last - February there was rain in March, and an abundance of grass and other green feed. This had the effect of causing the birds to drop their idea of moulting, and renew their laying instead until April. Then they moulted, and there 1 * was. a tall in the egg yield. July was the only/month in which the eggs produced were fewer than those of the same month a year before. When Eggs are Scarce. It. is quite important for poultry-keepers to. know when to aini to produce their biggest output of eggs. The best time is shown by the quantities on the market. The seasons of plenty and of scarcity come at fairly regular times year after year. They may be seen in the following lists <)f the numbers of eggs - graded for two years past-:—

r ; i ; THE FARM : . »— SEWS AND 'NOTES FOB TH: bad eggs. I. HOW THE EXPERT TELLS THEM. A BUSY STATE INDUSTRY. re In the corrugated iron wall'on the sunny fh Bide of the Government Poultry Depot at g C Auckland are two holes cut to the shapo of and sizo of an egg. 1 On bright clear days the sunlight streams into the depot through these holes with jyeat brilliancy. The holes play a great part in the science and practice of egg grading. ■. Observe the export. Some cases of eggs have just arrived from onp of the prosperous egg farmers for Which the Auckland pro- re ; vinco ;is becoming , noted. The case is co opened, and. the expert applies an egg in ri| each hand to the holes in the wall. The is sunlight instantly, makes the eggs trans- co parent, so that tho.state of the contents is qi searchingly revoaled. One egg, perhaps, is al; quite clear. A\ itli the exception or tho ar colour-markings and granulations of the shell, there is nothing noticeable inside but Z< colourless homogeneity. The egg is good— al first grade—new laid—fresh. jThore will be ra no chicken to ;accost some breakfaster in on the contents of that eggshell, and no faint m odour to make him push it precipitately uc aside. It is of a kind that will do him good qi rare fresh egg. . . .. . .as Second Crado. ' ■ pi Now examine, the'other egg.; As it is th moved a slight cloudiness swims around in- j n side, It', lacks tho . clearness of the other j )£ egg. What is its trouble ? It was gathered on the'same day as the other egg, and was perhaps laid aftor it. Why is it not fresh? pj Perhaps more hens have sat on it and or caused the germ to proceed in its develop- ftr ment. No matter what the cause, the egg th expert, with the aid of his hole in the wall, knows hotter than the- egg farmer who pro- th duced it that tho egg isn't first quality, and s }j it is.,put,intb another class as second grade. ar It is fit., for puddings and cakes, but it will not successfully. stand the keeping that an p] ordinary shop egg has to . oxpect. Very tli likely, iowever, the grocer will still sell it jjj as new laid-fresh egg, but fhat is not the fault of the Government. . th A Chicken In it. . ' of look at this third egg. There is. a thick black'spot at the centre, from which radiates se a nojiwork of red veins. The black spot is re a' chicken. Tho red veins, are full of blood. ' The egg.-is absolutely uneatable, and it is — ; a-pity that it-was ever taken from beneath ' j the'hen, that was trying to turn it to good account. It is condemned. ■ Should Eggs ba Dated? ci It is perhaps to be regretted that the Government does hot stamp the grade and the daite on each egg.' The grade is shown * . by a ticket placed inside , the case, and that, of?course, is .satisfactory for- the grocer. But what about the poor consumer who may . be offered these eggs two months hence P L" Are-they-still first grade then? It is ccnsidorcd that the first grade oggs that, leave . the depot are saleable as such for two or !" three' weeks afterwards. 'What' then is to prevent them being stamped with such wads al as these—"First grade till September 20?" or simply, "First grade, Sept. -'4,"leaving it to- the purchaser himself to allow' tho two or three'- weeks' grace. ■ ,. a ' Crocors Against It. ■. Well, the real difficulty is that the grocers would not stand it. The Government may perhaps some''time introduce a system of stamping the eggs with a different colour for different weeks, so that in case of complaint it may r be apparent at' once how long the .. grocer has_ had;the eggs in his possession. A Crowing Industry. pi Is the egg industry big in Auckland? The P 1 output was big . enough to bring tho retail prioe down to. a shilling a dozen for the ?! best eggs in the week after Fleet Week. This P' was fourpeniie a.dpzeri cheaper'tb'dn'ihe'Wel- b< * lington price. But it is estimated ..that-it costs nearly 3d.;a dozen in freight ireakages, " and other extra expenses to send" Auckland S£ cggS to Wellington-. Perhaps, when the train • runs through'the, handling'and consignment less through breakages ';Will be jess; But there : wfll still' be room for Wellington 'far- ® ( mers to cater for the Wellington market with ah advantage over Auckland. Wellington eats more-eggs than any other city in New ™ Zealand, and-its back country produces tho 1; least. - n A Fow Figures. . a Last year 2;500,000 eggs were graded by a Mr. T. F. Leighy, the Auckland grader, be- tj side'the considerable number which were put h straight-upon the market of the producers f< ungraded. Some of the. egg farmers have si large flocks. In the Auckland grading room f' in the.week;before last ono man had eleven a cases of 30 dozen eggs each—a total of 330 " dozen, probably a week's output. At, say, n ninepence a dozen this would bring in about d £12 for the week. Another had 21 boxes, t t 'containing 575 dozen—worth over £20. w Poultry aro very sensitive to external in- s flnences for good or evil, and it is worth some a trouble to learn how to apply these in- s fluences for good. For example, after the t drought' last. February there was rain in I March, and an abundance of grass and other 1 green feed. This had the effect of causing J the birds to drop their idea of moulting, and r renew their laying instead until April. Then a they moulted, and there 1 * was. a tall in the a egg yield. July was the only/month in which the eggs produced were fewer than those of the same month a year before. When Eggs are Scarce. It. is quite important for poultry-keepers I to. know when to aim to produce their biggest output of eggs. The best time is shown by 1 the quantities on the market. The seasons J of plenty and of scarcity come at fairly regular times year after year. They may be seen 1 in the following lists of the numbers of eggs I - graded for two years past•' J 1906-7. . 1907-8. 1908-9. ! April ... 4,440 52,359 : 78,092 •May . ... 5,520 60,615 61,876 June ... 9,000 . 67,419 71,332 July ... 18,192 130,572 123,654 Aug. ... 40,152 256,845 Sept ' 45,864 368,515. 1 Oct. ... 140,638 469,136 1 Nov. ... 329,868 389,291 Dec. ... 234,168 243,518 .Jan. ... 151,332 184,622 Feb. ... 84,660 116,249 Mar. ...- 64,884 81,778 / 1,128,768 " 2,423,919 ] : " i