THE EGG SEASON.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 300, 12 September 1908, Page 3

THE EGG SEASON.

A TIME FOR BUYINC SUPPLIES. SOME MODES OF PRESERVING. These are days of cheap eggs. There are signs that very shortly eggs may be obtained retail in Wellington at a shilling a dozen, which means still less for larger quantities at the auction marts. It is, therefore, a time for getting ready all the kerosene tins and other appliances required for "putting down" eggs against the dearer days to come. Exactly how cheap eggs will becomo beforo the cheap days terminate, it is hard to say. Bakers usually reckon on buying up their supplies for preserving when tho prices reach as low as 9d. per dozen. But last season this stage never came; and many bakers, when tho rise of prices began again, found themselves without supplies. Having decided to purchase, the next question is what form of preserving to adopt. "The cold storage of eggs (says the "Sydney Daily Telegraph ") has been brought to a remarkable degree of reliability in Sydney. With tho big biscuit makers and pastry manufacturers the most popular method of preserving is what is known as pulping, which consists of breaking tho eggs into tins, mixing whites and yolks, and keeping the wholo mass in a frozen, state. The professional egg preservers, on the other hand, still adhere largely to lime solutions. " For those who wish to put by eggs out of their spring surplus, for use later on, thero is nothing better than tho waterglass system. A shillingsworth will preservo two kerosene tinsful of eggs, or 400. Tho process is simplicity itself. It is best used in tho. strength of one part waterglass (silicate of soda) to 15 or 20 parts'of water. Tho latter should be brought to the boil, and kept boiling for, say, 20 minutes, to expel as much air as possible, and then cooled down to about the temperature of tho atmosphere. Then dissolve the waterglass in it, and when this is thoroughly done the solution is ready for use. The. eggs may bo placed in the vessel to be used, and the waterglass poured over them, or the solution can be put in first and the oggs added as gathered from day to day. The eggs should be completely immersed, and if any float, the density of the solution should bo reduced by the addition of moro boiled water until tho oggs sink. In this way eggs can be kept for a year, or possibly more, if desired. .In boiling eggs taken from the waterglass preservative, they should first bo pierced with a needle to prevent cracking. " There aro several general principles to be observed in preserving eggs. Thoy should be quite fresh, and not have been exposed to the suii. It is likewise essential that they should be perfectly clean. The eggs should be kept in tho coolest spot available. Most people now know that infertile eggs keep better than those that have been fertilised, and, except where male birds aro kept for the protection pf hens running at large, only such females as are in tho breeding pons should bo mated. "In addition to waterglass, there aro a number of good preparations on the market. Infertile eggs, if packed in dry salt, will keep a long time, or if just put away in a very cool position, without any treatment whatever, thoy will keep for many weeks, and be quito fresh enough for ordinary culinary purposes. With eggs so treated, it is an important detail to pack them largo end down. Eggs so packed will show an appreciable difference in quality compared with those otherwise placed." FARM LABOURERS' CASE. CANTERBURY'S FIGHT. A-TRIBUTE. A guinea subscription fund has been opened in Feilding by roprescntativo farmers as a means of showing appreciation of the successful efforts of the farmers of Canterbury in opposing the demands of the Farm Labourers' Union. Within a short time eleven farmers from Feilding, Cheltenham, Waituna, Bulls, Aorangi, Makiuo, Awahuri, and Iviwitea contributed a guinea each. Tho -organisers of tho fund intend the movement to be also an expression of confidence in the Arbitration Court's attitude towards tho agricultural and pastoral interests. The contributors feel that it is only fair that the farmers of the whole Dominion should recognise that the farmers of Canterbury, by so sturdily contesting the demands of the Farm Labourers' Union, really saved every farmer much expense. It is intended to communicate with Messrs. David Jones and Acland informing them of the movement. VISIT TO WERAROA. There is every indication (says our Feilding correspondent) of a large party mak'ing the trip to tho Weraroa State Farm next Wednesday under the auspices of the Feilding A. and P. Association. In connection with the visit there is to be an exhibition of milking by machinery and an interesting exhibition of spraying by horse-power. Mr. Drysdale, manager of the State Farm, who arrived in Feilding yesterday to discuss details. stated that he would arrange to have lunch and tea laid for the party, and every arrangement will be made for a profitable visit. STUMPING BY MACHINERY. Several settlers around Table Flat (says our Feilding correspondent) are going in for stumping this year, and have procured the use of a traction-engine for the purposo. COLD WEATHER. During the past 24 hours (wrote our Manawatu correspondent last night) the weather has been bitterly cold, and accompanied at intervals with heavy rain and hail-storms. The severity of the bitter snap will no doubt moan a loss of young lambs. WELLINGTON WOOL SALES. The Associated Buyors and Wool Brokers of Wellington 'have fixed tho dates for the coming season's wool sales, at Wellington as follows, to be held in the concert room of the Town Hall:— First—Friday, November 13, 2 p.m. Second—Friday, December 4, 9 a.m. ' Third—Friday, January 8, 9 a.m. Fourth —Friday, February 19, 2 p.m. A supplementary sale is usually held on the third or fourth Friday in March at 1 p.m. The catalogues close at 5 p.m. on the Monday preceding the sale. OUR DIARY. SHOWS. Oct. 21, 22.—Hawke's Bay A. and P. (Hastings). October 28, 29.—Wairarapa A. and P. (Carterton). Nov. 4, 5, 6.—Manawatn. Nov. 11, 12, 13.—Chmtchnrch. Feb. 26. —Bush Districts (Woodville)., Nov. 11, 12.—Wanganui.