EGGS AND COLD STORAGE.

Motueka Star, Volume I, Issue 20, 18 October 1901, Page 4

EGGS AND COLD STORAGE.

Scarcely a month passes but there is something new to chronicle in regard to refrigeration ; some new achievement to be recorded. Quite recently (says "Cold Storage ") a train of twelve refiigerator cars left Newton, Kansas, enroute to California, the cars containing no fewer than 144 r OOO dozen, or nearly two million eggs gathered by one firm, from time to time, cold stored, and ultimately sent away in the record fashion described. Never before has it been known to make up a single train of eggs, a thing impossible even now were it not for the accommodating influences of cold storage. With the introduction of municipal cold stores it may he interesting to many small poulterers to know how to turn their stock to the best account, so for the information of farmers and others who may take advantage of these institutions a few hints may be useful. To commence with, all eggs that are required to be kept, say, for six months should be newly laid, and wherever it is possible it is better to have them infertile. Every morning before the sun has gained its power the eggs should be collected and placed at once in cold storage boxes and placed in a cool spot. To obtain the best results they should be graded as to colour and size, the boxes being marked accordingly* They are much improved also if they are kept clear of dirt and stains. The boxes, if they are of usual trade size, should hold thirty six dozen. These should be made cf colourless wood, or the eggs will take up the for, next to milk, there is nothing which becomes tainted so quickly as an earg. Another point is see that the boxes are thoroughly dry;* unless this is done the eggs will acquire a musty flavour. For egg staring in this country no packing should be used other than a filler of odourless cardboard. Once packed, the goods should then be forwarclee into cold stores, no time been lost. This is important, for should the eggs be fertile and be left in the sun for a day or so, or in a room where the temperature is likely to run in the neighborhood of the century, the germ quickens into life, and the freshness of the egg is gone for ever. This is the cause of nine tenths of the egg difficulty.