PRESERVING EGGS.

Southern Cross, Volume 1, Issue 4, 22 April 1893, Page 5

PRESERVING EGGS.

u Poultry for Prizes and Profit,” an English hook, in relation to the preservation of eggs, says ;—• “ The competitions, during the paifc few years, at the London Dairy Show and the Birmingham Cattle Show, for the pxuzes offered for the best lot -of preserved eggs, have conclusively .shown that there are two systems — and only two —-which can be implicitly relied upon for the preserving of eggs for any period of time. These systems involve the use of lime and salt. Lime affords one of the simplest possible means for the preservation of eggs. The plan to adopt is to select a, vessel, preferably of earthenware, into which a number of eggs are placed ; a mixture of lime and water is then poured over the eggs. The liquid may, if necessary, reach the mouth of the vessel, so that other -eggs can, from time to. time, be dropped in. A frequent mistake is in making the lime too thick. In this case, that which is not held in solution by the watei —for water can only take up a certain quantity of lime —remains at the bottom of the vessel, and the ■eggs become embedded in it, and ai’e sometimes difficult to remove without breaking. “ Eggs have been packed in salt for years, with more or less success—generally less, for those who have made the attempt have fallen into the mistake of using salt in the state in which it was purchased. The great -secret of preserving in salt is to use a sample which is absolutely dry, and then keep it dry. The best plan is to use a box sufficiently large to hold fifty eggs—this is a cenvenient size. The bottom as well as the lid should be so fixed that it can be taken off without breaking. In practice, a layer of salt is laid upon the bottom, and upon this the eggs are placed, upon their sides; these are then covered with another layer of salt, when a second batch of eggs is placed in the box, and so on until the top is reached. During the process of packing the salt must be pressed down as tightly as possible, more especially .around the sides; and when the box is full, before the lid is fixed, every means should be taken to pack and press the salt as closely and firmly as possible, without breaking the eggs. The box should be stored away in a perfectly dry place. When the eggs are to be used, care should be taken to remove the bottom of the box, so that the stalest eggs — i.e., those first put in—may be first used. Any person may safely store eggs by cither of the above systems ; and provided proper care has been taken, it will he found that the losses are trifling, and that eggs which have been kept four months are almost equal to those new-laid.