| OCR Text |
Show DIRTY EGGS DECREASE VALUE Agricultural Department Estimates Loss to Farmers at $5,000,000 Every Year, Whilo there are a few egg producers who taku the best of care of their product, the average farmer considers the eggs produced on tlio farm a byproduct by-product and makes very little provision pro-vision for their care, aside from gathering gath-ering them. A lurge loss Is caused by dirty eggs, th number being enormous, enor-mous, and according to the extlmato of Secretary Wilson of tho department depart-ment of agriculture this money Ions to the farmers In the United States amounting to about $5,0U0,000 annually. annual-ly. This loss Is very largely brought about by not gathering the eggs often enough. In wet weather more dirty eggs are found than at any other lime. This Is caused by the fact that the ben's feet are often covered with mud or other flirt, and In going on the nest to lay she I lis the eggs already In the nest. An lnufi:clent number of nests U ofieu the cause of many of the dirty egga found. Kggs are laid on the ground and around the hay and straw stacks, ami becoming stained, are clnsxed as "dirties." Again, when too many eggs are allowed to remain In a nest some are broken and many of tho others become smeared with broken yolks. Thi condition Is often brought alMtut by allowing the broody hens to use the same nests with tho layers. On a farm where one nest to every four bens is provided and the nests are kept clean and well bedded, It Is found that very few dirty eggs are produced. After galhen.ig tho eggs, car Fhould bo taken not to put them where they will become heated, or near oil, onions, or other vegetables, as they readily absorb odors. Although dirty eggs may bu perfectly perfect-ly fresh, they Invariably sell as "seconds," "sec-onds," and when but a few dirty etrgs are mixed wit an otherwise fresh, clean lot, they materially decrease tho price of the clan eggs. |
