PREFACE .

HIS b k h a s been c m iled wit a t w fld objec t oo o p h o o t o n c ea e t h e u se o f e a s o o a nd t h u s i r s ggs f d , inc rea se t heir pro duc t io n . No o t her a r t ic le o f food is su it a ble a like fo r o ld a n d u n fo r r c a nd r fo r e c u e a nd a c et c for yo g, i h p oo , pi r s s i s , a t t hle es a nd i nv a lids . B elievi ng t ha t a gr ea t er u se o feggs a s food c a n b est b e bro ught a b ou t by a kno wledge o ft heir c omp o si t i on a nd t h e nc e o fc o o e t h e c o e h a s c a r e u pri ipl s k ry , mpil r , by f l c a fi c a t on t e t o n a t e t a n t o u t r ec l ssi i , ri d dimi ish r h r h m l iply i p es a nd yet present suc h v a ri a t ion s t h a t a ny h o u sekeep er m a y a da p t ea c h met ho d t o t h e m a t eria ls a lrea dy a t h a n d . Few employment s a r e b et t er s u it ed t o w o men wit h a c a t a e t e o f one o r c a t en t t a n sm ll pi l , i h r m y physi l s r g h , h t h e r a ising o feggsfor ma rket . Th e e a a t on o fe fo r o o e ec a in c a e pr p r i ggs f d , sp i lly k s

a nd e e t a o a e une a t e u ne fo r wo en . d ss r s , is ls r m r iv b si ss m Sma ll fl oc ks o fp o ult ry a r e u sua lly m ore s u c c essf u l t ha n

l a rge o nes . T wo c a n b ec a e o n a t o e a nd o e a ea t his rk rri d h m , pr v s gr ec ono my o ft h e ho useh old wa st e. ' O ut o f u a nd wo a nd ee a nd w a t it c a n b gs rms s ds , ’ h c a nd c a t c o t h e wa t e o fNa t u e a or a t o pi k s r h fr m s r s l b ry , — t h e h en p r o du c es t h e fa ir whi t e egg o ne o ft h e m o st e c ou o e t o t h e u a n a a t e one w c fi t h e d li i s m rs ls h m p l , hi h lls ea t o f - h r m a n w it h lo vi ng ki nd ness . In t h e words o fa writ er t wo hundred a nd fi ft y yea rs a go : e e e ea en t a t n o a c e t e er r o uc e B li v , d r fri d , h l h mis v p d d r o ur na c e o r a e c so a r e a t r ea ur e a s o u m a f m f l mbi , r s y y o t a n r o o u en o u o n now h o w t o c o ne b i f m y r h s , if y ly k mbi la b or a nd delight . PRE FA OE .

Amo ng t h e b o oks ex a mined in t h e a r r a ngement o ft h is t t e wo r a r e enc c o ae a ener a a nd ec fi c c e li l k y l p di s , g l sp i , h m ist r a nd o t er o o e a t n t o o o a s we a s a a r e y h b ks r l i g f ds , ll l g

nu er o fc o o o o . Th e o t e u o we er a e mb k b ks m s h lpf l , h v , h v ' een Th e C e t r o fCo o n . M . a b h mis y ki g , by W Willi ms ,

' - F o o E wa r S t M . D . Th eFr a nc o A er ds , by d d mi h , , m ” ” c a n Coo er o o Th e Mo er n H o u e o er T . i k y B k , d s h ld , by ' ” J . Mur r e H o w t o Coo a n d Se e E G. H y , k rv ggs , by ill , 'p ublished in E n gla n d in All Ab out E ggs 'p ub lish ed in C c a o V c t o Pa er a nd o o o n c o o hi g by i r lm ', b ks k M r on er Mr s. L n c o n M Co r o n M Ba r oa a y by i l , iss s , iss l , i

Ha r a n He en Ca e a nd ot e . l d , l mpb ll h rs E GGS

ND NAME A S HAPE .

HE egg is one of the few things in the world original and positive in u itself . Tho gh some specimens are

u ro nd and some oblong, the usual shape cannot be described by words applicable t o other objects .

' ova - The egg is h that is , egg shaped , since that word is derived directly from the Latin name for the egg ovu m .

No t n o ly does the egg name itself, but it gives ris e t o words descriptive of other objects .

01 mm may have been derived from the Latin

a vis . m t , a bird Fro this roo come the words oval , ovary , ovate , ovolo , ovule , etc .

The Greek word meaning egg was (bé u and

o . from this comes o logy, etc The same word was sometimes used to describe a bald head . 8 NAME AND SH APE.

Tennyson uses the simile , bald as an egg .

From the A nglo - Saxon oey comes the word

- C we use to day . haucer and other early writers

e c . use the forms y, g, egge

The verb to egg, meaning to incite , is now nearly obsolete . ’ Thou should st be pra ncing on thy steed

To egg thy soldiers forward in thy wars .

a n d The egg dart, egg and tongue , egg and a r e n anchor, ornaments for the ovolo moldi g in

archit ecture .

Egg- shell ch ina is so- called from its extreme

- delic a cy . The egg plant is named from the a sh pe of its fruit .

Nest eggs and bad eggs are phrases often

used metaphorically .

The size o fthe egg has l o ng been a standard o f a a n d a me sure , its specific gr vity a test for

solutions . 9 NAME AND SH APE.

- a a n d o The first watches were egg sh ped , , fr m their origin in that city, were called Nuremberg animated eggs .

The new Cen t u r y gives more than ( dictionary fifty derivations and compounds of the word egg . ’ Natu re is very skillf ul ; we don t take h a lf a s many hints from her as we might . Do you observe these eggs all of one color those deli — cate blues th ese exq uisite drabs 'If yo u n a t ever wish to pai t room , take one of hese eggs for a model , and you will arrive at such tints as n o pa inter ever imagin ed out of h is own ”

I n . head , k ow

CH A S. RE ADE .

The nine thou sand varieties of known birds furnish every shade of color in eggs . This is a device of Nature for th ei r protection . Birds

n in whose ests are covered lay white eggs , while open nests in fields or on the sand the eggs are c olored like surrounding objects . The surface of the shell m a y be rough or 10 NAME AND SH APE .

- smooth a s if polished . Eggs of some sea birds are c o vered with a glutinous su bstance to pre n ven t their slippi g offthe sand or rocks .

O n few things have so m uch beauty been n a e . e e , i l vish d Just pee’p in any lan or brak o a spring, int bird s nest, and lying cosily in their mossy couch you will behold a number of mysterious spheres , every one of them with m n life within , but externally s ooth and brillia t a a n flec ked as gem , penciled with delic te li es ,

o r a with lapis lazuli ruby , clouded , stre ked ,

n w o n o fur ished ith th usands of i visible p res , through which the a ir penetrates to the im prisoned bird , to hasten its development and c o - operate with an imal he a t in imparting to it all t h e mysterious powers of organization and ” vitality .

'Considering one of these marvels from our View we sh o uld think it something to last for

it d . ever, while is only for a few ays P ierce the shell and we find a matrix white , a thin and delic te as the petals of a flower, to

protect it from the shell . 11 NAME AND SH APE.

Then follo ws the mighty process of matter

n n o quickeni g i t life , the metamorphosis of these o a s fluids int bones , flesh , fe ther , talons , heart a n d a n n br i with the machinery of voice , insti ct, a n t h ffectio , emo ion , w ether in the ostrich or the ” - r e a e . humming bi d no larg r than p a’

Cha mber s Jou r na l . 12 TH MY OLOG Y.

L MYTH O O GY .

EW articles of common life have fi g u r ed a s l a rgely in history and fable

a s the egg . The proverb Omne Vivu m ex

Ovo a n , is the basis of the religious belief of m y

Eastern nations . The formation of the world from chaos was well compared to the development of the chicken fro m t h e egg . The mundane or universal egg may be traced in all mythology . Under various forms the same legend appears , namely that on the waste of waters a mighty bird deposited a n egg a from which the e rth was evolved . ' In his Histoire Religieuse du Calendrier

P . C m 'aris , the learned M ourt de Gebeli n gives ma y of these legends . Here it is o nly possible to give a c o ndensed

translation from this quaint old French book . 13 MYTH OL OG Y.

In the philosophy and theology of the P Egyptians , ersians , Gauls , Greeks and Romans the egg was the emblem of the universe , the work of the Supreme Deity . Kn e h E m e h The Egyptian divinity , p or p a word in their language meaning good or beh evo lent is painted in the human form to in dicate u his intelligence ; androgyno s , to signify his absolute independence , having on his head a v butterfly to designate his acti ity , and with an egg issuing from his mouth to prove his fertility . e o Ph t h a h From the ggpr ceeded , or the Fire , m V fro whom the Greeks derive their ulcan . To thi s divinitywas addressed the famous ih scription on the Temple of Sais , ending with e the‘s words ’ Th e a fruit which I h ve produced is the Sun . A ccording to Orpheus , who carried this doc n trine i to Greece , there first existed the immense , eternal chaos from which all things were to be produced .

It was neither light nor shade , damp nor dry , warm nor cold , but all together and had the form of an immense egg . 14 M H YT OL OG Y.

It was the origin of all things , and began by t he the separation of four elements , from two of which the heavens are formed and from t h e others the earth , and by the participation of these all beings are born . The Spirit of God brooded upon the waters as the hen upon her egg . This egg becomes the base of a mu ltitude of allegories revolting and absurd when they d o m not approach their odel , but very ingenious A n when in the same key . mo g these are the fables of the birth of Hercules ; the s on s of Jo ve born fro m an egg Ca stor and Pollu x ; Venus born from the bosom of the waters ; Semiramis born from an egg cast up by the ” — a n d waters others . The Persians believed in two deities one born o f n light, the other of shade , who made war upo each other . The first produced twenty -four good Spirits inclosed in an egg , which was invaded by evil m a spirits proceeding fro the other, and since th t o n time g od and evil have been mi gled on earth . The Hindoos held the egg to be the source of 15 MYTH OL OG Y.

all things , and therefore refrained from eat n i g it . The Mongolian races have a tradition that a mystic bird la id an egg on the bosom of one of their deities , there to be hatched . He let it fa ll into the water a n d it broke the upper part then became the sky , the lower the earth ; the

su n t h em o liquid white formed the , the yolk on , and fragments of the shell became stars . The Egyptians sa w in the egg an e mblem of the restoration of mankind after the deluge , and venerated it accor dingly . It often appears in their hieroglyphics . The egg and tongue of architecture is thought

n a to be a relic of the head of Isis , representi g

o necklace of the mundane egg, and the t ngue of r the se pent of immortality . The Jews found in the egg a symbol of bon c e dage and wonderful deliveran , and used it as a type of their departure from Egypt, and it P appeared on the assover table . Th e modern Hebrews still use eggs at the P assover season , as an emblem of the rolling r fate of Is ael . 16 H MYT OL OG Y.

The peculiar shape of the dome of the Moham medan mosques is regarded as a vestige of the early egg worship . Egg-shaped stones have been excavated in the ruins of many cities of the East . The Greeks and Romans adopted these theo ries from the earlier nations . A t one time in Greece , philosophers tried to keep people from eating eggs , since they con t a in ed all the elements of life . The shell r epr e

o sented the earth ; the white , water ; the y lk ,

fire ; air was found under the shell , and the germ of life it was a sin to destroy . A mong the Romans eggs were u sed in the holy

m a cere onies of Bacchus , and in rites of expi tion . u ven a l a J informs us that at the utumn equinox ,

t a n f n to escape the ravages of tha season , o feri g of on e hu n dred eggs was m a de . The worsh ip of the egg gradually degenerated o f u se in to the ceremonies magicians , and the a t n of the egg, even the present day , amo g ign orant people , in various love charms and c a n divinations , thus be traced back to the

mundane egg . PE S U RS TITIONS. 17

P S U ERS TITIONS . ’ T e e o et n t a n e a o ut e e h r s s m hi g s r g b ggsh lls , ” T a t a e t em o o a a n t ll h m k s h pr f g i s a sp ells . T UD R O JE NK S.

GGS , and especially their shells , have been thought potent aids in witch

craft . Irish and English nurses once in structed children- d ab p ush their spoons through

a n t n the shell of egg, after ea i g its contents , ” to keep the witches from making a boat of it . These lin es fro m Beaumon t and Fletcher Show the commo n belief :

The devil should think of purchasing that egg

shell , B m To victual out a wife for the er o ot h u s.

i. . ( e Bermudas . )

Sir Thomas Browne tells us another reason

n for breaki g the shells , lest the witches should draw or prick their names therein and thus I8 S UPER S TITIONS.

h injure t e person who had partaken of the egg . Eggs l a id on holy days were supposed to a n possess helpful qualities gai st all ills . In 1584 , Reginald Scot says , To hang an on A n in egg, laid sce sion Day , the roof of a house preserveth the same from all hurts . Eggs produced o n Good Frida y were a ls o n kept, si ce they had power to extinguish any

fire on which they might be thrown . The Netherlanders say that ague may be kept a t a dista nce by eating on E a ster Da y two eggs h in n l a id on Good Frida y . W ile North Germa y the shells a r e broken after the con te n ts a r e eaten to keep away the same dread visitor . n Dreami g of eggs is a prediction of trouble , though if the shells be broken when they a ppear the danger is a verted . Scotch fishermen think it unlucky to h a ve

o n n eggs board their boats , as they will bri g contrary winds . In many parts of Englan d eggs are not allowed

a n o f to leave the house fter su set, for fear ill luck , and to have them brought in would be equ a lly disastrou s .

19 SUPE R STITIONS.

O n n Hallowee , if the white of egg be dropped n t a i to any pure liquid , the shape it kes will in dicate the future of the person trying the cha rm . A n a n maiden a xious to see her future husb d , A n in spen ds the d a y of St . g es silence and fa st in a o - o g, then t kes the yolk fr m a hard b iled egg, i a a n d fills the c a vity w th s lt eats shell and a ll . A fter sundry incantations she m ay t hen co u n t o n seein g the desired one in her dre a ms . Hebrew mourners retu rni n g from the funera l ‘ ' o a r t a keofa a - o s metimes p h rd b iled egg, sprinkled with a shes inste a d o fs a lt . Probably this has refere n ce to the resurrection . 20 E A S TE R .

EASTER .

SIDE from their use as food eggs a r e connected with one o fthe gre a t fes t iv a ls C of the hristian church .

a a n a on From the e rliest ges , all ti s have celebra ted the awakenin g of nature a t the

n a n d d a we n w a s a ver al equinox , the y k o E ster m a y be c o n sidered a combin a tion o fthese fes t iv it ies a o b u t a with the Jewish P ss ver, given n ew Sign ific a n ce by the risen Christ . The early church was divided o n t h e question of the proper time for the observance of the

o n a n d resurrecti , the matter was not decided

2 . . 3 until A D . 5 at the Nicene Council The settlem ent of the controversy w a s o n e of the questions which led Co n stantine to call the ' c o u n c il : Tha t everywhere the great feast o f E a ster sh ould be o bserved upon one a n d t h e a a n d h a s me day , t t not the day , of the Jewish a a s h a d P ssover , but been generally observed , upo n the Sunday afterward .

21 EASTER .

22 or The date may be as early as March , as 2 a late as April 5 . It is the first Sund y follow in g the full moon , which appears on or after 21 March .

The word Easter ' m a y have been derived

o a a s a a fr m the s me root e st , and pplied to this se a s o n of the year which was proverbially a n gry ‘é a n d st orm yfi A nother probable source of the E oest r e word is Ostara or , the name of an — A nglo - Saxo n goddess corresponding to the Latin Aurora - whose festival occurred at this season .

The Saxons when converted to Chris t i anity continued many of their customs at t h e spri n g — festival but instead of s a ying E oest r e h ath en L awak ed , greete d each other with The ord ha th risen .

Until withi n a comparatively short time specia l services and o bservance of Easter were confined to the Catholic and Greek churches ; ' O -m m o f w wa s S m for ster onat , or o nth the east ind , the axon na e A p ril . 22 EASTER .

n o n w the festival is generally celebrated . A in crease in the symbolic gifts a t this season may

b e . noticed, and many old customs are revived

The most prevalent and characteristic custom of the Easter festival has a lways been the givin g n of eggs . Sometimes they were eate , oftener

o r n a . kept as amulets , used in playi g g mes The paga n pe o ple at their n ew ye a r feasts presented each other with eggs a s a type o ft h e n ew life of n a ture wh ich they colored to Sh o w n their joy at the retur o fspring . Barbarous n a tio n s in Africa a n d South A merica offer eggs to their idols at the Spring

h a d h u festivals . The Greeks t e c stom of pre

o n sentin g colored eggs . The R ma s celebrated the new year with egg games in honor of Casto r and Pollux . The Druids used eggs in the worship of t h e goddess E oest r e. What wonder that with all the traditio ns n and superstitions co nected with the egg, that this custom was continued even had it n o t been a n a ppropriate emblem of the resurrection '

24 EASTE R .

Eggs were long regarded as the transition a n d L food at the beginning end of ent .

A n d hence the egg fe a st formerly at Oxford whe n the schola rs took leave of that kin d of t h a a A h food on e Saturd y fter s ’Wednesday . B r a n s A t i i d n qu ties.

By the common people too , the preceding Saturday (before the firs t Sunday in Le n t) in Oxfordshire particularly is c a lled Egg S a tur ” day .

H a m son Medi i Aeni K a p len d r ier .

It is supposed th at the c u stom of decorating eggs at Easter arose among Catholics from joy at returning to their favorite food .

A ccording to an old tradition , the bells went R e e e e E e to om to b bl ss d at aster tim , ’and the a a eggs were dyed sc rlet like the cardinal s clo k , to show tha t the bells had brought them b a ck

. A t o o from Rome ngels , , were believed to descend with baskets of eggs for the faithful , and sometimes an evil egg found its way with the others with dire results . 25 EA STER .

2 1605 16 1.

P P V. In the ritual of ope aul , made for the

n use of E gland , Ireland and Scotland , occurs this benedictio n ' L e h Bless , O ord , w beseec thee , this thy E GGS creature of , that it may become a whole t h some sustenance to y faithful servants , eating

in a it th nkfulness to thee , on account of the ” Res u rrection of our Lord Jesus Christ . It had been the custom of the pagan priest

to bless offer in gsjofeggs . The line Creep ” t o e es inge the cross with gg and apples , shows

that Christians continued the cu stom . A sermon preached in England in 157 0 men tio ns tha t certain ones o n Good Friday offered u n to Christe Egges and Bacon to be in his favor

till E a ster Da y was pa st .

A n entry amon g the household expenses of n n Edward I . of E gla d , of eighteen pence for t h e ob ser v four hundred eggs for Easter, shows ance of the custom at that period and the ex

treme cheapness of eggs . 26 EASTE R .

In certain parts of E ngland eggs rose in price at this time .

It was once’customary in Scotland to search fo r wild fowl s eggs on Easter morning for good l u ck . Here are two or three jolly boys all of one mind ; ’ ’ We ve come a pace - egging and hope you ll be kind ’ We h Ope you ll be kind with your eggs and yo’ur beer, A n d we ll come no more near you u n til the ” New Year .

Easter is to the Russians what Christm a s is to the Germ a ns . It is the day of a ll the year for a a n a n d f mily g theri gs , is if possible celebrated n n i ew ga rments . m n The people o er each other eggs , sayi g

Christ is risen .

A t St . Petersburg hundreds come to kiss the hand of the empress , who rewards each one with

a decorated egg of porcelain . 27 EAS TE R .

E a rly in the morning the chu rches a r e full fo r a ll a n the mass , while rou d are servants with a dishes of eggs , waiting to h ve them blessed .

In o a n L a n d P l d ent is rigidly observed , at its ' cl o se an im a l food is partaken of with gre a t solemnity .

Th etable is laid to represent a fort . Pyra mids o fcold ha rd- boiled eggs surrounded by coils o f s a u s a ge a r e the ordn a nce stores . The host begins the feast by cuttin g one o f the eggs in thin slic es and sha r es a slice with

u i W 0 l c o n i a t u la each g est in tu n , hile e ing g n tio s of the day . This ceremo n y is performed in turn by every o n e a ll with the others present . ’ In France hens nests were formerly ransacked fo r the largest eggs for an Easter tribute t o the kin g . The priests used to go fro m h o use t o a n n house , le ving their blessi gs and receivi g eggs

fo r enough to last many weeks .

u n n o fL I . n D ri g the reig s ouis 'V a d 'V. after mass o n Easter Sunday it was the c ustom 28 E AS TER . for the king to distribute gilded eggs to his courti‘ers .

P a ssion week in Paris may be called the feast

m a a of eggs . In the streets y be he rd the cries of des oeufs from women bearin g piles o fred

o n and white eggs barrows , and everybody pre n sents his neighbor wi t h a eggreal or artificial .

a a o a d E ster eggs are usu lly b iled h r , the shells being stained with bright colors a n d d variously ecorated . Boiling in dye gives a ny desired col o r to the n shell . Madder or cochine a l gives red, i digo

u n n a o with sulphuric acid , bl e , onio ski s m ttled o n n n n yellow or brown if the b ili g be lo g co ti ued . The prepared dyes are ho wever more c on v en

a a a ien t . V rieg ted eggs are produced by wr p pin g them tightly with silk or print and in the

o a b iling process , pattern and color will be tr ns ferred t o the Shell . a If, before boiling , letters , names or d tes be o n w t written the shell ith grease , hat part will

a not t ke the color, so white letters will appear o n a bright ground . 29 E AS TE R .

To write 0 11 eggs alre a dy colored dip a stick a o r pencil in strong vinegar or other cid . Washing the shell with the white of a raw egg gives a good surface for drawing a n d pa intin g . The shells may be emptied and then painted or colored a n d u sed to hold small gifts . The shells are first cleaned by washing in

n n a r e a vi egar, the the eggs pierced and a l rge needle is used t o stir up the contents which a r e then blown o u t .

' l ' ’ After dec o r a t i on a r ib b on is put th rough the a r shell or the holes e covered with bright paper . Ti n y cradles for the s mallest of dolls can be m a de by breaking out one quarter o fthe shell a n d a dding pa steboard rockers . Half- shells with handles of ribbon or paper m a ke a pretty basket to hold a piece of jewelry . For a vase glue a large button mold to the shell and paint the whole .

From the custom of giving Easter eggs w e h a ve derived the pleas a nt fashion of sending cards and small gifts at that season . Naturally 30 E AS TER .

a n a u m y of these t ke the form of the egg, tho gh h resemblin g it in no ot er wa y . The shop windows at this season seem like huge bird - n ests filled with all manner of fa n ciful

n eggs . These clever imitation eggs have l o g been a n i m portant source of revenue to Fra n ce a n d Germany .

a r e c o n fec There eggs of all sizes , made of t ion er a o a y and more enduring materi ls , choc l te

m o u eggs with crea where the yolk sh ld be , eggs

o a a a n d ad rned with mottoes , eggs of so p , of gl ss

—b o n - a china , ostrich eggs for bon boxes , egg sh ped

a a n d boxes , b skets , lockets , note paper to imitate

- egg shells , etc .

S ofa-pillows and pin cushions m a y take the Shape of a n egg if they a r e to serve as presents a a - t E ster tide .

A nother fan cy is a pe n wiper m a de by gluin g f a o n e a o f two buf worsted b lls , h lf the size the

- other, into an egg shell . Give the smaller ba ll a quill n o se a n d black ” a o f be d eyes , and the e ect will be that a chicken

just leaving his shell .

32 EA TE . . S R

A TTLE D E B O GG.

A ny one unacquainted with the process will l o be much puzz ed to see a whole egg in a b ttle , t h e n eck of which has a smaller diameter than the egg . It is first necessary to soak the egg in vinegar o r some a cid which will destroy most o fthe

n n n . lime of the shell , without i juri g its conte ts When the shell is soften ed e n ough to extend slightly both ways , press it gently in the center

and slip into the bottle . Cover the egg with limewater for a few da ys to harden the shell again ; then p o ur offt h e w a ter and leave your friends to wonder how

the egg came to be in the bottle .

A DANCING E GG.

Fill a quill with quicksilver and seal at both

- t r a h o t h a o . ends , hen th ust it into , rd b iled egg

As o n m n . l g as the egg is war , it will da ce 8 3 E A S TE R .

QU E E R. PE OPLE .

Some very funn y peo ple m a y be m a de to live h n f t e a o . in egg shells , for museme t children b w n a n d Empty the shell y blo i g, pour in melted bees -wa x until the egg sta n ds securely o n its l a rger end ; a few shot dropped i n to the wa w a x h a rm will elp m tters . With in k o r bl a ck pain t draw ra gged lines near the m iddlen s ifthe shell were broken

n h a there . O t e large end sketch the fe tures of a n old ge n tleman a n d put a ta ll pa per coll a r

a w o n j u st a b ove the ra gged lin e . Dr the shell o r cut from p a per a n d paste in pl a ce a pair o f a rms wi th h a nds clasped in front ; a dd feet in l the same wa y . Then put the o d fellow o n the ta ble a n d he will sta n d o n his head . The fa ce m a y be clouded or serene a t the a a ple sure of the rtist , but most people would n n o t feel very h a ppy if sta ndi g o n their heads . A n old la dy c a n be m a de in like manner

a t o n u a with the ddi i of a t iss e p per cap . 34 E AS TE R .

A n other device is a small crying fa ce with j a gged lines a ro u nd it a s if the shell were broke n

a n . little , but the priso er could get no further

a Or the shell may be filled with wax or cl y, and broken a wa y in the place where the face is to be m odeled .

R o se buds or tulips c a n be imitated with good success by pain ting a n egg a n d gluin g on tiss u e paper or o ther artificia l leaves a t the ba se ; a n acorn cup will represent the lower part of the calyx .

E GG GA ME S.

A t the pagan new ye a r festivals many games

a w were pl yed ith eggs , and some of them still survive .

Hyde , in his Oriental Sports , says The sport c o n sists in striking their eggs one a a n a n a a w on g i st other, and the egg th t bre ks is

o f h a n d by the owner the one t at struck it, ” so on .

- a a t h a The Romans had egg g mes t eir new ye r, n o C o a n d o wh o in ho r of ast r P llux , were sup 35 EASTE R .

n p o sed to have come from a egg . These con

- w sisted of races in an egg shaped ring , ith eggs for prizes . A n old S a xo n chronicle tells of an egg tourna n At a in a me t . suitable dist nces , circle , were

o a n d o n a n placed twelve short p les , top of each egg .

A o round this , at full speed , ran the y uths n a rmed with blunt la nces . The o e breakin g the

a o . La most eggs was decl red vict r ter, eggs

w a a t o a n d a S gre too v lu ble be wasted , imilar i h d ga me was played w t w o o en rings or ba lls . In this country there has o fl a te been a revival of some o fthese games with other quaint Easter c u sto ms . Man y children in d a ys past have matched their eggs or rolled them over the gree n grass lots in the gro unds of t h e White House a t

Wa shington . Probably the E a ster eggs were first boiled hard

a for greater safety in these g mes of matching . At a Pa a s festiva l o n ce held in the studio of a o a i o o New Y rk rt st, c l red eggs were hung

n m o w- w by ribbo s fro a pussy will tree , hile quaint 36 E A S TE R . little damsels distributed fresh eggs as well as

a o f o o n a those m de c nfecti ery , from their d inty ba skets . ’ t Near Easter time a child’ren s parties the little o nes may be s en t bird s nesting through

n a r e a in a ll the rooms , where the ests pl ced in possible corners , some tucked bushes or n small trees . The ests must be w ell filled w o r a a ith candy eggs the re l article decor ted , a n d the child re n must h u n t till e a ch finds a n n n est with his or her o w a me o n it .

TH E CA SCA R ONE .

Travelers l n Mexico give acc o unts of a n egg ga me a n d da nce existing there . The eggs a r e prepa red by first emptying the

n n fi n e- o shells , the refilli g them with ch pped

o o a n a a n d a h w . c l red p per, ti sel , mic s c et po der The h oles a r e then pasted o ver with a bit of

a a n d a a . p per, the outside is g yly decor ted

In o o a n the more pr sper us d ys of Spa ish sway , gra n dees o fte n h a d the shells filled with gold

n m a r dust and precious sto es . Those ti es e

38 EGGS IN LITE RA T URE.

L A EGGS IN ITER TURE . Sp ec u la tive Philosop her ' Whether first the egg, or the hen

Tell me , I pray, ye learned men . Fir st Sc r ibe

o r ' The hen was first, whence the egg

o . Give us no more of your d ubts , I beg Sec on d Sc r ibe

o r ' The egg was first, whence the hen

Tell me how it came or when .

This question which h a s been deemed worthy o f o n m a e n discussi’ by many writers y have b e the Sphinx s riddle .

The origin of our domestic fowls is so a ncie n t that it seems probable tha t they have alwa ys been comp a nions and c o mf orts of m a nkind . It is certain that they were k n o wn a n d esteemed

P . in India , ersia and Egypt , centuries ago

A n a ll mo g writers of ages , the egg has been a favorite illustra tion . 39 EGGS IN LITERA TURE.

It is mentioned in several pl a ces in the Bible 2 1 . 6 L . 6 . Deut xxii . ; Job vi ; uke xi Freque n t refere n ces t o its use as food may be fo und am o n g t h e La tin a uthors . Pluta rch left a n elaborate treatise on the ques d h n tion of the prece ence of the e or the egg . Plin y ex a lts the medicin a l qualities the egg p o ssessed . Ca a u ven a l C a es r, J , icero , Martial , Hor ce and o the rs will be qu o ted further o n respecting t h e

f a n use o eggs s food amo g the ancient rac es . The belief i n ~ the m undane egg a ppears to

S a a a ll pre d through the tr ditions of nations , as do the sto ries of the del u ge . ’ The Arabian Nights tells of t h e roc s egg of

a o S . S a a r e m rvel us ize imilar t les ’found in Jewish lege n ds . From one s u ch bird s nest a n egg fell which broke , and the white glued three hundred cedar- trees t o the gr ou n d a n d over

w a . flo ed village ’ Mu e kin fi sh er s nchaus n mentions a g ’ nest twice as large as the dome of St . Paul s , which c o ntai n ed fi v e hundred eggs each as l a rge a s four hogsheads . 40 I L1TE EGGS N RA T URE .

The fa bles o fthe wo man who killed the h en

n a n d a that laid golde eggs , of the milkm id cou n ting her chickens before they were ha tched

n a for or eve she had exch nged her milk eggs , o n are fu ll of s u d phil osophy . The egg stories a m o n g the rhymes of Moth er

Goose are many . S o me like th a t o fHumpty a r e a ll o w Dumpty told to children ver the orld ,

n u m a n in nearly every to g e spoken by .

f It is di ficult to trace much re a l history in th’e n in A a literature of eggs , though one eve t meric s n n history is closely co nected with a egg sto ry . The story of Columbus a n d his critics is t o o n well known to need rehears a l . A y wh o wish t o rev’iew it are referred to Washington Irving s Life of Columbus . in P a n There is , however, the acific Ocean isla n d whose p a st history m a y be said to be ln

- closed in a n egg shell .

a a l This is E ster Isl nd , two thousand mi es

a west of Chili . It is remark ble for its sculp t u r ed stones which are said to be the work of ' ” A the b u tterfly king . fter the departure of 41 EGGS IN LITERA T URE.

that ruler , elections were decided by contests in

- o egg gatheri n g . He who first btained the n greatest number being chosen ki g . The huts on the island are usually shaped

- like half sections of a n egg .

It is by n o mean s possible to give here all or eve n the l a rger pa rt of the quotations worthy to be gathered on this subject . M a n y of these a r e such terse epigrammat ic n expressio s that they have become proverbs , and their o rigi n al aut hors- have been lost to sight by their general use . The egg w a s a favorite illustration with a a o t o Sh kespe re , and he ften uses it convey some biting s a rcasm .

A n on egg or two h’olidays at most , But their religion ne er a llowed a roast .

RY o . D DE N. C c k a n d Fox

The yolke of the egg c a n n ot be without the olke whyte , nor the whyte without the y , no more m a ye the clergy a n d the lordes be one ” ’

. B er n e s F o t without another r r issa r . 42 EGGS IN LITERA T UR E .

Lest tha t ill egg bring fo rth a cockatrice ” n To poison all with heresy a d vice .

H . L 1 . T OS DUD E Y. 650

So rides he mounted on the m a rket d a y Upon a s t raw-stuffed pannell all the way With a m a u n d charged with household mer c h a n diz e

With eggs o r white meat from both d a yr ies.

B I SH OP H A LL .

To a a n oa c h t helpe it c lled for purita p ,

That u sed to turn up the eggs o fhis eyes .

B E N Jo n son .

a n d a 0 11 Nay , soft f ire , I have eggs the spit ; ”

et . I cannot go y , sir

E ver Ma n n o r . Ben JONSON. y i His H u m u

i. . e . , the eggs need constant turning

SH A KE SPE A RE .

Th y h ead is a s full of quarrels as an egg is full o fme a t ; and yet thy head h a th bee n

a a n fo r a n . be ten as addle as egg , q u rrelli g 1 c . R omeo a n d Ju liet , A c t III. S . 43 EGGS IN LITE RA TURE.

L e e - u ’ik gg shells moved upon their s rges , c r a c k d as easily against o u r rocks .

C mbelin e A c t III. Sc . 1. y , ' n S o me trick not worth a egg .

c t I Cor iola n u s, A V. Sc . 4 . ’ A n d therefore thi n k him a s a serpent s egg .

J a A c t u liu s Ca es r , II. Sc . 1 .

- Even for a n egg shell .

t c . H a mle , A t I V. Sc . 4

d Mine honest frien , W ill you take eg’gs for money 2 t . . Win t er s Ta le, Ac I. Sc

n a s I can suck mela choly out of a song, a ” wea z el sucks eggs .

Yo It Ac t I . Sc . 5 . As u Like , I

a - u o f Thou h lf penny p rse wit, thou pigeon ”

f n . egg o discretio ’ ’ 1 t c . . L oves La bou r s Los , A c t V. S

- L a n o a ll o n o n e d . ike ill r asted egg, si e 2 A c t c . A s You Like It , III. S . 44 EGGS IN LITE RA T URE.

e a . He ’will steal , sir, an gg out of cloister a t E A c All s Well Th n d s Well, t I V. Sc . 3 .

a n e e e o u If you love addl gg as w ll as y ’ o v a n l e idle head, you would eat chickens i ” the shell .

o a A t c . 2 . Tr ilu s a n d Cr essid , c I. S

sa a r e Yet, they y, we

A a s . lmost as like’ eggs t a 2 . Win er s T le A c t I. Sc . , ' t o Fa lst a fi . Not so much as will serve be prol o gue to an egg and butter .

I P t I. A c t 2 . . Sc . H en r y V a r I.

fo r a n d They are up already, and call eggs ” butter . 1 I Pa t A c t c . . . II. S H enr y V r I.

To her unguarded nest the we a sel Sc o t

C . omes sneaking, and so sucks her princely eggs

2 . H enr Ac t I. Sc . y V. ’ Go thou I ll fetch some fla x a n d whites o f ” eggs to apply to his bleeding fa ce .

c t III. Sc . . L ea r , A 7

45 EGGS IN LITERA TURE.

’ n Thou hadst sh iv er d like a egg .

A c t I Lea r V. c , S . 6 . ’

Fool . Give me an egg, nuncle , and I ll give thee t wo crowns . ' Lea r . a t wo c Wh t rowns shall they be ’

F ool . t Why , af er I have cut the egg i the middle , and eat up the meat, the two crowns of ” the egg. t Lea r , A c I. Sc . 4 .

What, you egg ’ Youngfr y o ftreachery

a c b t M e h , A c t I V. 2 .

P R E R O V B S . ’ n in TH E R E S re a so ro a sting ofeggs .

As full as an egg is of meat . ’ D o n t h a ve too m any eggs in one basket . 46 E IN IT GGS L E RA TURE.

You can not teach your grandmother h o w t o

suck eggs .

Many people are like eggs ; too full of them selves to hold anything else .

We prize more the egg refused us than the ox which is given us .

C a n a hoose eggs of hour, fish of ten , bre d of a d a a a o y, wine of ye r, a w man of fifteen , and a friend of thirty .

n o r Neither good egg , bird .

F ROM TH E TURKISH .

But yesterd a y out of the egg ; tod a y h e despises the shell .

Let a n me cook you egg , but the egg is at n a a n d o n the vi ey rd , the vineyard is the mounta in . ’ ’ - - To da y s egg is better than to morrow s hen . 7 E GGS IN LITERA T URE . 4

' A n a n d a n d egg to bed , , You must drink ” a s a n a w much after egg as fter an ox , sho the n t f o n ce popular belief in the i digestibili y o eggs . ' ’ w n a n I ll arra t you egg for Easter, is to

n f n a give assura ce o somethi g lready certain .

Better half an egg than the empty shell .

A u o f a a n d t pict re pe ce’ prosperi y is this token fro m the Beggar s Bush

Each man sha ll eat his o wn eggs and butter n In his o wn sha de a n d s u shine .

Th e sm a ll va l ue ofeggs is va r iou sly exp r essed :

” Wh o w m o ' o r Yo u ill take eggs for ney , ” w et o r a ill g eggs for your money , He g ve ” me eggs for money .

' l h O , rogue , rogue I shal ave eggs for my ” money ; I must la y m yself .

As c a s a lear two eggs a penny , indic tes a ' a a a o o bad b rg in , as ls , You c me with your five ” eggs a penny a n d four o fthe m be ro tte n . 48 E I TE GGS N LI RA TURE.

fi v e t o To come with eggs , signified make a o a o a f olish rem rk , in the time of Sir Th m s ’ ' More s Ut Opia : Whiles a nother gyv et h cou n K n e A r r a on e sell to make pease with the y g of g , m m h t h b a n other c o et in wy yse v eggs .

a n . He that buys eggs , buys m y shells Give ” - h im . the other half egg , and burst him P urposes , like eggs , unless they be hatched into action , will run into decay . M S I LE S.

Enjoy spare feast 'a radish and an egg . PE COW R . ’ It s very hard to shave an egg . — J E E R E RT . a c u la Pr u d en t u m . G O . H B ’ Now s the only bird lays eggs of gold .

L E LL — o B i J . R . O W H sea gelow.

a r Things said for conversation e chalk eggs .

. ME R N. R W . E SO

To m o w , my boy, this world is h llo as an

- egg shell .

H . B . S TOWE . 49 EGGS IN LITERA TURE. ’ The greatest event in a hen s life is made

up of an egg and a cackle .

. . BE E OH E R H W .

A n d — m a eggs even they have their or l . x

h . See o w they come ’and go Every pleasure is

I n ea t . tra n sito ry . Ve ca t even long

N i Ma r tin Chu z z C E S n lewit . DI K , A mystery hatched out of an egg and just d as mysterious as if the egg had been ad le . A TH R H W O NE .

— n All this oise o h account of an egg . The ' childre n h a ve picked u p a n egg Gre a t good m will it do the . There is not very much in a n

fo r . egg . God provides them everybody L TO STOI .

N0 more egg- pop made with eggs that would n ju have been fighti g cocks to dge by the p u g na city the beverage containin g their yolks developed .

. E . OLME S ssa s. O W H . y I try his head occasionally as housewives try eggs give it an intellectual Shake a n d 50 E GGS IN LITE RA T URE .

i hold it up to the l ght, so to speak , to see if it has life in it actu a l or potential or only contains ” n lifeless albume . A t t b u oc r a oft h e B r ea kfa st Ta le.

I think tha t a hen wh o undertakes to lay 2 eggs a d a y must necessarily n eglect sum ” other branch of b iz z n ess. LL N J O SH B I I GS.

A y, touch it with a tender touch , d For, till the egg is bile , \Vh o k n o ws but th a t unwittingly ' m a e It y be smash d and’spiled The summer breeze that ga inst it blows

t o a n d Ought be stilled hushed , Fo r e t ggs like you hful pu’rity , A r e o r fu l when they re squu sh ed .

a o a New- la id E Fr om a Ten der L y n gg.

52 N E F R OMA C S O EGGS.

n B o ulange’r egg , or a Frenchman one beari g Bism a rck s face .

A n iron egg is to be see n in on e o fthe gra n d

o ft h e a m m W wa s n c est Europe n useu s , hich o e se n t a s a betroth a l gift from a prin ce to a prin cess .

a a n a t a n The l dy gry so me n a present , flu g it t h e n a S n o d o w n a to floor, whe pri g pene sh i g o n O n n a o silver lining , a sec d pe i g reve led a y lk

a n d a a n d o d a dia of gold , third f urth ispl yed ’ m n u w o ds and r bies , by hich the lady s dis pleasure wa s soon a ss u a ged .

m a a u x oeu s w Ma r u er The arri ge f , bet een g

ofA a o n a n o f a a n d ite ustri , g uver te Fl nders ,

n o f a Philibert the Ha dsome , Duke S voy , is a still more romantic story . It was the custom 011 E a ste r Mo n d a y in the district of Bresse to scatter a h u n dred eggs 011

a a a . n a la d a n level pl ce , covered by s nd The d

a a a o a l ss , h nd in h nd , w uld execute the d nce of the cou n try . If they succeeded without bre a k a n h a ffi a n c ed ing egg t ey were considere’d , even a a n a n if it were g i st their p re ts will . On this occasion three cou ples h a d tried in 53 R OMANCES OF EGGS.

a n d A a a va in , but Savoy ustri ccomplished the n da n ce with o ut crushing a single shell . Whe Let a o Philibert s a id , us d pt the custom ' ” w f M a rguerite su er ed her h a nd t o o Bresse , a n d rema in in his , history tells us that their m a rried life wa s long and happy . 54 M CO ME RCIA L S TA TIS TICS.

COMMERCIAL S TA TISTI CS .

' HE egg trade di ers from most other branch es of business ; the supply is

limited, while the demand is almost

u nlimited . S mall flocks of poultry are almost alwa ys more ' T r d pro fi table tha n large ones . This a o s a better

O n pportu ity for undertaking the egg business , a s u a large capital is not req ired . The ce n sus returns do not give a full report t h e n of egg productio of the United States , but f u rn ish the figures of tho se which are bought a n d sold ; perh aps an equ a l qu a ntity is con sumed by the producers . In 187 9 o n n n , acc rdi g to the te th ce sus , the n u mber of eggs pro duced wa s

. A t t n n o dozen fif een ce ts per doze , the egg cr p would amount to The consumption o fo n e egg d a i ly by e a ch inhabitant of the United States could hardly be 55 COMME R OTAL STA TISTIOS. thought an extravagant estimate This would amou n t to over four million dozen . That there m a y be n o re a son for disputin g wa A n his figures , Ed rd tkinso puts one half an e a s a a a a n d gg the d ily ver ge , counts the cost a s only o n e cent each ; even then the va l u e o f the a nnual egg crop would be about one hundred million dollars . This sum is more than the val u e of the annual pro duct of silver or pig - iro n or wo ol . The poultry and egg crop together are esti mated to be w o r t lr t w o h u n d r ed a n d fifty millio n n d ollars a nnu a lly to the U ited States . A nd yet w e import a n nu a ll v forty - eight million dozen

C a A a eggs from anada, France , Germ ny , ustri a n d Denmark . in 1888 67 08 Dur g the last four months of ,

a a n a n n n s c ses , e ch co t i i g fifty doze , were thu brought into the United States : This will con tin n e until poultry raisers dem a n d a d u t v o n fo reign eggs . 2 N. b M r . n Y. Weekl Tr i u n e a 8 War er Miller ( y . , ' ’ 18 8 8) says Fa rmers letters are almost u n a n i

o f 0 11 h a v mous in urging increase duties eggs , 56 T COMMER OIAL S A TISTIOS.

in n a gthe impressio that eggs are now duti ble . a r a r They e not they e admitted free . Though

ec t ed i n imports are small , they have a pr ces o ’ n n the sea board a d Ca ada border . Fa rmers wives and children would be gla d of the t wo a a a million doll rs yearly sent bro d for eggs . Eggs c o me from Fra n ce a n d Belgium (Chin a

in a a n dozen , Engl nd , Germ y , Mexico and specially Ca nada whence (188 7 )

dozen . Exports never have reached fou r hundred thousand dozen .

IMPORT S AND E 'PO RT S F ROM 187 7 TO 18 87

IMPO RTS

. '. D A E '. D ATE E 'P D O T E 'P. D O

D O'.

A duty of five cents per dozen will in c o n ” v enienc e only foreigners . 57 COMME R CIAL S TA TIS TICS.

Imported eggs are sold in all large cities in t he a a n d E st and North , mainly to packers manufacturers . New York City takes ab o ut one fifteenth of n the entire crop . Fo r the year endi g October 31 188 7 , , New York received dozen , n n and i m ported also fifty thous a d doze . In a a 18 8 9 a J nu ry , , barrels , e ch con

-fi v e r e taining sixty to seventy dozen eggs , were c eiv ed in New o n Y rk , agai st barrels dur ing th e same month in 188 8 . The increase wa s l a rgely due t o t h S Inild winter .

C i in 18 8 8 h cago , , received cases , a a n e ch c se co taining thirty dozen , and shipped

cases .

la 18 8 7 h a d o r Phi delphia , in , cases ,

dozen .

Sa n The Francisco report is incomplete , but n shows about four millio d oz en .

Figures from the Boston Chamber of Co m merce give the annual receipts of eggs in that ci ty as follows 58 COMME R CIAL S TA TISTICS.

dozen .

A part of these find a market outside the city. b u t are balanced by the quantity brought in b y small dealers .

C n . W 111 Ce arroll D right, the Massachusetts su s 18 85 S a of , gives figures which how the r pid increase in the demand and supply of eggs .

In 1855 a n d , poultry eggs , In 1885 , eggs alone , Of the total number 12 dozen Bristol and Worcester counties produce

a . dozen each , and Middlesex r nks next

Great Britain receives eggs from France , Ger a a A s m ny , Sp in , Portugal and the zores ; egg valued at fro m to n per mo th) .

In 18 75 the value of. the eggs imported was

60 E R I A TI T COMM C AL ST S ICS.

I will now t a ke a not her c a se - t ha t o feggs ; t ha t is ’ a er o o u t a t o n fo r it in e er o o e t o v y g d ill s r i , is v yb dy s p w r

ea r o u t a nd I m a sa r o w e . r p l ry , , if y y , g ggs In 18 55 t o u t a t wa s a t e w en ee o o ft r a e , h gh h im h fr d m d h a d a a nc e a r e in t h e c o un t a n d w en t er e wa s dv d l g ly ry , h h , c o n e uent a er ea t nc r ea e in t h e c o n u t on o f s q ly , v y gr i s s mp i o o o o t h e eo e e we e o r t e g d f d by p pl , ggs r imp d r o a r o a w c e r e ent e a c on u t on o f a n f m b d , hi h r p s d s mp i a e a e o f 3 o e n e t o e e m a n w o a n a nd v r g 5 f r ig ggs v ry , m c hild . ‘ You t a e a a e t o en e : 0 n o ' migh h v s id , if sk d s d ggs , t e e a r e a l ea y len t o r o r e t a n enou in t h e h r ’ r d p y m h gh m a r ket . B ut t a t no t t h e a c t fo r in 18 80 t h e o r t h a d in h is f , imp o r c r ea sed t eggs f r o m fo r eign c ou nt i es . It a r c r e e so a t a nd so u t e t h e is h dly dibl , v s m l ipli d is e a n fo r t e e t t e b ut e u e u c o o it e e er d m d h s li l v ry s f l mm d i s , v y

o ne o ft hem h elpi ng t o feed s o meb o dy . Th e c o n sump t ion p er h ea d h a s i nc r ea s ed fro m 35 t o no

fewer t ha n 2 65 eggs . Tha t illu st r a t es w ha t I h a ve s a id t o yo u a b ou t t h e eno r

ou n a t a e c a a c t o ft h e u a n t o a c . De en m s , i s i bl p i y h m s m h p d u on it t a t it b e in o ur o we t o t u n o ur a t t ent o n p , h if y p r r y i I d o n o t sa y a t fi r s t on a v er y l a rge b u t o n a m o der a t e s c a le— t o t h e p r o du c t io n o ft ho s e a r t i c les whic h a r e o f t h e n a t u r e o f c o o r t o r e en c o a r a t e uxu e mf s , v mp iv l ri s , fo r o u a r c o n u t o n o u w see t a t r a ua l t h e p p l s mp i , y ill h g d ly

a r et will o en a nd a ju t i t el for t eir ec e t i on . m k p d s s f h r p I t hink t h e fi gur es I ha ve q uo t ed a r e a d ist m c t pro o f ” oft h e t r ut h a nd r ea lit y o fwh a t I ha ve s a id . 61 OOMME R OIA L S TA TISTICS.

S w a Statistics also ho th t the Northern States , a u a New n a o a p rtic l rly E gl nd , pr duce the l rgest n u n m o f mber of eggs from a given u ber hens . This is proba bly d u e to t h e greater c a re and

a o f o e v riety fo d giv n the hens , since the milder clim a te of t h e South ought to favor the pro duc t io n o feggs . M o st o fthe eggs used in large hotels in

o a a n d w in n Fl rid , else here the South , are se t from t h e Northern Sta tes .

La a t rge eggs n urally bring the highest price , a n d will c on t in u S t o d o so a s lo n g as eggs are sold by c o un t in stead of weight . In some pla ces it is now customary to sell

o u n a nd eggs by the p d , when this practice pre vails cookery will become a more ex a ct scie n ce .

a r e o Eggs often s rted or sized, like fruit, by n pa ssi g through a rin g .

The a vera ge weight is as follows

l 2 1 t o u . Hens eggs a o nces Ducks 2 to 3 T u rkey 3 to 4 Goose 4 to 6 62 COMME R OTAL STA TIS TICS.

WE IGH T A ND PR ODUCTION OF E GGS.

L . L P . Simmonds , before the ondon Society of Ikr t s

Th est a nd a r d yield a nd weight o feggs for t h e differ en t v a riet ies o ft h e do mest ic fo wl m a y b e t a ken a s fo ll o ws L t r a m a a nd Pa r t e Co c n e e en t o t h e igh B h s ridg hi s , ggs s v oun t e la a c c o n t o t ea t ent a nd o o r o p d ; h y y , rdi g r m f d , f m eight y t o o ne hun dr ed a nd fi ft y p er a nnu m ; s o m et imes

o e e t we . Da a a e t t o t h e ou n m r if k p ll rk Br hm s , igh p d , sevent y p er a nnum .

a c t e a nd Co c n Bl k , Whi hi s Plym ou t h Ro c ks H ou da n La Flec he Bla c k Spa nish Do mi niq u es Ga me F o wl Creves Leghorn s H a mburgs Po lish B a nt a ms Turkeys Duc ks Geese Gui nea Fowl Non-Sitters T 63 OOI MER OIAL STA ISTIOS .

NA T NA L TTE R CH E E SE A ND E GG IO BU ,

A SSOCI A TION.

The report o fthe Committee 0 11 Packing and Preserving Eggs

It is very evident that the salvation , pros per it y and f u ture confidence in this trade de pends o h substitutin g the weight of twen ty -four ounces for ten eggs a s a standard of quality or f u n in a o m o t s . value , instead g at present ' This is not all of it ; for the more healthy t Northern egg will greatly outsell the ligh er ,

w o . eaker and m re sickly Southern egg The old , d - u t a n n o w so ried p , wi hered remnant of egg ,

n t o n common , will not li ger plague the co sumer a n d commission man . Eggs laid by birds and small guinea-hens

w w a will , hen sold by actual eight , become , curi o sity in the market inste a d of bein g as n o w ” often sold as a subterfuge for food . 64 TESTS OF TH E FRESH NE SS OF EGGS.

TESTS OF THE FRES HNESS O F EGGS .

HE perishable nature of eggs is their

great est disadvanta ge . Tho ugh m any experiments h ave

n o a o been tried , as yet practic l meth d has been discovered for keepin g eggs in their origin a l freshness for any great length o ftime . ' ” A n egg tester is a little instrument for n holding an egg directly before a stro g light, which is obta in ed by an arra ngement of mirrors

n b u t a . this is co venient, not essenti l Fresh eggs a re transparent throughout ; old

n n a nd a o o es o ly at the top , d rk sp ts appear in t h e center . If held before a bright light these sp o ts appear ; therefore this process is called

- can dling by egg dealers . The Specific gra vity o f the fresh egg is

gre a ter th a n th a t of water . (Hence is u sed as

a test of s ol u tio n s . ) A s the egg grows older it l o ses water by T OF TH E F E F E 65 TES S R SH NESS O GGS.

eva p o ratio n through the p o res of the shell a n d

a a t kes in more air . He n ce the sm ller t h e a ir cell the fresher the egg . Fresh eggs wil l si n k a n d l a in pure water , if sa t be added to the w ter / t e r f f t w n h p o o o their puri y ill be still stro ger .

n a n n b a d U cert i o es will stand on one end , while

n o es w ill fl o at .

a n n If tot lly bad , a large portion of the co te ts

a n a r e in a a n d of egg a gaseous st te , therefore

w a a it is very light , hile fresh egg is he vy ;

m a h u m in n eggs y t s be co p a red the ha d .

n a n a t l s ifS o Whe egg r t e haken , it is of d ubt fu l fresh n ess ; for this sh o ws th a t the a ir sp a ce

n is large a d the in n er lin in g l o ose . n o t a S n This is desirable test , i ce such treat ment might bre a k the yolk b a g or the Skin

n e a n d in n lyi g n xt the shell , either case haste the decompositio n . A n o ther test is t o place t h e large en d a ga i n st the ton gu e . If slightly w a rm it i n dic a tes th a t

a n d n o o the shell is full the co tents g od ; if c ld , en d S that that of the hell is empty , and life n exti ct . When a n y num ber of eggs is to be used in 66 TE S TS OF TH E FRE SH NESS OF EGGS.

t o cooking it is best break them separately , to avoid spoiling all by one bad one . The shell of a fresh egg is often rough er tha n th a t o fa stale one ; but the eggs of different breeds differ in this respect .

68 VA TI PRESER ON OF EGGS.

A reliable formula for the lime w a ter i s this One pint of salt and one pint of lime dissolved in three or fo u r gallons of hot water ; t w o o unces

a a of cream of t rtar is sometimes dded . Boil a ll a n d w together and skim , hen cold cover the

A n a r eggs with it . sto e jis the best thin g to pack them in .

Th e fi - a n d lime lls the pores in the egg shell ,

- thus keeps it air tight .

B o rax w a ter m ade in the proportion of o n e heaping teasp o o n ful o fbora x to o n e pint of

r a k - boiling wa t e lso ma es the shell a ir tight .

A s olution of silicate o fsoda a cts chemic a lly n with the lime of the shell , excludi g the air .

An ff t h e easier, but e ectual method is to coat

o r o r egg with any kind of fat oil olive , cotton

t . linseed oils , or lard or beef or mu ton fat It was the old custom alon g the Mississippi River t o p a ck eggs in barrels of lard ; when they had reached their destinatio n eggs and lard were separated and both sold . In Russia the eggs a r e a a w p cked sm ll end down , and melted tallo poured over them . 69 PRESE R VA TION OF EGGS.

The grease fills the air-holes and keeps out

a ir the , but its tendency to grow rancid is a disadvanta ge .

A mixture of one third bees -wax and two

o o r - thirds oil , live cotton seed , warmed together, is also recommended .

Va n seli e has been used , melted with three per cent . salicylic acid . The Chinese method of preserving eggs is to dip in melted wa x . Varnish or gum arabic may be used in the same fa shion . The white of egg rubbed over the outside

fills the shell to the exclusion of the air .

At a poultry sh o w held not long a go in E n g a n w a s l d , the first prize for pres‘erved eggs a warded to those which had b eeu p a cked in s a lt . Yet sometimes the eggs absorb too much salt .

Sawdust, ashes , baked earth , sand and pow dered charcoal have all been used successfully for p a cking eggs . 70 PRE SE R VA TION OF EGGS.

n a 1884 In E gland , at a d iry show held in , the first premium for preserved eggs was given to those which had been dipped in gum arabic ; the second , to eggs rubbed in lard and packed in salt .

A comparison of eggs treated with lime

a a n d water, others with paste of chalk water, a nd others with diluted white of egg a n d water

a t o glass , showed the l tter be the best method of preserving the original flavor .

Eggs dipped in linseed oil have in six months h lost only three per cent . of their original weig t , while those not treated at all had lost eighteen per cent . ' i a : o . Ou l n Dr Hunter, in his , has said B il ” one minute to keep a year . This is the easiest way of all for the average housekeeper . P ut fresh eggs in a wire basket and hold in

o o n n b iling water while c u ti g six , being sure that the water t ouches every pa rt a like . This hard ens the white ofthe egg lying close to the 7 1 PRESE R VA TION OF EGGS.

L . et shell , and that keeps out the air them

o a n d c ol , wipe dry pack in oats , ashes or salt, and they may be kept a year . The eggs may e a ch be closely wrapped in

a a a p per after treatment , or the p per lone is a

- great protection , as it is nearly air tight .

a De lers sometimes use boards , with holes small e n ough t o prevent the eggs slipping

o thr ugh , but large enough to keep them upright . More ofte n egg- cases are supplied with paste a ea bo rd divisions , ch space large enough to hold an egg .

A STRA LIA N ME TH D F R E R N U O O P E S VI G E GGS.

Gla ss j a rs with patent stoppers having vul c a n iz ed o a n India rubber j ints , m ki g them per f l a ir - ec t . y tight, are used These j a rs are placed in hot water until t h e m air in the is warm and rarefied . A S s o on a s the eggs a r e collected they are t wrapped in paper to preven knocking, and are 7 2 PRESE R VA TION OF E GGS.

in a o n placed the warm j rs , with the p inted e ds m U . a p The jars are i medi tely closed up , and

n h the removed from the ot wa ter .

a u t If this process _is skillfully c rried o the a eggs will be fit for the t ble mo n ths a fterw a rd . The secret is to heat the a ir in the j a rs thoroughly ;

a a n d the papers may be b ked used warm . n u a i A y stopper will do that excl des the r .

Dessicated or portable eggs have been pre pared for market to s o me extent .

Beaten egg is evaporated at a temperature of On e hundred and twe n t y -fi v e degrees F a hre n

a . heit, till perfectly dry and h rd It is then

a a n d a p cked , when w nted for use , three parts of o c o ld wa ter a r e added to one p a rt egg . Bl od albu me n a n d chro m a te of le a d are often used to a du ltera te eggs th u s p 1 epa 1 ed

. n er Co . a s a Messrs E , of P s u , Bavaria, pre

a - a p re this egg me t, of the best quality , by using

only the best eggs .

74 AR TS AND MANUFA CTURES.

USE O F EGGS IN A RTS AND A A M NUF CTURES .

HE sh ell of em u and ostrich eggs are often used as dri n ki n g cups and cook ing utensils by the natives ; a n d neck

laces are m a de of pieces of Shell .

are also decorated and mounted as vases .

Powdered shells are used in the manufacture of imitation ivory .

The adhesive nature of the white makes it a n a useful glue or ceme t , especi lly when mixed w a a a ith brick dust, pl ster of P ris , gum m stic , C n w lime , or the hi ese use it with po dered glass to mend China . The a lbume n o fthe egg white is largely u sed

n a as a var ish for c rds and paintings , and in n n photogra phy a n d calico pri ti g . The Alsatians alone use thirty - eight million an nually . 7 5 AR TS AND MA NUFA O T URE S.

The white of egg is also used in maki n g court pla ster ; the luster o fmorocc o le a ther is restored b a id y it ; gold leaf is applied to leather by its , a n d grease is re m oved fro m leather by one o r t wo a pplic a tions . The y olk is used to render oils diffu sible in w a o a a a ter ; fr m it Russi , v luable oil , is ex

a in a n a t tr cted , which is used m uf c ure of the

a a n o a . o o oil s K z s p Bef re the disc very of color ,

wa s a n C a the yolk used by p i ters , as in the h pter

H o use a t Westminster .

In t h e preparatio n of the finest leather t h e

o a r e n o y lks used , the oil givi g to kid the s ft n so in o n e ess esteemed gloves , egg being used n fo r e a ch ski .

Tha t the val u e of eggs for clarifyin g various substa nces has lon g been known is show n by o n e n 1350 in o e try , in the year , the househ ld

o t h e a bo ks of French court , of eggs to cl rify

a . At n m in n sug r the prese t ti e France , wi e la r ifi r s n a n c e use eighty millio nu a lly .

a fo r b a d o u There is legitimate use eggs , th gh the n a tura l associ a tion of ide a s connect them 7 6 AR T MAN FA T E S AND U C UR S.

m o n ly with riots . Some firms a ke a busin ess

n a of collecting a cient eggs from l rge dealers . n After ope ing they are classified by age . The yolks of the better grades are used by morocco in d dressers , the whites some kin s of confection w ery , hile the very bad are used in tanneries for p olishing leather . 7 TH E CH EMISTR Y OF THE E GG. 7

I F THE CHE M S TRY O THE EG G .

TA NDARD authorities give the fo l lowing prop o rtio n s o f chemic a l ele

d r u a n me n ts in th’e y s bst ce of the avera ge hen s egg ; other eggs Show but slight va riations

Ca rbo n 53 to 55 per cent .

— f 16 Nitrogen f a to H ydrogen 7 Oxyge n 21 t o 22 Sulph u r 1 to 2 Phosphor u s 5

A more practical form of analysis this 7 8 TH E OHE MISTR Y OF TH E E GG .

a Let h eb Dr. P vy quotes from y these

WA TE R A LBUME N F A TS En tire egg 7 4 14 Yolk 5 2 16 White 7 8

Konig gives for the different parts of the egg

. F A A WATE R NU T SUB . T SH Whole egg 7 4 12 1 White of egg 13 Yolk 51 16 1

The average egg weighs a trifle less than two ounces . Seven to ten are required for one pound .

1 lb . shelled eggs : 7 9 TH E OH E MIS TR Y OF TH E E GG.

a t a n d Reckoning the weight two ounces ,

n o n e n fo r deducti g te th the weight of the shell , the dry constitue n ts of the egg would be

11 Nitrogenous matter 0 gr . Fa tty 8 2 c a Salin e 11

A a 111 tr ce of sugar is often present the egg , also of soda and starch .

n n The type of all nitroge ous foods is albume , found in its purest nat ural form in the white of

. fi b r in e a the egg It corresponds to the of me t, the gluten of grains and the caseine of milk .

The presence of sulphur is Shown by the bl a ck s t a in which appears on silver spo o n s u sed with eggs . While fresh it ma y be removed by n salt ; afterward by rubbi g with whiting .

The offensive smell of aged eggs is caused by the combin a tion of the hydroge n in the a ir with the sulphur and phosphorus of the egg . 80 TH E H I OF TH E C EM STR Y EGG .

By observatio n and experiments scie n tists have fou n d that certa in fungi will develop in n o n m a eggs , si ce the unbr ke shells y be pene

u n t r a t ed by liq ids which i troduce the germs . If the shells are dry these fu n gi can n ot flo u r n ish , but if moist, they send lo g fibers through the pores of the shell . S o metimes they give the egg a simil a r a p r n e t o a pea a c th t caused by the boiling process .

The tempera tu re of one hundred a n d four

r a n deg ees F hre heit, sustained for three weeks

f a . time , is su ficient to h tch eggs Their vitality h a s been r et a m ed a fter exposure to ten degrees

Fa hrenheit . ' It is a rem a rk a ble fa ct that the freezin g point of new-l a id eggs is much lo wer tha n th a t o fthe wa ter a n d a lbumen of which they prin c i a ll o f a a t o p y consist, both which conge l ab ut the same temperatu re’. A let on s Am er ic a n lo pp c p oeclia .

Egg albumen coagul a tes wh en exposed to

a heat , lcohol , strong acids or metallic salts .

82 TH E CH E MISTR Y OF TH E EGG . be combined unless the latter has been pre v iously cooked .

Eggs cook at such a low temperature that they are u sed to protect other articles . A coating of be a ten egg quickly becomes hard and helps the food thus covered to keep its Shape and retain its juices .

s i u s To clarify liquids like y p , jellies , soups

a n d ee n o . co , egg albumen has equal Mix with the cold liquid t h e white and shells t wo a of eggs , one or to e ch quart, and stir the A mixture u ntil it is re a dy to boil . fter five min utes uninterrupted boiling cool a n d strain .

The adhesive nature of the albumen causes it

n a to stick to all ti y p rticles which float , making

a a m a k the liquid turbid he t then coagul tes it, n ing it settle to the bottom , carryi g the particles l with it and ea v m gthe liquid clear . Some light

substances will rise on top in the form of scum .

'’ - n ff a n d For co ce , mix egg shells , grou d co ee n a little cold water before a dding bo ili g water . E F H E 83 TH CH EMISTR Y O T EGG .

If t o o much egg be used the full strength of

o f n o t a a the c f ee will be obt ined , the lbumen pre

- venting its escape . Egg shells , therefore , wiped a n a n f n cle before bre ki g, are su ficie t to make the f or t wo cof ee clear one are used for one quart . 84 MEDICINE.

MEDICINE .

HE commonness of the egg makes it a valuable remedy when o thers cou ld

not be o btained . If s w a llowed at once a raw egg w ill detach a fi sh bone which has lodged in the throat .

Whites o feggs taken immediately after cer tain pois o ns will render th em h a rmless ; s u ch a n d as salts of lead , mercury , copper acid a poisons . The white of one egg will neutr lize four grains of corrosive sublimate . It should be mixed with water a n d drank . The albumen is coagula ted by the poison and wraps it in an insoluble covering, thus protect ing the delicate coatings o fthe stomach until the patient is relieved by vomiting . A French method of administering castor oil (cod liver, likewise) is to first warm it, stir

a n o a a a in egg, c ok slightly , fl vor with s lt, sug r Th e a n or acid jelly . bitter t ste of qui ine may 85 MEDICINE. be disguised by mixing it with t h e white of an egg .

A n a oil is m de from the yolk , which in Russia is c o n sidered almost miraculous in its healing pro perties . t h e The eggs are boiled hard , yolks crushed , heated a nd stirred till the whole mass is a lmost

t o ready take fire , when each yolk will yield two o r more teaspoonf uls of the oil .

o n e r a w t w o Or, part yolk is beaten with a a o n e p rts w ter, part alcohol is then added and the mixture left until the oil floats .

Or, the dry yolk is crushed , and digested in a o o o r h a lc h l et er, becomes colorless , while bright

w a yello oil , bout two thirds the whole weight of the dry yolk , is extracted . The bites of insects are m ade easier by a plaster of the yolk of an egg and salt .

The y olk and spirits of turpe n tine are used a s a salve .

o fa r a w o The whole egg, or the y lk alone , m a y be rubbed into the hair occasionally to 86 MEDICINE.

sti m ulate its gro wth a n d prevent fa lling OE ; wash thoroughly with soft water afterwards .

t a n o r u o n e n For sunburn , the j ice of lemo and white of one egg may be slightly cooke d together and applied at night ; the mixture is soft and cooling .

Egg and lemon juice beaten together are recommended for hoarse n ess . It has long been thou ght that eggs were good for the voice . n n Charles II . of E gland prese ted a favorite s singer with a ilver egg filled with guineas , ' sayin g : Take this ; I a m told that eggs are ” good for the voice .

Be a t the whites of two eggs with two table m n a n d o ne h a spoonfuls of crea , sweete , add lf te a spoonful of powdered gum arabic ; swallow slowly for sore throat .

a n d Mixed with honeyed wine oil of roses , yolk ofeggwa s a n e a rly remedy for dise a sed a n d a eyes . The white of egg pl ntain water is sometimes u sed for inflamed eyes . E 87 M DICINE.

A a lum curd , m de by mixing white of egg u with al m , is used in medicine as an astringent p oultice .

w of Mustard for plasters , if mixed with hite

n . egg, will do its work without blisteri g

The white of egg is a n excelle n t application to exclude the a ir from a ny place where the d n e a n a n . skin is broke , speci lly for bur s scalds Severa l coatings are necessary to exclude the

n . air . It is more cooling tha s weet oil

— ‘ The skin o fa h egg is sometimes u sed for a boils , or wherever the skin is grazed it forms a a a n c a n finer pl ster th n y that be applied .

Allopath and homeopath bo th find that egg shells calcin ed a t low heat give the purest form

n n of carbonate of lime . The a imal compositio bein g better suited to the human stomach tha n

a . a nd ch lk It is used as an antiacid , is a valu ble absorbent .

The p o wdered shells are used as tooth powder .

Ra w and hard -boiled eggs are the best of foods

S . for young fishes , birds and ick animals 88 F EGGS AS OOD .

A EGGS S FOOD .

HE use of eggs for fo od may be said to be a direct i n terfere n ce with the

n a intentions of ture , yet it may like wise be take n as an indication of the advance of civilization .

L n ook at the polished ations hight ,

The civilized , the most polite , Is that which bears the praise of n a tio n s

n a For dressing eggs two hu dred f shions , Whereas at s a vage feeders look

The less refined the less they cook . D H O O .

The custom of ancient shepherds in the far r a w East was to place the egg in a sling , which was then wh irled ro und a n d rou n d u n til the he a t produced by the rapid motion had cooked the egg within .

90 E GGS AS F OOD .

J u v en a l speaks of

a The l rgest Eggs yet warm within their nest, ' Together with the Hens which laid them drest .

Utensils fo un d in Pompe u make it plain tha t eggs were favorites there ; in a painting from r o w the walls of one of the excavated houses , a of egg-yolks appear as a decoration of some

u - dish pon the dining ta ble .

A Ca ccording to esar , the flesh of fowls was a forbidde n food in Briton though it was freely used by the conquerors . The Saxons , however, kept many geese and ate their eggs , but thought it sacrilege to ea t the flesh of a bird which furnishes such desirable food while living .

n o f In the thirteenth ce tury , from a history P the street cries of aris , we learn that eggs were hawked in that city .

They appe a r to have been used as food in a ll n ages , though the price of three pe ce for two P a dozen , which was fixed by the English arli

ment of the fourteenth century , shows either 91 EGGS AS F O OD .

that they were not in great demand , or were very a bund a nt . A mong the dishes of the fifteenth century , in s w u ssell which egg figure d largely , ere the j

a n d ' d a n d n made of eggs grated brea , seaso ed m with sa ro n and sage . The froise was a sort of omelet, in which strips of bacon appeared . The

n ta sy was another omelet, seasoned with chopped herbs . Eggs were also used in caudles a sort of custard and in the wassail . The cooks or th a t a ge h a d a fan cy for glazing

r a w - o their dishes with egg yolk , which pr cess n w a s known as endowi g . ’ Eggs with g r een sauce were served at Gray s In n a on E st er Day . E ggs a’nd bacon were commonly combined in Cha ucer s time . ' a n c est or o f a Buttered eggs , the scr mbled eggs a n d n é o E n similar e tr es , was a c mmon dish in g a in a t h e l nd early times , ccording to household books of the noblemen . Shakespeare mentions this mixture a s a common food with country carriers . 92 EGGS A S F OOD .

a n in Cit Ma d a m M ssi ger , the y , says of Ch r ist m a sses Men may talk country , Their thirty-p o u n d buttered eggs and their pic s ’ ” a of c rp s tongues . Sir Kenelm Digby speaks of buttering eggs a with cre a m . He lso tells of a Chinese drink where eggs are used . ' a a C n A . D . The Jesuit th t c me from hi a ,

1664 a , told Mr . Waller that to drachm of tea a n d they put a pint of water, frequently take the yolks of two new-laid eggs and beat them up with a s much fine sugar as is sufficient for the ” tea , and stir all well together . A phrase occurring in many recipes in the Har l ia n M is : a a z lk o f e SS. T ke f ire o s eyren and the

st r e n ou r . white , and drawe them through a y

In n the Douce MS . directio s are given for n maki g the s 0ps mentioned by early authors . ' ’ m lke t h a nn e Take y and boyle it, and tak

olk s ofe r ou n t r id y y y (eggs) , y y (separated) fro a n d the whyte , hete it, but let it nowt boyle , and stere it well tyl it be som wh a t t h ikke; t h a n ne t h er t o k t t e caste salt and sugre , and y

94 EGGS AS F OOD .

st on d n e and let hit boyle tyl hit be y g , and do ” t h er t o a n d l i sa m m a n d sugur , co our hit w th , dresse hit forthe in leches , and plante therin

flo wr es a v olet . of bor ge , or of y

R E F B U T O E GGE S.

a Take faire w tur, and let hit boyle , then do c h ose a nd therin butter and gobettes of , let it sethe t ogedu r ; take egges and wringe hom t h u r h a st r e n o ur t o ed u r g y , and bete hom wel g v er ou s d o in and medel hit wel with j, and hit the pot, but let hit not boyle , and do thereto pouder a n d serve hit forthe . — 1326 1 . 399 E a r ly MS.

Eggs were once thought to be hard to digest ; possibly this was the result of the articles with which they were combined . ’ P . A d Dr rbuthnot , ope s frien , said 'Eggs are perhaps the highest and most

n o f a n a a n d nourishi g all im l food , the most ” indiges t ible . 95 EGGS AS F OOD .

Experiments of later date prove that an egg is u su a llv digested soo n er than a potato a n d qu ite a s soon as b eef or mutton .

H a 1 d -boiled eggs 30 minutes S o ft Fried Roasted

Raw (beaten)

That life can be sustained by so little nourish ment a s a single egg d a ily is proved by the experience of a Germ a n scholar who took refuge A h n from a hostile enemy in a loft . e la id her t w o w h is daily egg for eeks , and this was all s n food , yet when the army had gone he had tre gth t o re a ch home .

A similar story is told of a refugee from the massacre of St . Bartholome w .

Eggs a r e claimed to be promoters of longevity .

Of the Duke of Newcastle , in the reign of 96 E GGS AS F OOD .

C a I. : n s h rles , it is said His supper co sist o fa n n d egg a a draft of small beer . By this temper a n n u a n d m a ce he fi ds himself very healthf l , y ” - n ow . yet live many years , being seventy three

o n n o o o n Ericss n the i ve t r, wh se w rk , co tinued o f to old age , was the kind usually exhaustive

a u . of vital force , pr ctised rigid abstemio sness L b a t a t w a oring , le st elve hours out of the

- a a fo r d a twenty four, his bre kf st each y of the w a year wa s t o po ched eggs . He adhered to t h e this till almost end of his busy life . O th er men l a boring with body a n d brai n

h e a n n . av found eggs very sust i i g food Weston , n w n the pedestria , while alking one hu dred m n - iles in twe ty two hours , consumed from six tee n to twenty raw eggs .

Estimates based on experiments claim th a t a t n a t with pork ten cents per pou d , and eggs

w n - o t e ty f ur cents per dozen , one bushel of corn w a n d ill produce three dollars worth of eggs , n a A dd a only o e third s much pork . to this f ct the dis a greeable work nece ssary in the c a re of

a n d n n o t h e S a the pig his conversio i t pork , c le

98 E GGS AS F O OD .

A missionary to one of the isl a nds of the fi n a a Paci c , whe urged to p rtake of native d inties ,

a n a ll a r ther tha refuse such hospitality , alw ys

t o n a ventured eat a boiled egg , si ce th t could n n s o t fail to be clean i ide . O t her travelers have h sought t e same refuge .

a va n Some s ge tribes think eggs u fit for food , and n ever dreamed of e a t ing them u n til they d In o so . Pa saw the missionaries the cific ,

a t o many islanders s ve eggs sell to the ships , but ne ver u se them t h emselves .

. n in Tr o ic a l A r ic a Mr Drummo d, his p f , says

a r e v a t h e n b u t Eggs ne er e ten by atives , are

a al w ys set . ' . . : Dr M L . Holbrook writes I have only j u st received a letter fro m a Hindo o wh o sta tes th a t he does not remember to ha ve ever eaten a n ” egg .

n a Ra m a b a i in a Pu dit , having been reared faith which does not allow the taki n g of life to — supply food o r the destruction of t h e germ of the egg — th o ugh she h a s accepted Christia n 99 EGGS A S F OOD .

n teachings , cannot yet bri g herself to eat meats or foods containing eggs .

It has been s a id that there is no egg of bird

n o n o k w , which is not good for f od , or which ” c ou ld not be eaten by a h u ngry man .

Fewer individ u als ha ve been known to have a n antipa thy for eggs than for most foods ; n o honest a ppetite rejects them .

Liebig asserted that the eggs of birds furnish o c o m lét e m S n a n the m st p nutri ent , i ce they cont i in a r f i proportion , all the elements needed to sustain life . 100 K INDS AND QUA LITIE S OF EGGS.

AND L KINDS QUA ITIES OF EGGS .

ff HOUGH they di er in. flavor with

the kind of bird and its food , their

composition is simil a r . L f a ike milk , eggs suf er in qu lity n n if the food of the a imal is i feri o r . P a le y olks a r e ge n era lly c a used by l a ck of n o n proper fo o d . He s fed corn produce bright yellow y olks . If hens a r e fed o n fish the eggs will be stron g

fla v or ed a n d poor . ’ b Choose eggs o long, remember they ll be

o n f u d ,

Of sweeter ta ste and whiter than the roun d .

H ORA CE .

e e a n Th’e recipes giv n furth r on apply m i ly to w t hens eggs , but others may be substituted i h d u e rega rd to differe n ces in size or weigh t a n d

flav or .

102 K IND S AND QUALITIE S OF E GGS.

a a ' gener l truth ; the pteryx of New ealand is , n d however, an exceptio . Bir s which quit the nest soon after hatchin g are more fully d e v elo ed w p hen hatched , hence come from a larger egg .

That birds have existed whose eggs were of enormous siz e has been pro ved by the discovery of the shells .

a n n The eggs of the moa, ancie t bird of New

'a n a e la d , were very l rge and those of the A epyornis maximus were equal to about one a n d t hundred fif y of those of the common fowl , a n d h a d a lon g diameter of over a foot .

Bird s nesting is allowa ble in the i n terest of in a science , and collections of eggs increase v lue a s the species decrease . This is shown by t h e price brought by a Sin

t h e a u k in gle egg of great , which was sold Lo nd on in 188 8 for O nly sixty-seven specime n s of these eggs a r e

no o a a o k wn to exist , th ugh two hundred ye rs g the birds were plenty . 103 QUEE R E GGS.

QUEER EG GS .

o a f HE H o ttent t makes sou’p o locust a n d a eggs , in Si m ants eggs are

served with curry .

h Eggs of reptiles , t ose of the lizard , boa con st r ic t o r a o , crocodile , alligator and turtle are ls a a n e ten ; the l tter is co sidered a great luxury .

n hi . Li n to E n Dr vi gs , his ’xploratio s of the 'a i a o f : mbez , s ys crocodiles eggs ' ’ In a n t t ste they resemble he s eggs , wi h per

a o f u a a n d u a s h ps a smack c st rd , wo ld be highly relished by whites a s bl a cks were it not fo r ” - their u n savory origin in m a n e a ters .

A da inty not generally known is the sea- egg

- oc n t o th a t of the sea urchin or st r ongyl e r t u s.

In this connection may be mentioned the edi

- ble birds n ests of Java and Sum a tra . The sea ’ s wall o ws n ests which hang o n the ro cks like

- w a tch pockets . 104 E E E Q U R GGS.

t h e a o o They are about size of g se egg , of n a thin fibrous substance like isi glass , of a slightly reddish color

a a t o It is gre t labor clean them for market .

a n d n n When dry they are brittle wri kled , a d for sell twice their weight in silver . They are served floating in a soup like lumps of jelly .

a Bad eggs are so bad th t they are rarely used , and dise a se is not likely to come from t hem as sometim es resu lts from the u se of the flesh of diseased anim a ls .

The Ch inese h ave a fondn ess for h a lf- hatched

a n d a o o eggs , tr velers have come acr ss ther peo ple wh o c on sidered eggs of extreme a ge as a gre t delicacies .

105 SOME E GG RE CIPES.

S OME EGG RECIPES .

HE accomp a n yin g recipes are intended to be suggestive as well as helpful

for ordinary ho me life . For more ela borate prep a rations reference may be made to the standard French

- cook books .

LE E BOI D GGS.

There is always a best way of doing every ”

if a n . thing, it be to boil egg

EME R SON.

Yet this which seem s the simplest of all cook a n ery , is r rely do e in the best way . Usually eggs a r e plu n ged into a kettle where the water is kept rapidly boilin g for three minutes ; then the yolk is raw while the white is overd o ne . The white will be better digested and the yolks more evenly cooked if the eggs are not boiled at all . 106 SOME E GG RE CIPE S.

u t a Either p into cold water and heat gr dually , o r into boiling water and remove it from the

i t o ookin . . a Ch emis r C W M W lli ms , in his y f g, s a ys 011 t his subject : ' Co ok o n e in the orthodox manner by keep ing it in boili ng water three and a ha lf minutes . Then place the other in this same boili n g n a water , but instead of keepi g the saucep n over 0 11 a a n d a the fire , place it the he rth le ve it there with the egg in it a bout t en min utes more . A c o mp a ris o n of results will Show th a t the egg that h a s been cooked at a temperature o f more th an thirty degrees bel o w the boiling-poi n t o f a n d d a n so water is tender elic te , eve ly

110 n a n throughout, part bei g h rd while a other

- part is semi r a w and slimy .

RD E CUSTA GGS.

Pu t t a n d in cold wa er, place the dish over a w q u ick fire . When the water boils the eggs ill be ready to serve . The white will mix readily with the yolk as

108 SOME E GG RECIPE S.

E A LA C GGS OQUE .

Ar e simply eggs boiled in the usual manner , and generally eaten from the shell .

a Eggs are often boiled at the t ble , but the

a A a a for aver ge merican c nnot w it that, and would so o ner ta ke h is ch a nces with a n o ver or

A n - n underdone egg . egg boiler co sists o f a n

- c u on n egg shaped p , to c tai the water which is he a ted by a n a lcohol l a mp bene a th ; a movable

n a o . frame , with ri gs like caster , h lds the eggs

The freshness of eggs for b o ilin g sh o uld be

b u t o n e o r a old undoubted , when two d ys they a r e t a n u t a a s t h e be ter th if j s l id , a part of w a ter will h a ve evaporated and the white will n c o a gulate soo er . When dropped suddenly into boiling water

- egg Shells crack like gla ss . If a wire holder is

a a a o n o S n not v il ble r ll them ge tly fr m a poo , or put the eggs in the kettle and pour the wa ter

Slowly over them . 109 SOME EGG RECIPES.

If the Shells a r e Sligh’tly chipped whe n t a ke n a a a n d from the kettle , the ste m will esc pe the eggs stop cookin g soo n er ; other wise the l on ger

t h e a o . they wait h rder they gr w It is , however, best t o serve the m in a warm dish under a fo lded

n napki .

H o w t o ea t a boiled egg is often a matter of ' a discussi on . Byron is said to h ve remarked ' ’ t hat the gre a test trial to a woman s beauty is ” the u n gracefu l a c t of e a ti n g eggs .

‘ m Dean Swift t ells iIs th a t the Lilliputian n a tio n declared wa r a gainst Blefu sc u because its i n habitan ts refused to break their eggs a t the n L end , which the Dame Fashio of illiput de creed wa s proper .

O u r E n glish Cousin s say alwa ys eat a boiled egg from the Shell ; a ny other method gre a tly e e o d trac’ts from th rich flav r of this nutritious fo o df

m a This y be true , but since to do it in a civ iliz ed m a n n a - er, a speci l set of egg spoons is nec

a a ess ry , is it not better for each f mily to adjust the matter according to its own convenience ' 110 SOME E GG RE CIPE S.

E POA CH D E GGS.

h d a r Egges well po c e e better than roasted . They (egges) be most holesome whan they be ”

h d . IR L Y T . po c e S T . E O ' So a b o led they be potched or r re y , they ” n a a eed no prep r tion or mixture .

FR A NCI S B A CON.

A w a fi n e couple of poached eggs ith few , ,

n a r e n o t b a d fo r dry fried collops of pure baco , ” a breakf st or to begin a me a l .

IR E L 1 6 . S NE M G Y. Closet o Cooker 6 9 K DI B f y,

Eggs cooked in this fa shion are sometimes a called dropped eggs , while scr mbled eggs are often said to be po a ched .

The word poach comes from the same ro o t

m n n a . as pocket , ea ing literally to pierce or i v de Hence a poached egg is one where the shell is pierced a n d the egg ta ken out before boiling .

a n Some outl dish bishop , not aware that he h a d w finished his poached eggs , ent on calmly

112 M SO E EGG RECIPES.

boiled In the shell . Eggs served in this way a e t o are also attr ctiv the eye .

The famous Dr . Kitchen er says The be a uty of a P o a ched Egg is for the

o u n o Y lk to be seen bl shi g thr ugh the White , which Should o n ly be j u st sufficie n tly hardened a f to form a transp rent veil or the egg .

a h - Eggs may also be po c ed In milk , soup stock w a n 1 or gravy , hich is afterw rd po ed over the toast on which they are to be served . A fter thus cooking, poached eggs may be served In m a n y di ercut ways

o a . 1 . On r unds of pl in buttered toast A a o f 2 . round dish minced salt fish with

milk gravy .

3 . With cooked spinach or asparagu s .

4 . O n o S a t ast, first pre d with any minced

meat o r fish warmed in gravy . In a 5 . stewed to m toes ; the contrasting colors

givin g a pretty effect .

6 . On n slices of ham or baco , boiled , fried or

broiled . 113 SOME E GG RE CIPE S.

7 . a o n a Spanish f shi , on boiled rice ; llow one tablespoonful of raw rice for each egg .

fi h - a a 8 . s h On top of a b ll pl ce a poac ed egg .

9 . Serve in clear soups . ' a 10. Toast spread with cheese prep red a s a t a 011 Welsh R rebi , with poached egg top , is kn own as Golden Buck .

A a d Yorkshire rarebit is the same , with the diti o n of a few hit s of bacon .

P o ached egg received also th e names of various t sauces which are some imes served with them .

H W IPPE D E GGS.

t w t wo n Break in o hot ater, boil mi utes , pour ” t h e a o w ter , beat the eggs thoroughly , season and serve 011 toast .

E G IN GS BA LLS.

a Stir the boiling w ter till it whirls rapidly ,

o a a n d dr p in the egg already broken into cup, n stir the water around it u til t h e egg is cooked .

Do but one at a time . 114 SOME E GG RECIPE S.

R E R E GG K OM SKYS A ND F ITTE RS.

Dip eggs a lready po a ched in a seasoned ba tter a n d in fry for one minute deep fat . The out n side will be crisp a d the inside soft .

O r di o a p the eggs in crumbs , or incl se in s a o t a o sa u t e cru t of m shed p t , and fry or little fat .

A E E B K D GGS.

These are half- wa y between poaching a n d

a n d a r e a n o a s e . fryin’g, lso k wn shirr d eggs

diu s su r la Pla t et c . et c . f ,

f a t in h a a Mu fin rings , f ncy dis es , p per c ses , fa ll . a r e t o o b u t o etc , used c ok these in , best , is a a n o fo r shallow e rthen dish , just large e ugh o n e a s in egg, they are to be served in the dish

u which they are cooked . The dish is b ttered , n a n the egg then broke into it, without bre ki g n d . n w a the yolk Spri kle ith salt and pepper,

bake just l o n g enough to set the white .

116 E SOM EGG RECIPE S.

FR IE D E GGS.

This is one of the oldest fashions of serving

h Pier Plou hm a . t e s n o f eggs In g , we read ” ' E es fr ed gg y y with grece , among other sun ” dry metes . in They may be fried with ham , or bacon , butter, olive or other oils . The cotton seed lard o f now in the market, is one the best mediums for frying anything . The fryi ng-p a n sho uld contain hot fat e n ough a to nearly cover the eggs . Bre k them simply into a cup and slip gently into the fa t . Do n o t

a t o n . ttempt tur them , but dip the fat over

Sometimes eggs are beaten , and strained a through coarse colander into hot fat , then h drained and served on toast or wit bac o n .

B eu r r eNoir n , or brow ed butter, may be served with either baked or poached eggs , but oftener d with fried . Ad more if necessary to that used w a nd a n u for frying, let it bro n , add eq al qua n i n a . Let tity of vi eg r it boil away a l ttle , stir

a n d u in some chopped p a rsley po r over the eggs . 117 SOME E GG RE CIPE S.

fa t n a e Eggs cooked in are i digestible , bec us the high tempera ture of t h e fat three hundred t o four hundred degrees ha rdens the albumen so the digestive fluids cannot penetrate it .

R OA STED E GGS.

The vulgar boil , the learned roast an egg . LE ' A A NDE R POPE .

This was probably —the origin a l way of cook

. wa s C ing eggs , as of meats It the eltic method , and Martial m entions it as common among the

Rom a ns .

n a a . People fortu ate enough to live in c mp h ve discovered an ew this delightful way of servin g

- . A eggs soft, velvet like substance results , which c a n not b e obta i n ed by any other method o f n n cooki g . U less the shells are slightly pricked , a sudden explosion may surprise the watchers

- round the camp fi r e.

The large ends are placed down , the whole covered with leaves , ashes and coals heaped on

t en . top , and left there for minutes 118 SOME EGG RE CIPE S.

n in A t o ooker . r C Dr Ki g, his f y, says I wish the world were thoroughly informed o ft wo tr uths concernin g eggs ; how in c om pa r a o a n d bly better roasted eggs are than b iled , never to eat any butter with eggs in the shell .

SCRA MBLE D E GGS.

By this method t h e white a n d yolk are mingled less than in omelet and more tha n in a f po ching . The resu lt is a mottled mass o white and yellow ; similar mixtures are also known as rumbled and coddled eggs . Pu t in a saucepan o n e ta blespo on ful of butter a dd for six eggs ; break the eggs in , one by one , one half cup milk a n d a little salt a n d pepper . 0 11 Stir until well thickened . Serve toast, or

a a d o n . he p in moun , a hot platter This may be

- prepared at the table by a c h a fi ngdish .

Va r ia t ions.

1 . Use gravy or soup stock instead of milk . 2 . A dd one tablespoonful grated cheese or ' chopped parsley .

120 E E G I SOM G REC PE S.

TO CLE A R S P OU S.

Allow the sh ell a n d white of one egg to every

. fa t a dd m quart of stock Remove all , ore seasoning if desired , and beat the egg th or w oughly ith the stock while cold . Heat gra du

n ally, stirring, to prevent the egg from settli g n t en u til it boils , then leave it to boil five to n dd l mi utes ; till a scum rises . A a little co d water, strain carefully through a cloth and wire n strai er . P oached eggs are often served in such soups .

NOODLE S.

Work flour into a beaten egg till it forms a

f o . ou t in t stif d ugh Roll out very thin , s rips ,

a n d o in . c ok the soup Or, grate the dough , let it dry as it falls , then use in soups .

a dd K a iser soup . Beat three eggs ; one cup a o a a n d S rich , clear soup , se s n with s lt pice , if C i n n a u . liked , stra I to buttered mo ld over and steam thirty minutes , or till firm . When cold 121 SOME E GG RE CIPE S.

S a a n d cut in lices , then in fancy sh pes , serve in clear soup . This is also known as S a vory Custard a nd

Royale Pa ste .

a a a o f o u Egg ba lls. M ke p ste f r yolks of

- n hard boiled eggs , season and moiste with raw

in egg . Shape balls the size of a marble , boil

or a n d . fry, serve in soups Whole hard-boiled yolks are a lso served in soups .

OME LE TS. ’ I ve heard a bout a pleasan t land ” n Where omelets gro w o trees . TOM D HOO .

a From the d ys when Sarah , Duchess of Marl h a d e e e e borough ,’ to prepar th om l ts to suit her n A husba d s taste , to the time an merican senator finds pleasure in his skill in the preparatio n of s f this di h , the omelet has been considered di ficult n of preparatio . 122 SOM E EGG RE CIPE S.

’ A a I. It is told of N poleon , in bbott s History, tha t attem pting t o m ake a n omelet he failed in the co oki n g a n d exclaimed I h a ve given myself credit for more exalted ” a talents th n I p ossess . ' Sir Henry Thompson declares the om elet t o be one o fthe most delicious a n d nutritious p r o u n d cts of culi ary art, with the further merit that it can be more rapidly prepa red than a ny other ” dish .

n The ‘name derived from the Fre ch words , — oeufs m elé s eggs min gled shows the nation a lity of the dish .

The omelet is a combination of eggs a n d

a n a n d in u milk , well se so ed cooked b tter ; to it m a a a n a fi sh y be dded small qu tities of me t, , t vegetables . or fruit ; of little value by hem selves , but which increase its substance and

h r i s v o n ess. These various materials which give Specia l

n o ames to omelets are usually co ked separately , and are Spre a d over or aro und the o melet a fter

o o n a n d n . c ki g, just before servi g

124 M E SO EG G RE CIPE S.

n Whe yolks and whites are together, too much h ea t ingis s a id to m a ke the o melet w atery ; but a u S the p rts m st be well mingled , not how as in scrambled eggs .

The beating must be contin ued u ntil t h e omelet is put in the pan , or the air which has been beaten in will escape .

o o o m Some c ks use eggs al ne , but the o elet will be more creamy if milk be u sed in t h e pro portion of one tablespoonful to each egg . Water , soup - stock or gravy may be substituted for the

m ilk .

A s flour and cornstarch require more cooking

a S u n th n egg , they hould not be used less pre

l - u v io u s y cooked in the milk . Stale bread cr mbs whe r e the starch has alre a dy bee n cooked is a n a n better thickeni g if y be desired .

Auth o rities differ as t o se a soning an omelet befo re or a fter c o okin g ; some cla im that salt

makes it flabby if added before . 125 SOME E GG RECIPES.

A Speck of s a lt and pepper may be safely u sed at first and more added l a ter .

a Be t the eggs , add the milk if the whites a r e ea n a t o b te sep rately , fold ligh ly into y lks and

— a a n d a t n o milk s lt pepper, and pour o ce int the pan in which Is one teasp o onful of hot butter . C a S ooked in a large , cold pan over low fire n a leathery mass results , u worthy the name of o melet . A clear fire , a smooth pan , clean , dry and hot,

n are esse tial . To insure perfect smoothness some c o oks recommend heating a little fa t in a n n the p , then pouring it out and wipi g the pan d r y before p utting in the butter for the omelet . O thers sa y never use an omelet pan for a ny t hin g else . Speci a l pans are manufactu red for this pur

a n w . pose , but any small , smooth p ill do If a large p a n must be u sed it sho u ld be so tipped and held that the omelet may cook upon o n e side instead of spreading thinly over the whole pa n . 126 SOME E GG R E CIPE S.

n Use only enough butter to keep from sticki g . The albumen o fthe eggs begins to ha rde n a t o n a n d t a w n ce on the edges , this par may be dr t o S a a m a r u n one ide with fork , or knife y be

n n u der the center, raising the cooked portio a n d givin g the remainder a chance to r u n n under e a th . The pan sh o uld be ge n tly shake n m e a ntime n to preve t the omelet from a dherin g a nywhere . If necess a ry the top m a y be h a rdened by a n n placing the p i a hot oven for one minute . A s so o n a s all is firm in three t o fi vemin utes - roll over a n d over or Spread with the c o oked

a n n meat or veget bles , and slippi g a knife u der fold one side upon the other . Then turn upside d o wn on a warm platter and serve immedi a tely .

Better the family wait for the omelet than t h e o melet wait for the family .

Omelets may also be ba ked in a buttered pud ding dish .

To a n a n o f omelet of two to four eggs , y the

o o w n m a a b e f ll i g ingredients y be dded , either

128 SOME EGG RE CIPE S.

Ch eese Parmesan or Gru yere a r e best ; any dry cheese may be grated or chopped a n d one t o three tablespoonfuls added to the omelet b e fore or after cooking .

— Chic ken May be chopped or cut in small pieces .

Cla m s. Should be chopped .

— Cor n Sweet corn pulp or c a nned corn

o k n ch pped fine , can be added before coo i g the omelet .

Cr ea my Omelet . Cook together one tea o f a a dd spoonful each flour or butter, gradu lly o ne n a a dd half cup of milk , and whe p rtly cool

a be ten yolks of two eggs , seasoning, and then the stiffwhites . Fry or bake .

Fish — One half cup of minced fish , salt or fresh ; warm in milk or cream sauce ; serve around the omelet .

u Ga r lic . R b the frying pan with the garlic

o u in bef re p tting the omelet . 12 9 SOME E GG RE CIPE S.

- H a m . C o o h a m hop c ld boiled , br iled or fried very fine ; sprinkle over t h e omelet before it is q uite d o ne .

- H er bs. For seasoni ng use a speck ofs w eet

a o . herbs , powdered thyme , m rj ram , etc

n In dia n . O n e ta blespoo ful of cooked rice a n d o n e teaspoo n ful of curry mixed t o a paste with cre a m a n d p u t i n side the omelet .

n n It a lia n . O e ta blespoo ful of m a c a roni

o a n d Cu t in ma o on u co ked s ll pieces , one teasp f l

on e a o a of grated cheese , t blesp onful of str ined

o a o . a w t m t He t , season ith salt, cayenne and n u tmeg a n d roll in the omelet .

J n n ~ elly . Before foldi g spread with o e table n spo o ful of jelly . Dust the outside with pow dered sug a r .

K id n e . C n n y ook the kid eys , slice and seaso n whe the omelet is ready fold them in side it .

ob L st er . Cu t a or in sm ll chop , fold or serve aro u n d the o melet t o get the effect of the c o n t r a t in s gcolors . 130 SOME EGG RE CIPE S.

a c o h M a r ni. Into t e r a w omelet stir two tablespoonfuls of cooked macaroni bake or fry as u sual .

Ma c ed oin e. In the ordinary omelet fold a mixture of carrot, peas , beans , beets or turnips ou t d small , cooke , seasoned and warmed in but ter or cream sauce .

— Onion Use a pan in which an on ion has been fried . If more flavor is wanted garnish with the fried onion .

Oyst er A dd chopped or whole oysters to o a a n d the melet before it is cooked , or p rboil drain them and add just before folding .

Pa r sley . Put one tablespoonful of chopped a p rsley in before cookin g .

— Pea c h Rub thre e ripe peaches throu gh a

sieve , sweeten , add the yolks of three eggs , then

t h e stiff whites a n d ba ke .

P a n ea s. Use green peas as a g rnish arou d

the omelet .

132 ME SO E GG RE CIPES.

Shr im . p Place picked shrimps in the center, garnish with whole ones .

Sor r el. o a n d in B il sift the sorrel , place o small mounds ar und or fold inside t h e omelet . ’

Sou l e. . . Pu d din s a n d fi T J Murrey, in g

Da in t Desser t s a a y , s ys Be t separately the whites of four a n d t h e yolks of t w o eggs whisk the whites into t h e yolks ; a dd a ta blesp o o n ful of

u n a a u s gar and a few drops of va ill extr ct, t rn it o ut w t in o r a a n d a t en o r on a shallo pl te , b ke

1 twelve minutes . Serve immedia tely 0 1 t h e dish ” in which it wa s baked . t o a n d The secre is to beat the eggs th roughly ,

serve the m o ment it is ta ken from the oven .

S in a c h . o p Before cooking the melet, add n f n one ta blespo o ful o bo iled a d sifted Spinach .

Sweetbr ea d . C ook the sweetbread , and pre n pa re like kid eys .

Toma t o . Use strained tomato in place of n milk . Gar ish with sliced tomatoes .

Tongue. Fo ld in boiled tongue chopped fine . 133 SOME EGG RE CIPES. ’ t Tr a veler s Om ele . Spread with chopped meat, roll like a jelly cake , cut in slices and put in sandwiches .

T L . r ufiles. ike mushrooms

c L . Ver mi elli. ike macaroni

F - L WAYS O SE RVING H ARD BOI E D E GGS.

a rr - d There are m y si e dishes , of which hard u boiled eggs are the foundation , s itable for breakfast and l u nch . Such different names h a ve been applied t o M dishes which may only di er in a Sin gle minor n i gredient, that no names are given here .

' A n m ea t o r a y fruit, vegetable , fish th t may be used with eggs for omelets can be combined with hard -boiled egg to produce quite a dif fr n e e t effect .

Fo r convenience we will first consider how to a serve the eggs in their original Sh pe . 134 SOME EGG RE CIPES.

The eggs are t o be boiled twenty minutes ;

- r e . n those left from breakfast can be cooked The , n if covered at o ce with cold water, sudden con traction will make the shell come offeasily when broken .

F STU FE D E GGS.

Cu t in halves , cross or lengthwise , without a n d breaking the whites , scoop out the yolks s n rub t hem to a paste . Moi te with melted but a o r r a w ter, olive oil , gravy, cream s uce , stock m a f egg . Of minced e t, fish , cheese , tru fles or e mushrooms , tc , add as much as there is of n a the egg paste . Seaso highly with s lt, pep

d . per, mustar , onion or curry , etc Mix all well a n d together . Fill the whites again press together . The whites m a y be dug out to hold still more

- n of the force meat . If there is a y of it left the d in a n d eggs may be covere , rolled raw egg

- cr u mbs and fried . Or the force meat may be piled in the center of a dish a n d the eggs a r ranged upon it ; or it can be made in to little balls to serve with the eggs .

136 E E E SOM GG R CIPE S.

a n d a n fry gai , and so on till it becomes a large ball . Serve with sauce .

E GG A B SKE TS.

Cu t a a a n slice from e ch end of egg, then cut in ha lves crosswise . Prep a re the y olks a s M fo r st u ed eggs . Fill the whites a ga in eve n

a n d a a o f t 0 11 t o full , pl ce cover pickled bee p ;

a a t h e - a in h a s or, m ke b lls of force me t, put the d S a n t o . kets , stick a prig of parsley in the p

Serve like stuffed eggs .

RD - LE D E GGS SL CE D OR CH PPE D H A BOI I O .

E E A o ed s s u a tin . 1 . Sc a ll p gg ( gg Gr ) Slice

a - in a u n six or eight h rd boiled eggs , put p ddi g dish with o n e pin t ofsauce m a de with cre a m o r

- a n d a n w a a n d soup stock , se so ed ith s lt; pepper n u o f a p a rsley . O e or t w o ta blesp o onf ls gr ted n cheese is often pu t in the s a uce . Spri kle with buttered cru mbs a n d bro w n in the o ven .

Instead o fcheese u se chopped onion . n d in 3 . Pu t sliced eggs a oysters alternate

a n d a n c . layers , co ver with pl i cream sau e 137 SOME EGG RECIPES.

A dd a 4 . dash of curry to the sauce and com bine with rice already cooked . h 5 . t e Slice eggs , dip each piece in egg and crumbs a n d fry .

a c h O ed e s 6 . W rm pp gg in a rich sauce ; serve in puffp a ste shells .

o a i . in 7 . Ly nn se Fry a chopped onion but

' a dd ter, whites of eggs chopped fine when hot

n h put o a platter and garnish with t e yolks . T n n 8 . o o e pi t of cream sauce add the cho pped o f e whites six eggs ; season with salt and pepp r,

_ v pour over slices of t oast . Rub the hard yolks through a strainer over the top . i Sa n dw c h s. h 9 . e C O p , butter and season the a n d a S eggs , while still w rm spread lices of bread with the mixture and press them together .

GA RNI SH E S.

- Gold en R a in . The y olk of hard boiled t eggs rubbed through a s rainer, and left just as a it f lls over salads or fish or meat, gives a pleas ff ing e ect . 138 E SOM EGG RECIPE S.

E Da i - gg sies. Cu t the white of hard boiled eggs in strips and arrange like the d a isy peta ls 0 11 t d the edges of a pla ter, and place a little moun of the sifted yolk for the center .

E F GGS OR INVA L IDS.

A well -kn own physician says that many lives

n - are lost by starvation , owi g to an over estimate of the nutritive v a lue of beef-tea and m eat ' b u t juices , that There is no good substitute a n d for milk eggs . ' A n E nglish physician adds this word : In d n cases of epression , where disordered worki g n of the brain tends to exhaust the stre gth , I rely more and more on milk a n d eggs m a de in to liquid custards . Sixteen eggs daily are given w ith good results .

The egg has bee n said to be A maximum of n utriti’o n requiring a minimum of digestive for c ef

is in f The white of the egg constipating ef ect, the yolk laxative ; the latter is considered help

140 E E E I SOM GG R C PES.

Physicians object to excessive beating of eggs

S h a ir n for invalids , ince if muc be mi gled in them it may give rise to win d in the stomach ; but if slightly beaten the solidity of the egg being broken the gastric juice can work upon it more freely .

A ny person who cannot take milk may sub ’ i u e st t t e e . co , tea or broth

The following drinks are suitable for invalids or tired persons who call themselves well .

E GGNOG PLA IN.

a Beat white and yolk together or sep rately, d n sweeten and flavor to the ta ste . A d o e half n t o one cup cold or warm milk or boili g water .

Either white or yolk alone will often be more accepta ble and digest so o ner than if take n to

f o f gether . Eggs become di ficult digestion in

propo rtion as they lose their freshness . 141 SOME E GG RE CIPES.

E GG MILK .

(L a it d e Pou le. ) Beat a fresh egg with a a n speck of s lt, pour into one pi t of boiling milk ,

stirring all the time , and take hot .

E GG B R OTH . Stir a beaten egg into one cup of hot meat

broth ; drink while warm .

EGG COFFE E .

Beat one yolk w1t h one teaspoonful of

a u c u ff n sug r, po r on one p of boiling co ee , stirri g

a s . A dd b u t it thickens cream if preferred , eggs m a ke a very good substitute for milk or a m cre whenever it cannot be obtaine d .

Egg Tea is made in the samh way .

CUSTA R DS.

Use four to six eggs to one quart of milk, a sweeten n d flavor to ta ste . The eggs require only so much beating a s 142 SOME E GG RECIPE S. will bre a k up the particles of the egg that it may readily mix with the milk . The best cooks prefer to use yolks only in m a king custards ; in that case double the n u m n ber of eggs and use the whites for other thi gs . a n m a It is easy tter to mix custards , but they a r e often Spoiled by over cooking . Custards will cook where water would not boil . If the applied heat be greater than th a t of

n wa n o boili g ter, or be too lo g continued , the s lid and liquid constituents of the eggs a n d milk will — a n d separate the custard wheys or curdles , becomes unpalatable and indigestible .

H H A ND E S A KE R FIS GG.

Heat in a com m on saucepan one pint of n ew

n . milk , or thi cream if you have it S eason with

a a n . Re s lt, and let it simmer for few mi utes move a portion of this gravy into a nother vessel a n d dissolve therein a small piece of b u tter . n a a a I to the saucep n slice a l yer of boiled pot toes , making the Slices say three eighths o fa n i n ch a c o dfi sh thick ; to this add litt‘le salt , boiled and picked very fine , then a layer of boiled eggs ,

144 SOME EG G RE CIPE S.

b e n If real apple leaves or stems cannot obtai ed , a get some other and decor te with them . Pile them in a da inty dish and place it on the table and it will m a ke a pretty displa y of u n n timely apples , pleasing to the eyes , and satisfyi g ” to the taste . J M SS K in K a t o of a pa n . 145 RE A TING EGGS.

BEATING EGGS .

HILE m any recipes migh t appropri ately be given here for foods where n n egg is the most importa t i gredient, l a ck of Space pre v e n ts ; b u t these points should be remembered in all doughs made light by eggs . The peculiar viscidity of albumen m a kes the a egg an imp orta n t factor in cookery . If c refully

a n a be te , it catches and holds for a time a l rge

n o f qua tity air, and if cooked at once doughs are made light . The pou n d and sponge cakes and ba t ter puddin gs of our grandmothers h a d nothing but eggs to give them the delicate lightness rarely

o h c seen n o w. Fr m the igher pri e of eggs and a l lack of know edge about their use , baking

a u a n d powders have l rgely s perseded them , our ' fo o d a n d stomachs have su ered in proportion . There are two objects in be a ting eggs ; to 146 RE A TING E GGS.

t wo mingle the parts of the egg, and to incor

r por a t e a i with it . ll a . a For cust rds , etc , the first is that is a a t in required . For c kes more h e gis necessary to accomplish the latter . A a h ea t er s a r e v riety of in the market, all doi n g the work me more or less perfect way . a n a a But m y of the best cooks , except for l rge

a a o r qu ntity of eggs , prefer knife fork or

a a a simple whip to the more el bor te m chines . a To gain the greatest possible mount of air, yolks and whites must be sep a rated . The s n o wy appeara nce o fthe beaten white is caused by the mixture of air a n d probably also

v a b e by a slight e aporation of w ter, since it Th comes frothy sooner in a draught of air . e ' a oil , which the yolk contains , m kes it lighter a s n o in than the white , is show by its positi n a a r e n the shell , and when the two p rts beate t o o il o n w gether it acts like troubled aters . m a king it impossible for the air to get in or for any water to pass o ff. Cold eggs be a t quicker tha n those that have m n in a w a a . A a a bee rm pl ce little s lt, or cre

148 IN H I EGGS C NA .

G C A E G S IN HIN .

MR . R N A . CA RPE NTE R n F K G , a rece t traveler C n a a in hi , s y s C n The hinese are very fo d of eggs , but they

- a n d never eat them soft boiled , they believe that an egg grows bett er with age . Preserved eggs o n e o fC a nd a are of the dainties hina , it t kes fo rty d a ys to pickle them . The eggs a r e c o v

i t ea - a a n d ered w th a mixture of leaves , lime , s lt

- a t a n d a r e wood shes , made in o a paste , then

a a in - C n a packed w y wood ashes , which all over hi

t - are sold o the egg packers for this purpose . The o lder a n egg grows after pa cking the bette it is supposed to be . There are methods o f n pickli g which turn the eggs as black a s jet . In s o me c a ses they a r e steeped in water in wh ich

- the le a ves offir or cedar trees have bee n b oiled . C n a in a a a n d The hi ese lso pickle eggs s lt w ter, they regard these s a lted eggs as good fo r medi cin a l p u rposes . They ha ve certain festiva ls at

n a - which they give prese ts of h rd boiled , dyed 149 EGGS IN CH INA .

a a n d eggs , and when a child is born the f mily friends celebrate the eve n t by a fe a st o fdyed

- . All C n eggs told , the egg industry of hi a

a n o gives employment to many thous d pe ple , ' a n d forms o n e of the important specialties o f this very busy na t ion .

It is one of the triumphs of Chinese cookery to pierce a n d bl o w the eggs and r e- fi ll them with va ri- colored a n d vari -fla vo r ed custa rds and

. a a n d jellies The pertures are sealed , the out o f side the shells painted like a nightmare , with

r iffi ns dragons , g , etc . 150 MISCE LLANE O US.

MISCELLANEOUS .

IF r a o f a r e u w yolks eggs put in a ch rn , just

o im bef re the butter comes , their color will be parted to the butter .

Shells bu rned in the oven a n d then placed on n pa try shelves are said to repel vermin .

w a n d Broken in bits , with cold ater a little

a a sod , the shells , with their j gged edges , will clean glass bottles .

Shells broken only at one end are convenient

- molds for blanc mange and jellies .

Old-time receipt books mention egg-shells as in dishes to set the ashes , in which to melt salves and ointments .

One Swedish dish is an omelet of cheese ,

a n d butter, milk egg, cooked in the dish in which it is to be served .

152 I L M SCEL ANE O US.

Sponge cake , delicate custards and frozen creams and puddin gs a n d the thous a nd and one things we owe to the egg '

. . E E H E H W B C R .

ila Th e R ec or d c a t s Ph delphia , according to , in the course of the year eggs , of which seven eighths come from Iowa , Kansas , a Minn esota and Nebraska , p cked in refrigerator cars holding each . e e a e In ’th ordinanc s of f r s to be s’erved to the Kin g s Highness and t h e Queen s Grace a s made at Eltham in the seventeenth year of Kin g

V . Henry III , butter and eggs appear in the n n a n d seco d course o both Flesh Fish Days . ' The ordinary prices fOI all kin ds of pou ltry stu to be served by the aforesaid William ” ' Gurley as decreed i n these ordi n ances : FOI

o eggs fr m Shrovetide till Michaelmas , the hun

14d . Fo r dred, eggs from Michaelmas till 20 ” Shrovetide , the hundred, d . 153 MISCELLANE O US.

TH E T S ORK .

A bird of great an tiquity and dignity is the stork ; it was known to the writers of the fa Yor it e IE so . Bible , and was a with p It might well have been chosen as an E a ster emblem ; for there is a Swedish legen d that it

e o u n C n flutter d ar d the cross of hrist, cryi g

St ké St ké n n y , y , Strengthen ye , Stre gthe ye , a n d thus it lost its voice and received its n a me .

i _ a n a o n In Holland t is reg rded with ve er ti , and happy is the house upon wh ose roof it

a a m kes the nest for its p le , yellow eggs . The Dutch n a me for the stork c a n be tra ced to an n n old word , meani g the bri ger of good . ’

TH E H A RE S E GGS.

‘ a o o d lit t le a la H re , hare , g h re , y plenty of ” eggs for us on Easter Day , sing the German children . The reason for the popular idea that at Easter time the hare becomes an oviparous ani mal seems , at first, almost unaccountable . 154 MISCE LLANEOUS.

w a t h e German authors , ho ever , tell us th t hare , because of its fruitfulness , was sacred to n a n d o a n d Ostara , the goddess of spri g of l ve that this expl a in s the belief th a t Easter eggs were produced by ha res ra ther tha n by hens . In the folk-lore of man y savage tribes t h e

a n a o f hare is type of the moo n, si ce , bec use its a wa w short upper eyelid , it l ys sleeps ith its eyes Open . The A ztecs saw a hare rather than a man in

n the mo o . The Egyptians o ften represented Osiris as a m a a n beautif u l ha re . H a res a y h ve dr w the cha riot of Ostara as the cats drew that of

Freya . Man y In dian ra ces worship the dawn as a n n mystic a l h a re . The leapi g hare was co sidered an emble m of spring-time or the appro ach o f

day, by nearly all races .

156 INDE'.

2 Chicago , 57 . Easter Monday dance , 5 . I 2 6 2 10 1 8 . Chinese , 9 , 7 4 , 9 , 4, 4 . Edward , 5 .

1 2 0 . 1 Clear soups , Egg apples , 43 a l 1 8 2 . b 2 1 . Clarifying , 7 5 , Egg ls , f 8 2 8 1 1 Co fee , , 3 . Eggs in balls , 3 .

4 0 1 6 . Columbus , Egg baskets , 3 - 4 6 . 1 4 1 . Commercial statistics , 5 3 Egg broth , 2 0 f 1 1 Constantine , Egg co fee , 4 . 1 16 1 Cotton seed lard , . Egg dumplings , 3 5. 8 1 1 Cowper , 4 . Egg kromeskys , 4 . 2 1 1 Cradles (dolls) , 9 . Egg milk , 4 .

b o led . 1 40 . Crem y’, 9 3 Eggnog, 10 1 1 Crocodile s eggs , 3 . Egg nests , 5. 1 1 1 2 8 Custards , 4 , 4 . Egg plant , .

Egg shells ,

- S S 1 8 . 6 DAI IE , egg , 3 Eggs in art , 7 4 7 D a nc m 2 6 gegg , 3 Eggs in manufacture , 7 4 , 7 .

2 1 . 71s 6 Date of Easter , Eggs pork , 9 . — i ( y i ) 2 4 2 8 . S 2 Decorat on or d e ng , Eggs aturday , 4 — 2 . 1 i , 7 1 . Dess cated eggs Egyptian legends , 3 5 i T . S r . 1 10 Dickens , Charles , 49 Elyot , , .

. W . i i y , y , . 8 10 . D ct onar Centur 9 Emerson , R , 4 , 5 q Digestion of eggs , 9 5 . , 7 4 . Sir 2 1 10 i y , e . 1 8 6 6 1 . D gb K nelm , 9 , England , , 5 , 59 , 9 , 9 M 2 S . E n r a vm 1 Douce 9 g gon eggs, 3 . - 1 10 1 1 . E r oest e 2 1 . Dropped eggs , 3 ,

D r m ds 2 2 . 1 6 2 0 , Eq uinox , , .

8 . 6 Drummond , 9 Ericsson , 9 .

1 . 1 ryd n , 4 . D e’ Exhaustion , 39 10 1 . fl 86 Ducks eggs , Eyes in amed , . 2 Dudley , Thomas , 4 . 6 y , . S 0 . Dut on eggs 5 FABLE , 4 88 Food (eggs as) , . — AS 2 0 . 100 E TER , 37 Food of hens , . 2 2 Easter eggs , . Forme of Cury , 9 3 . 2 — 1 i , . 2 . Easter g fts 9 3 France , 7 , 59 , 7 5

E s 0 1 . a 4 8 . ter Island , , 4 French cooks , 9 157 INDE'.

6 —1 0 — . O S 6 . Freshness , tests of, 4 4 IM P RT , 55 5

1 8 2 . v 1 8 . Friday , Good , , 5 In alid cookery, 3 6 1 1 8 . Fried eggs , . Insect bites , 5

1 . v t 0 Froissart , 4 Ir ing , Washing on , 4 . 8 0 1 Fungi in eggs , . Isis , 5 . a 1 Isr el , 5 . 1 - Ita ian , 57 . S 2 2 . l GA M E of eggs , , 3 4 37 m 1 2 Gebeli , Court de , . 1 JAPA N , 44 . 60 . Gladstone , 59 , 1 0 Java , 3 . 1 1 Golden Buck , 3 . J wish g ds , 39 . 1 8 2 e le en Good Friday , , 5 . ews 1 J , 5 . 9 7 . 8 . Great Britain egg supply , 5 2 Jonson , B n , 4 . 1 16 e Greece , 3 , . 1 Jove , 4 2 2 . Greeks , uvena l J , 2 1 2 . Greek Church , , 3

S S 12 0 OU . KAI , d r essm 8 ER P HAIR g, 5. 1 Kato , 44 . 2 Hall , Bishop , 4 . ’ 1 1 8 . King s Art of Cooking , 1 Halloween , 9 . King Hen r y VIII 1 52 1 1 . Hamilton , Gail , 5 1 1 2 Kitch n r , r . Wm . - n 10 1 e e D Hard bo ed eggs , 7 , 33 . K ne h 1 . ’ p , 3 1 Hare s Eggs , The , 53 . M i SS. 2 . Harle an , 9 2 2 LENT . 3 . 4, 93 . Hawthorne , 49 . b , 99 ' Lie ig 1 1 Hebrews , 5 , 9 . 6 68 Limed eggs , 7 ,

, o 48 . H r rt rg , e be Ge e 1 . Lisbon , 3 1 Hercules , 4 . 8 Literature of eggs , 3 1 Hindoos , 4 . Livingston . d u i i 12 . H stor Ca ndri r , e le e . Longevity , 9 5 86 Hoars n ss , . — e e Louis 'IV 'V 2 7

8 . Ho rook , r 9 lb D 1 6 1 . Love tests , , 9 0 0 Ho m s , W 49 , 5 . l e 8 . Lowell , J R 4 8 8 1 2 1 Hood , , . 1 . Lyonnaise eggs , 3 7 8 10 0 Horace , 9 ,

1 . 0 ) , 2 Hottent’ot , 3 MARRIAGE (of eggs 5 Culm a 0 . 1 1 Hunte’r s , 7 Martial , 7 O i r M a ssn e 2 . Hyde s riental sports , 3 4 . g , 9 158 INDE'

1 88 0 Massachusetts , 5 census , Parliament , 9 .

8 . v 1 2 0 . Medicine , 4 Passo er , 5 ,

6 v . 8 . Mexico , 3 Pa y , Dr , 7 1 6 . 4 . Miller , Warner, 55, 5 Persians ,

1 0 2 . 1 2 . Moa , Philadelphia , 57 , 5 1 1 Mongolians , 5 . Photographs , 5 . Ph th a h 1 8 . . Moore , 9 , 3

Sir 8 . P 1 16 More , Thomas , 4 iers Ploughman , .

1 6 . Mosq ues , . Pliny , 3 9 0 v 1 0 1 Mother Goose , 4 . Plo er of egg , .

Munchausen , 39 Plutarch , 3 9 . 1 2 1 10 1 1 Mundane egg , , 39 . Poached egg , , 3 .

1 2 . 2 Murrey , T . J 3 Poland , 7 .

8 . 0 Mustard Plasters , 7 Pompeii , 9 . 1 2 1 1 Mythology, . Pope Alexander , 7 . V 2 Pope Paul . , 5 .

- v 6 . NAME , 7 . Preser ation , 7 7 3 I 1 2 2 62 Napoleon . , Production , 6 12 6 National Association , 3 . Proverbs , , 4 , 47 .

Y (C . New ork ity) , 57

U Y 100 . Q ALI , 2 0 . T Nicene Council , 10 Q u r ggs , 3 . oo 12 0 . ee e N dles , Q ueer people , 33 . Nuremberg , 9 1 ur mb rg ggs , 3 5. N e e e A RAMAB I, 9 8 .

, h s , 9 . F S 8 Reade C a O IL O , 7 5, 5. EGG 2 — Ritual (Pope Paul 5. O 12 1 1 . melets , 3 3 1 1 Roasted eggs , 7 . O 1 . rpheus , 3 ’ OC S e R gg. 3 9 O 2 1 . stara , 1— 2 Romances , 5 5 . 1 0 1 . O strich , 1 6 2 2 8 Romans , , , 3 4 , 9 . O 1 1 . verturned eggs , 5 R a le 1 2 1 . w paste , O 8 . volo , 1 1 8 Rumbled eggs , . O . vum , 7 2 6 2 Russian Easter , , 7 . O 2 . xford egg feast , 4 SA 8 LVE , 5

S 68 . S 1 . PACKING EGG , andwiches , 3 7

2 8 0 Sa n . Paris , , 59 , 9 . Francisco , 57