FoodNet

Hilda's diary of a Cape housekeeper

1902

Page 51 · 1 recipe record on this page

Presented as published in 1902. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
Collection and Sale of Eggs. — “To show what method will do, I have been told of a lady who makes arrangements with a number of farmers and cottagers living within a few miles of her house to take all their eggs at a certain price all tlie year round ; this pays them because they know they have a certain market, and have no trouble of taking their things to a distance. In her neighbourhood eggs at the cheap time of year are 24 per i^-., and she gets them for something like 14 a is. all the year round. In winter she sells the new-laid ones at 2d. and 2\d. each, and never less than id., so that in the long run she gains a good bit Then at the cheap time of year she ‘ pots ’ thousands in barrels with some preparation of lime, and sells them as fresh (not new-laid) eggs in the winter. “ She is so successful with these that out of 8000 she only had one returned as bad. But these eggs have each to be looked at through an egg-tester before being packed. “ Most of the railway companies now take these egg- boxes at specially reduced rates, and issue labels of their own for them. “ Mrs. has a pony-cart, and she and her daughters go round every morning to all the cottagers and farmers from whom she buys, and who have the eggs ready in baskets, so that it takes very little time to collect, and the empty baskets of the day before are left in their stead. The eggs 115 April INCUBATING CHICKENS are then taken home at once and stamped and labelled, and dispatched in the pony-cart again to the station. “ Each day has its different set of customers. All this of course means a great deal of continuous trouble and exer- tion every day — as you may imagine from the fact that she sends 18,000 a week to one large supply business, and also has two clubs and a hospital on her list, besides private friends. “ It would not of course succeed unless every egg were guaranteed and stamped with date of laying. The stamp- ing machines and the special boxes cost a good bit to begin with. “In the neighbourhood of large towns some such scheme might work as weW in the Colonies as in England.” Incubating Chickens. — Here is another lady’s experience in England. “ I have myself a small number of hens, and find that Gggs are more profitable than feeding up chickens for table. “ There is also good profit to be made by incubation, as selling the chickens at one or two weeks old for from 5j-. to 8s. a dozen, according to breed — whether pure-bred or not. “ During the winter and last autumn I hatched and sold, through advertising in some of the poultry papers, several dozen chicks ; and if any one could really make it their business, I feel sure it is a profitable undertaking. “ My incubator, the ‘ Peripage,’ cost 36^. 6d. per 50 eggs, from Corteen Bros., 155 St.John’s Hill, close to Clapham Junction, Surrey. “ The capital required to start with an inexpensive machine is not great. A rearer is required, which costs I ys. 6d. ; the best I know are to be had from the Rev. W. H. Butlin, Leonard Stanley, Stonehouse, Gloucestershire. 116 CURRY PIE. BURNT CREAM April They are the most practical and safe, being warmed with hot water. Then there is the purchase of eggs, and the cost of either oil or gas for the lamps. I estimate the latter about 9<^. a week. Curry Pie