like to find an old or a cooked egg or a small chicken, at thirty cents or more a dozen. Miss Field said that, if there were eggs that did not hatch in the incubator, she always opened them, and used them at home if they had not spoiled ; but that she would never think of selling them. She also said selling direct to the con- sumer paid her better than selling on commission. Eggs should be stored in a cool place, and on the way to market should be kept out of the sun. The picture (Fig. 78) shows that the weather is hot, because the family is using an umbrella, but there is none over the eggs ! Another important point is a clean nest for the hen. The shell of the egg is porous ; so, if we wash off the dirt, we may hasten the spoiling of the egg. See if you can reason this out. Here is one odd little point about selling eggs that Miss Field mentioned. In some places white eggs bring a higher price ; in some cities, brown. You must find out about your market, and choose the kind of hen to suit. In New York City white eggs always are quoted higher than brown, and cost more at the grocery ; although, when you sell direct to a customer, it does not seem to matter. The cost of eggs. When we raise our own food it is not easy to know just what it costs in money. If we count as the money value of eggs what we can get for them, that will help us to compare them with other food, at least, and to judge whether to eat all or to sell 170 FOOD AND HEALTH them, or to eat some and sell some. Of course, they do take the place of ready money sometimes, and so U.S. Department of Agriculture, Bureau cf Animal Industry. BulletinUl. Fig. 78. — Taking eggs to market. Eggs exposed to the sun during an eight-mile drive at a tem- perature of 106°. we change them for some other kind of food, question is, whether we do this wisely, always. Remember that the food value is as follows : The 8 eggs = I quart good milk = i pound steak, about. - THE, HOME BREAKFAST 171 If the eggs are 24 cents per dozen, and the steak 24 cents per pound,^ what food value is lost if you change the eggs for the steak ? Do you see what money value is lost, as well ? Of course, the change gives you variety. On the other hand, when good eggs bring a high price, it is to your advantage to sell, and use fewer in cake and puddings at home. We must remember that cooked by themselves, and served in place of meat, they are valuable, especially for little children and invalids. Food value of eggs once more. Remember that as the tiny chicken grows inside the shell, its food is there, with something taken from the shell in the way of mineral matter ; and the baby chick comes from its shell, quite well grown, with energy enough to pick for its next meal. Eggs are one of the body-building foods, and for this reason are good for growing children, in- valids, and people who are getting well, and who have lost flesh. Are hard-cooked eggs digestible r Yes, if eaten properly, an egg, hard boiled or fried, is digestible. You need not be afraid to serve fried eggs ; but you must remember that the hard egg and the egg with fat will take longer to digest. So, if some one at home has a rather feeble digestion, a soft or raw egg is better than the fried ; and better for the little children. * Prices of steak per pound in a country village, Connecticut, August, 1915: Shoulder steak, i8 cents; round, short, and sirloin, 24 cents; porterhouse, 32 cents. "Western" beef. 172 FOOD AND HEALTH

AI-modernized reading of the original text

like to find an old or a cooked egg or a small chicken, at thirty cents or more a dozen. Miss Field said that, if there were eggs that did not hatch in the incubator, she always opened them, and used them at home if they had not spoiled ; but that she would never think of selling them. She also said selling direct to the consumer paid her better than selling on commission. Eggs should be stored in a cool place, and on the way to market should be kept out of the sun. The picture (Fig. 78) shows that the weather is hot, because the family is using an umbrella, but there is none over the eggs ! Another important point is a clean nest for the hen. The shell of the egg is porous ; so, if we wash off the dirt, we may hasten the spoiling of the egg. See if you can reason this out. Here is one odd little point about selling eggs that Miss Field mentioned. In some places white eggs bring a higher price ; in some cities, brown. You must find out about your market, and choose the kind of hen to suit. In New York City white eggs always are quoted higher than brown, and cost more at the grocery ; although, when you sell direct to a customer, it does not seem to matter. The cost of eggs. When we raise our own food it is not easy to know just what it costs in money. If we count as the money value of eggs what we can get for them, that will help us to compare them with other food, at least, and to judge whether to eat all or to sell them, or to eat some and sell some. Of course, they do take the place of ready money sometimes, and so U.S. Department of Agriculture, Bureau cf Animal Industry. BulletinUl. Fig. 78. — Taking eggs to market. Eggs exposed to the sun during an eight-mile drive at a temperature of 106°. we change them for some other kind of food, question is, whether we do this wisely, always. Remember that the food value is as follows : The 8 eggs = I quart good milk = i pound steak, about. If the eggs are 24 cents per dozen, and the steak 24 cents per pound,^ what food value is lost if you change the eggs for the steak ? Do you see what money value is lost, as well ? Of course, the change gives you variety. On the other hand, when good eggs bring a high price, it is to your advantage to sell, and use fewer in cake and puddings at home. We must remember that cooked by themselves, and served in place of meat, they are valuable, especially for little children and invalids. Food value of eggs once more. Remember that as the tiny chicken grows inside the shell, its food is there, with something taken from the shell in the way of mineral matter ; and the baby chick comes from its shell, quite well grown, with energy enough to pick for its next meal. Eggs are one of the body-building foods, and for this reason are good for growing children, invalids, and people who are getting well, and who have lost flesh. Are hard-cooked eggs digestible r Yes, if eaten properly, an egg, hard boiled or fried, is digestible. You need not be afraid to serve fried eggs ; but you must remember that the hard egg and the egg with fat will take longer to digest. So, if some one at home has a rather feeble digestion, a soft or raw egg is better than the fried ; and better for the little children. * Prices of steak per pound in a country village, Connecticut, August, 1915: Shoulder steak, i8 cents; round, short, and sirloin, 24 cents; porterhouse, 32 cents. "Western" beef.

Food and health