DO EGGS SHOW THEIR NOTIONALITY.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 3333, 27 September 1911, Page 8

DO EGGS SHOW THEIR NOTIONALITY.

— - experts say place of origin CAN BE TOLD BY APPEARANCE. RUSSIAN OR IRISH ? To the average man at the breakfast table one egg is much the same as fe another, and it would be difficult to tell * where each egg came from after an obliging hen had laid it. It is, however, possible to tell even the nationality of an egg, according to certain ezperts in an amusing case at Preston, Lancashire. Messrs Howard Brothers, of that town, summoned by the Board of Agriculture, were alleged to have sold eggs falsely labelled as of Irish origin. Egg experts let the court into some of the secret ways of telling the nationality to which eggs gave all allegiance. For some unfortunate reason bad eggs cannot be identified as to their country of origin. In other respects they are too easily “identified.” George Michael Hyams, of Liverpol, egg expert, said the eggs in question were Russian, and between four and five weeks old.

Mr. Riley (for the defence): Do you believe you can distinguish not only between Russian, Irish, Dutch, and Danish eggs?—Yes. 'Counsel handed a number of eggs to the witness, who described them as “foreign,” “Irish,” “bad altogether,” etc.

John George Parkinson, produce merchant, of Liverpool, was of opinion that the eggs came from the south of Russia. The shell of a Russian egg was harder than that of eggs from any other country, and the appearance was smooth and glossy. Eighty-five per cent, of" the Russian eggs imported were unfertile. About 90 per cent, of Irish eggs which arrived in England were fertile, but though he kept the eggs in a- temperature of 70 degrees for fourteen days there were no signs of incubation. Neither did they burst or go rotten. The shell of a Russian egg was thicker and harder than that of an Irish egg, and that was why it would keep longer. For the defence Bartholomew Condon, an Irish egg exporter, said that during last year he had supplied the defendants with a million eggs. In his opinion the nationality of an egg could not be told.

The defendants’ shopman denied that there was any label, “New laid best Irish” displayed on the day in question, or that he had ever sold foreign eggs as Irish. °

The Bench in the end dismissed the case. •••