e are so many ways of cooking and dressing eggs, that it seems
unnecessary for the ordinary family to use those that are not the most
practical.

To ascertain the freshness of an egg, hold it between your thumb and
forefinger in a horizontal position, with a strong light in front of
you. The fresh egg will have a clear appearance, both upper and lower
sides being the same. The stale egg will have a clear appearance at
the lower side, while the upper side will exhibit a dark or cloudy
appearance.

Another test is to put them in a pan of cold water; those that are the
first to sink are the freshest; the stale will rise and float on top;
or, if the large end turns up in the water, they are not fresh. The
best time for preserving eggs is from July to September.

TO PRESERVE EGGS.

There are several recipes for preserving eggs and we give first one
which we know to be effectual, keeping them fresh from August until
Spring. Take a piece of quick-lime as large as a good-sized lemon and
two teacupfuls of salt; put it into a large vessel and slack it with a
gallon of boiling water. It will boil and bubble until thick as cream;
when it is cold, pour off the top, which will be perfectly clear.
Drain off this liquor, and pour it over your eggs; see that the liquor
more than covers them. A stone jar is the most convenient--one that
holds about six quarts.

Another manner of preserving eggs is to pack them in a jar with layers
of salt between, the large end of the egg downward, with a thick layer
of salt at the top; cover tightly and set in a cool place.

Some put them in a wire basket or a piece of mosquito net and dip them
in boiling water half a minute; then pack in sawdust. Still another
manner is to dissolve a cheap article of gum arabic, about as thin as
muscilage, and brush over each egg with it; then pack in powdered
charcoal; set in a cool, dark place.

Eggs can be kept for some time by smearing the shells with butter or
lard; then packed in plenty of bran or sawdust, the eggs not allowed
to touch one another; or coat the eggs with melted paraffine.

BOILED EGGS.

Eggs for boiling cannot be too fresh, or boiled too soon after they
are laid; but rather a longer time should be allowed for boiling a
new-laid egg than for one that is three or four days old. Have ready a
saucepan of boiling water; put the eggs into it gently with a spoon,
letting the spoon touch the bottom of the saucepan before it is
withdrawn, t