THE POULTRY INDUSTRY.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1545, 14 September 1912, Page 14

THE POULTRY INDUSTRY.

r > 6 (By Chantecler.)

?he International Conference. ' The International Conference of PoulIr.fmen, hold in London Inst month, was a successful gathering. There wero representatives from no fewer than twenty-six countries. Tho president (Mr. Edward Brown) gave an excellent paper on the "International Co-ordin:itioii in the Poultry Industry." It was a broadminded speech. Lord Lucas, in welcoming the delegates, stated that English farmers were much behind in the breeding of poultry, though they stood high in the world's estimation sis breeders of oilier farm , -stock. He hoped that the many millions of pounds that, were being spent ■annually in getting foreign supplies would be kept among their own farmers. Tiiuugh the conference was somewhat overburdened with the scientific element, it will accomplish a great deal of good. Science is a great nid to the poultry industry, but the conference seemed to lack the sound and useful advicsW practical men. The gathering was criticised by some as licing a "conference ' of bores," but there is always one section of people who will find fault, no matter how much- good is being donp. Such a\ -gathering of'eminent men could, scarcely fail to result in doing much solid wort. An English Visitor. The "Illustrated Record" gives a notice .of a well-known English poulterer on a visit to New Zealnnd. One would like to meet him, but the reference does not give his address. Should these lines enteii his eye, or any of his friends, we should like him to "communicate." The notice says: "The name of Devereux, of Shepherd's Market, llnyfair, is well known in London business circles, and his old-established business as ft poulteivr was one of the best in tho West End, dealing with many of the great houses in that section of the -Metropolis, t-u.nio time.-ago he stated his intention to retire, which has been carried out, rnd' liis fine connection has passed into other hands. That in itself is of interest; but even more is the fact that he is now on his way to New Zealand, where he intends to settle, and, possibly, to take up work again in that colony. The advent of anyone of the experience of Mr. Devereux should be a great gain to New Zenland, and if use is made of his knowledge, more especially in connection with the export trade, the tesult cannot fail to be great. His knowledge of the requirements' of the English' markets should be invaluable in his new home, and he may be commended to our colonial friends/' . . .

The Trial Shipment. ■ The Agricultural Department is considering (he advisability of making the trial shipments of eggs.to Vancouver. Vn-, fortunately, one must fear ..that the trial will riot be sufficiently exhaustive. There are few that understand the egg business,, and much more information could be obtained if a reliable nnd experienced man were sent to accompany the shipment. During the voyage-the eggs (kept.under various conditions) require to be tested and weighed.' Honolulu, Vancouver, Seak tie,, and San Francisco.open up the widest possibilities, and should be thoroughly exploited. These markets need-to be_ studied and their requirements-known. No doubt the' commissioner would do his be.st at Vancouver'to. dispose' of ;eggs,; "hut this would accomplish nothing more than privii'te •enterprise, could- do.- The-'thing is. worth'doing well, , nnd the-success of, the initial shipment'would mean a great incentive to New Zealand. 1 Too Many Sellers. There is evidence Hint the poultry business is overburdened with too. many sellers. Mr. Ferguson affirms this, and his assertion is true. In Wellington tho eggcircle, agent was easily obtaining Is. Bd. a.dozen in July, when two producers from the; Lower Hutt quoted the agent's clients 2d. a dozen Jess, with the result that the egg-circle eggs had to be lowered in price. In Christchurch a large order was taken at lid. a dozen, when other sellers quoted IOJd. and lOd. a dozen. , Unity of- market is needed.

For ' their negligence and indifference tho poultrymen of New Zenland, pay houndreds of pounds each year in their system of market. 'Smart,,isn't it? Export of Eggs." The "Sydney Mail" htis the following paragraph which will provide news fori local readers:— . "The New Zealand eg" export trade has been extensive for the past couple of years, and the southern Dominion's best customer is Canada. For the year ended March, 1911, Canada imported' from various countries 2,469,927 dozen eggs, valued at £SS,SU. The eggs'exported from New Zealand are chioHy from Auckland. The shipments are chilled and se-nt to Vancouver. In Australasia the seasons are the reverse of' , those in Canada, consequently, when (£gs are cheap here, they are dear in the northern Dominion. There seems to be no reason why New South Wales should not embark iii this branch of the export trade." The writer does not know what our aggressive contemporary calls an "extensive trade." We wish it had grown as such. We believe nil the eggs exported from New Zealand the past two years could have been easily produced on one poultry farm. British Imports. Tli* poor old English fanner is sadly behind in poultry farming. He is under the iron heel of the fancier, who_ is for ever prating that poultry doesn't pay. The fanciers have good reason for spreading this tale. It used to be an old gag in New Zealand, and kept the industry buck for years, until the utility men set the ball rolling, and went in for laying birds. It is lamentable to think that 'England keeps barely one fowl per inhabitant as against Denmark's ■ 439. From the "Illustrated Poultry Record," a journal published in England, we learn that foreign countries supply practically all the eggs and poultry imported during the year. London alone consumes a* many eggs in a day us the whole of the colonic? send to L'uglund in a year, Thp value of eggs imported from Canada is but a twelfth of that obtained from Morocco. China sends .£48,000 worth. Adding eggs and poultry together, the imports from Russia nnd Scandinavia are worth X6,01)0,(KK1 against for the import from all British possessions. It is evidence, of the devotion of Denmark to egi production that there arc in that country 439 birds per head of the population. Does Poultry Pay? A conclusive argument ns to whether poultry pays is evidenced by the people of Denmark. We all know there are levelheaded business people who know how to cot best results from their farms. Will they keep 439 birdu each if they did not pay them ? It is to be hoped that some of those who write ngainst the industry will remember the faet, and that each year Denmark gets ,£2,000,000 annually from England, while her own farmers ignore the possibilities of the hen. Canterbury Enthusiasts.

An amalgamated meeting of poultrymen was held at Christchurch on Tuesday evening last; and it was resolved to nsk the Prime Minister to let an experienced and aipiibie man accompany the shipment of rtr;;s lo be pent on trial order. The effort will mean n great deal to the poultry industry. If it fails through wa'.it of experienced men in. charge, the money will ba wasted. Ifcare is taken, and' the shipment lands in good order and a regular market is established, the poultry industry will double itself in a few years. Most "of the losses in the past, have been through want of putting experienced men in charge, and for the present venture experience should be the qualification looked for.

laylng competitions.

N. 7.. UTILITY POULTRY , CLUB. Returns for twenty-second week of tho New Zealand Utility Poultry Club's eighth laying competition for fowls:— Total Totnl for to week. date. Wm. Scull, Christchurch, Black Wynndottes 31 42G W. A. Nixon, Bunvood, "White Leghorns No. 1 3G 695 H. Legor, Wororoii, White Leghorns No. 1 33 586 John Wordsworth, Geraldine, Wh. Leghorns No. 1 30 526 James Asliton, Haumer, Silver Wyandotfces 26 439 Martin Bros., Auckland, White Leghorns • 30 569 Verrall Bros., Swannanoa, Brown Leghorns 32 599 W. A. Nixon, Bnrwood, Brown Leghorns No. 2 29 525 Herotaunga P. Co., Silvsretream, Brown Leghorns • No. 1 32 598 H. S. Woodnorth, Winton, Brown Leghorns 32 491 W. A. Nixon, "Bunvood, Brown Leghorns No. 3 31' 594 R. M. Smith, Auckland, Brown Leghorns 31 36E Rangiuru Egg, Ranch, Otaki, Brown Leghorns 30 443 R. W. Hawke, Papanui, Brown 'Leghorns 29 490 R. Willis and Son, New Brigh- . ton, Brown liCghorns S3 472 ,A. E. Wilson, Shirley, White Wyandottes 23 2K D. Stewart, Normanby, Whito Leghorns 29 471 Master G. Wilson, Shirley, Whito Leghorns 33 44C Bomnin Munger, Lower Hutt, White Leghorns 37 515 Mrs. R. W. Hawke, Papanui, Whito Leghorns 3t ; 55c A. Stevenson, Karori, White Leghorns 26 39! H. R. Wainnian, Ruuanga, Whito Leghorns 36 572 A. R. Browne, Petane Beach, White Leghorns 35 547 Prankish Bros., Wanganui, White Leghorns 31 58i W. Knight. Lower Hutt, Silver Wvan'dpttes 35 581 J. ' H. Shaw and R. James, Christchurch, Wh. Leghorns 31 494 W. G. Goodwin, Thames, White Leghorns 10 42! W. A : . Nixon, B.urwbod, Silver Wyandottes 28 571 A. E. Wilson, Shirley, Silver Wyandottes. 32 471 Misses Bradley, Papanui, Wh. .Leghorns S3 541 T. Kennedy, Rangiora, Whito Wyandottes 29 26^ C. M. Peck, Avondale, Whito Leghorns 29 34! J. W. Green, St. Albans, White Leghorns 35 65' N. Solomon, Westport, Black Orpingtons 33 43 A. W.- Irvine, Epsom, White Leghorns' No. 1 32 59 C. M. Peck, Avondale, Black - Orpingtons. '. 28 - ' 44 G. H. Bradford,-Cust, -Silver Wyandottes. ....:..:: ..'....;. 34;. 38 A. W. Irvine. Epsom, White •Leghorns-No. 2 J..;..'......::;..; ;'30 : - -50 Heretau'nga P. - Co., -Silverstream, Wh. Leghorns No. 2 :)3 57 Middlepnrk P. Farm, Riccarton, Wh. Legfiorns : 29 52 T. Strong, Doyleston, White Leghorns 33 44 P. Keller, Rolleston, White Leghorns 23 44 Percy Holt, Papakura, White ' Leghorns 34 53

W. Knight, Lower Hutc, White Leghorns 83 476 G. Anderson, St. Albans, Silver Wyaudottes ....: 35 502 J. W. Bradley and Son, Pnpanui, White Leghorns 27 398 ■Jtrs. J. Mills, Dunedin, White Leghorus 30 495 W. 0. Sail, Cust, White Leghorns -34 450 Crawford and Pudsey, L. Hutt, White Leghorns 31 569 E. A. Liizarus, L. Hutt,, White Leghorns 33 586 W. O. Sail, Cust, silver Wyandoltos .' 27 422 Misses Hadford and Ilarker, Ohnu. Whit p. Leghorns ... 33 431 A. W. Adams, Sheffield, Silver Wynndottes 32 519 A. I). Kent, Shirley, White Leghorns ..-. 31 ■ 596 J. Corric, Beclcenhani, White Leghorns 31 484 E. 11. Borchart, Eltham, White Leghorns / 33 3DS W. A. Nixon, Burwood, White • I.oghorns No. I 34 GO2 T. K. Collins, Lower Hutt, Black Orpingtons 23 357 Dominion P. Plant. Coromanrlfll, White Legliorns 30 539 T. Kennedy, RangiorS, Silver Wyandottes 34 510 FOR DUCKS. New Zealand Utility Poultry Club. Twenty-second week of third laying competition for ducks:— Total Total for to week. date. Thos. Dowthwaite, Avondale, Tndian Eunners 38 600 W. Knight, Lower Hutt, Indian Runners 39 436 S. IT. Scott, Onehunga, Buff Orpingtons 36 458 T. I?. Hall, -Wereroa, Indian Runners • 39 569 P. Keller, Rolleston, Indian Runners :...: 35. 444 S. H. Scott, Onehunga, Indian -Runners '. 40 226 Heretaunga P. Co., Silverstream, Indian Runners ... 35 615 Miss A. .T. Donald, Dunsandol, Indian Runners 3G 357 P. Keller, Eolleston, Indian Runners '....... 37 411