THE POULTRY INDUSTRY

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1663, 1 February 1913, Page 15

THE POULTRY INDUSTRY

Answers to Correspondents, "A,L,M.," Lower Hutt.-Tha Poultry Conference is to be held at Auckland on March 23,. 20; and 37-. AIL paultrymen are welcoino to at tend tho sessions, but only representatives of affiliated socicr Ho? can participate in the ioting. "S.C., I<eviu,—From symptoms desoribed, I ahquld say that your birds are suf- ' ferring from catarrh, ivhioh will ultimately turn to roup. This complaint , i 9 very dangerous and contagious. If tho 'birds havo been exposed to draughts this would causo the trouble, v Bettet dispose of the hens, and tho- • roughly fumigate tho runs and house?. '5.J.," Palmerston.—Yes, there me somo breedora of Rhode Island Reds. Tha Egg Market. , The local egg-jnarkei; has taken a rapid jump during the past week, thus showing how much the business is in need of some organisation. In soma quarters eggs, a week ago, wera quoted at lid., while this week, they were quoted as high w la- 4d. Now, aa there has been no appreciable decrease in tho falling off' of the supply, it ■appears that there is something wrong with the methods of , marketing. Thei public have to Buffer for this desultory state of affairs, and it is to be regretted that something cannot bo done to oqualiso the price of eggs as is done with butter; Producers gain; little by those spasmodic quotfjtigns. A Promising Seaion. So far as can bo ascertained, poultrymen have a promising season before them. Crops of wheat are reported to be very heavy in, all the wheat-growing countries of tho wprld, so that the price is likely to be oheaper this year." Cheaper wheat will mean cheaper pollard and bran. The demand for eggs and poultry is also rapidly increasing, so that prices should be satisfactory to tho producer. Other countries are, experiencnng a similar demand for poultry and eggs, and it is generally 'conceded. that 1 improved rates are being übtninod owing to the. fact that production is not keeping pace with tho'demand. • What to Do? ' - • There are three. ways out for the consumer: (1) To go without eggs when they aro at from. Is. od, to '??. por dozen; ' to pay '.the firice, whatever it ie, or (3) to keep a few fowls in the backyard. The latter method will, no doubt, receive a lotr of consideration, and many of the people who havn a fair amount gf space in their backyards will probably acquire a few pullets, Even where there is only a very limited area available, a few hens may be kept, if the shed system' is adopted. 'A shed 6ft. by 10ft. will accommodate six hens comfqrtablyi aid they will lay more eggs there than anywhere slse in, the pold weather, i- : ■ •' ■ • • . Ths Conference, Tho egg circles and assdeiatidris affiliated with the Now Zealand Poultry Association arc .now electing their delegates : to attend the conference at-Auckland. -This should prove an excellent opportunity for .establishing tho industry on a good commerclal basis.- Everything is being done to make -tho conference successful.- Ijdu- ; cation- papers will bo road while poultryi. men at tpo •. conference ore determined t tq givo'thevisitorsagood time. Wishap to Mr.- A. H. Padman. i' Wo regret that Mr. A,:H.'Padman.has met with a serious accident while driving I over a railway near Adelaide, He i ,was accompanied by. Mr. and Mrs. Leach i and thoir son. (a boy of 13}; and in the | accident tho last two were killed, The porter m -charge of the station, in his [ endeavour to prevent the crossing of the car, was knocked over, and a cyclist who | happened along, ran into the car and sustained.'minor-injuries. s]il©?sr».i;P«dj; man, Leaoh; and Porter Dwyer are'all laid up. It is inexplicable that a man of Mr. l'adman's unusually careful natyrq and habit of observation should havo' met with such an accident.

(By Chantecler.)