ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1764, 31 May 1913, Page 15

ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS.

"5.C.," Levin.—You hav© started with Rood foundation stock. The. breeder from whom you obtained tho birds has an excellent strain. I should mate your older hens with the younger birds, and tho older males with your earliest pullets. The relationship you mention is tho samo as wo terra line-breeding, and you are quite snfo iu retaining tho 6train in that way. I should not breed from tho pullets till September. Tlioy should lay at least thirty eggs before breeding from them. Get all tho chicks you can from your oldor stock. "j.H.S..'' Hutt.—Early-hatched pullets generally moult, but tho moult is not eerious. ""It can bo avoided by abstaining from forco foods. You brought, tho birds ill to'lay too soon. Five months is too young. Feed good, wholesome foods, but not too much, animal food. Let the birds havo free range, and they will tighten in feather. Early laying, or, rather, laying from immature birds, tends to ft quick moult. Tho price'advertised in these columns is a fair one, and you should not expect the birds for "kE.," Wellington.— Tour suggestion that the Government should take ,ovcr ; tho egg-laying competition and close down Burnham is a good one. I do not think it would bo wise to havo two competitions in New Zealand, though it would mean an advantage to have tho tests official. The site is • admirably suited for further experimental work. . There are many experiments that need attention. _ \ Flourishing Industry. ; . There aro signs that the poultry industry is to win its way to tho front in Now Zealand. Tho prospects are brighter than ever they havo been. With all our advancement eggs are dearer for a longer period this year than they have been for several years. Evidently tho demand is jfreater. than the.supply.' . Tho introduc-

tion of the Pure Foods Bill trill add a (Trent stimulus to the industry, as it will moan a demand for thousands of extra eggs in summer. Provision is also'being made to help on tho export trade, so that eggs will bo of greater valuo next year than this. The hatching season is drawins: near, and wiso poultry men will inciibato all- tho chicks they can safely raise for next season's demands. the Pure Foods Act. iln April next the amended Pure Foods Act will como into force, and' will menu much to poultrymen. The use of dried whites and yolks of eggs in pastry ijill bo illegal. These powders aro. imported each year to the valuo of many hundreds of pounds.. Custard and bakififf poivders aro to bear on their label. l ) that though resembling eggs, the powders do not contain any of the nutritious elements of eggs. There arc signs that tho confectioners and importing agents are trying to got the Bill further amended. They that eggs will bo scarcer and (fearer than over, and that poultrymen will be unable to supply the demand. This is a faulty argument. What poultrymen and farmers have been waiting fj>r is an outlet for summer eggs. In the extra demand for eggs to preserve, and the fulfilment of export orders, there is sime inducement for them increase tleir flocks. These flocks will b9 available for eggs during winter, which will mean choaper fresh eggs in winter. The public will appreciate this, and should back tho poultrymen up in their efforts to, enforce tho law. Utility Club's Dinner. it the New Zealand Utility Poultry Clkb's dinner in Christchurch tho other daj, Mr. B. J. Boss, in proposing tho toast of "The New Zealand Utility Poultry Club," said that tho competitions which hnd been held lmd been very useful.) They had shown that by careful selection and breeding, the average production per bird could be raised from

130 to 200, while, at tho samo time, tho cost of tho birds had not increased materially. By this means the value of Ijoultry had been increasingly demonstrated, and the existence of tho club amply justified. Another valuable lesson was that to bo learnt from the weight of tho eggs produced. Some times a pen much below the highest in number of eggs produced, yet exceeded its product in weight of egg. That suggested a line to follow in futnro development. The progress of the club was due, in a considcrablo degree, to the enthusiasm of thoso at tho head of affairs, and on that point, it could be congratulated. Beyond doubt, tho club had been ,a useful educational institution, and would continue to be so in the future. It had taken up, already, the' question of the export of eggs, nnd would, doubtless, take lip other questions as time arose. History of the Club. ; Mr. G. Willis.' in replying to the toast, sketched the rise of the club from its inception. The first competition had started with thirty-eight pens. Tho birds in it wero bred chiefly for appearance, and not for utility, but upon tliein had been built up the flocks of the present day,' which, in one case, gave a production of two hundred eggs per bird, in a flock of about threo hundred .and fifty birds. The first competition had yielded 132 eggs per bird. A main object of the club was to foster an industry which would be of benefit to the country as a.whole. The competitions had practically throughout beon solf-snpporting'. The public, at the start, subscribed something like i£2oo,'and with it operations were comenced. About .MOOO, altogether, had been spent in connection with tho competitions, but it was found that the receipts grow with the expenditure. Tho Government had, on several occasions, given assistance. (Applause.) This showed that the industry appealed to them, and promised well for the future, should need arise. They were striving as a club to assist the industry'. The export trade was a big .possibility, as the Department of Agriculture had shown that_ such a trade could be successfully carried on.: In view of this demonstration, it might be expected that the flockowners would double nnd treble their possessions, and tako advantage of this opportunity. Mr. I!. Haw Ire expressed the gratification of tho club having attained the premier place amongst the poultry clubs of the world, from the point of view of record egg-production. Mr. J. MerTett dwelt upon the future of tho club. It had already established a. record in the Donltry world in attaining the sixteen hundred-mark for one pen' for a year, and in the future desired to achieve higher goals. The speaker referred to the Pure Food regulations as bearing upon egg-powders for enstards. There was no danger, tho speaker averred, of such regulations increasing the price of egas. ' This encouragement would materially increase tho number of eggproducers. and fully meet tho increased demand that would arise.

"Parliament" was the toast proposed by the Mayor. It was coupled witli the panics of Messrs. G. G. Witty, and G. W. Russell, M.P.'s, each of whom responded.

Other (oasts proposed were:—"Kindred Poultry Associations and Clubs," bv Mr. A. Smith, and resnonded to by Moser?. L. .T. Ross and G. E. Jeffreys; and "Tho Lndies," by Mr. W. H. Babcock. Dnring the evening several musical and elocutionary items were given.