Taking our Chance in America.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1836, 23 August 1913, Page 15

Taking our Chance in America.

Competitors havo responded to tlho request for pons of birds to send to the Missouri egg-laying-competition. Wo aro not "wanting in grit and "go" aftor all. It takes something for a little country like ours to produce half a dozen men who will volunteer to send teams to America to let thein see that we are not "all talk" about our layers, but can act too. Wo do not wan to build up a faUo liope that we can win the test. We have our chances, but our competitors are handicapped in their venture. TJioy aro unable to send this season's liatohing, unless ohicks were hatched very early, and so they must fall back on second-year hens. The birds will havo completed a winter here, and will enter the American winter at the start of the competition, on December 1. However, we know from the class of stock which, wo are sending that they will do us credit. The Amerioans generous sports and will allow full credit for tho handicaps which our birds will suffer. Our competitors are:—J. W. kreen, Christch/urch; H. Leger, Levin; A. it. Mumby, Wellington; K. 0. Jnrrett, Masterton; and H. Mosefield, Auckland, An Instructive Club. Among' tho many clubs formed for poultrymen it is certain that there is not ono that does a more educative work tnan the New Zealand Utility Poultry Club. In addition to running the competition, it holds fortnightly meetings which are eduoative. The questions of disease, reeding, housing, and care of layers aro discussed. For the benefit of its younger members it has started judging classes. A certain variety is taken .each week, and the members discuss the various points according to the standard, and then one or the older members takes up the matter and treats the subject from experience. Mr. J. H. Shaw has been very useful in thds work. Egg circles and clubs in otner centres oould easily take up this work. A Double Competition. Owing to the increased interest in heavy breeds, the New Zealand Utility Poultry Club las decided that next year two competitions will be run, one for heavy breeds and one for the light varieties, ino arrangements for tho running of the tests will be announced shortly. A committee has been eleoted to draw up rules and regulations, and as they aro all men 01 experience we njay expect that the competitiona will be fair to breeders of both heavy and light breeds. The change mil fill a long-felt want, as many havo come to recognise the winning honours as a, foregone conclusion for tho White l»eghorns. At a meeting of the committee it has since been decided to allot 36 pens to the light breeds and 21 pens to the tablo breeds, , Use of Charcoal. A leading breeder remarked tho other, day that during' tho past oouple of years he had had better suocess than ever before in rearing his chickens, and. the lattor had been almost freo from intestinal troubles. "This I attribute," ho said, "to alwayshaving charcoal before them, and to

ing the drinking wateT olaret-coloured with permanganate of potash. Perhaps he was not giving due credit to carol ui attention in other respects, but these two precautions would certainly conduce to good rearing results. The Deputation to the Premier. ■As reported in another column last week, tho New Zealand Poultry Association has done good work in bringing several matters before the Prime Minister. The result is gratifying, and Mr. Bull, the.president, and the other members ot the deputation deserve thanks for tho excellent manner in which they presented the requests. If we can succeed m getting the railway freights reduced, it will mean a great saving to poultrymon; every year., If tho Pure FoodsJand Drugs.'Act-:13 enforced, if will "mean'an enormous extra consumption of eggs each yeax. The Laying Tests. While one has great sympathy with northern popltrymeoi in their request tor another egg-laying competition at Rna* kura, one cannot give the project support unless some guarantee is given that the contest will be supported. For several years the New Zealand Utility Poultry Club has worked hard to keep the New Zealand test going. On several occasions it has found it hard enough to fill all the pens, and the fea.r is that another test may mean the ruin cf both. The club has done a lot of solid work, and has gained experience that is of great value. It is in a better position to know the requirements of a competition and to make suitable provisions for carrying them out. The suggestion that the Government tako over the test would perhaps satisfy many, But unless the club's services were retained and the members allowed to conr duct the test,, one feels sure that it would mean a heavy' loss to the industry. It is largely through the personal influence ot

the members and officers that tue test is so important to-day, and ; even though the Government take it over the writer is suro it would have difficulty in maintaining interest. ' .' .Our Questioned Records. One great advantage would bo for the Government to supervise the test so that the coveted phrase, "under Government control," might be added. It appears that in Australia our figures are. not accepted. Mr. Nixon's great achievement is not recognised. The Australian' press if, they do not question the record, rarely mention it. We certainly did not show tho same spirit when we gave Australians an o|>enin" in tho Vancouver test and enabled them to capture the first prize. There is not t)he slightest hesitation in saying that our records are just as reliable as tncvir own. We have just as much confidence m our caretaker as they have, and, after all, tho caretaker is the man who must be trusted. The club itself would not ho paxty in. any "wny to "faked returns, it would have nothing to gam and everything to lose. In fairness to New Zealand, Australians should accept our records. We unhesitatingily accepted theirs of 1589, and we fail to realise wOiy they should not accept our 1632. It is significant that many of tho leading breeders in Australia, South Africa, and America estimate our Btook at their true value by sending orders to our leading men for stock. Several pons of birds are leaying the Dominion. This surely is evidence of tnoir value, 1 To Correspondents. "Ohantecler" has received several publications for review and letters from correspondents asking - for information. l(e----viows *ind answers to questions wilt appear in next Saturday's Dominion.