THE POULTRY INDUSTRY

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2013, 21 March 1914, Page 15

THE POULTRY INDUSTRY

(By Chantecler.)

State support. Last week at Ashburtou tho Governor urged farmers to givo more- attention to poultry, and quoted tho wealth Obtained by Denmark in raising eggs for tho London market. There aro few countries that devoto such assistance to poultry as tho United States. Tablo poultry is a vory popular meat diet of the people. Tho reason is not far to seek. As oloser settlement takes place in any country, the'raising 'of, sheep.and cattle must become more difficult, prices rise, and people must turn to a flesh that can. bo easily raised. Poultry moots this need. In Canada .in 1911 each Canadian used 12 dozen eggs in a year. In 1913-ho used 17, dozen. This shows tho growing demand that.is being set up.for eggs. In New Zealand each man, woman, and child consumes on. an' average 19 dozen eggs in a year, and,the-demand is increasing each year.

.. 'fen years ago • our own Government spent money lavishly. A good deal of it was misdirected,' but what now? i Tho poultry industry is a new developI ment, and, ten years ago, a few men were capable of leading it. About four years ago tho Government retrenched, and, among the industries to suffer was poultry. -It was relegated"to the background, and only one instructor was appointed for the wholo of the minion. Recently, however, a change has'been made,'and one. is glad to note that. the Agricultural. Department is awakening to the need for activity in this new and promising field. Tho industry represents at least one and a quarter million pounds Annually, but at least £76,000 is wasted annually. Good work is being done on the experimental farms, but greater work will have to be done among the farmers. It is not so much tho increased production which wo need as attention to methods of marketing. If an apple or a pear is worth marketing well, surely an egg is much more deserving. Education in.thevindustry is needed, and the present expert.can • only do a-certain '.amount. . He'needs.,assistance. Poultry, Breeding.* . - Dr. Pearl, of the Maine (U.S.A.) Experimental Station,""has come to the conclusion, "that the power of transmission of egg-laying powers is sex-limited,'' descending, through-the male bird only. It mattered not,,:in his investigations,' -whether a male'bird was mated to hens ,of high or low-laying capacity, so,long as.it: inherited'the power of transmission of that Equality.; Dr. Pearl's con- . elusions were: 'First, continued selec-: tion.of heavy laying dams does not in' any /way alter l the mean egg-production :of the daughters; secondly, tho proportion" of heavy' laying daughters is the same .whether-tho dam is of high or low degree, provided both 'are mated to the same male; thirdly, the daughters of a heavy laying dam may show .high or; •low degree, depending upon the sire; 1 fourthly, the proportion of daughters of low degree is the same whether tho dani is of low or high degree, provided both are mated to the same male. A low degree of laying quality may be inherited from sire or dam or both.'" Dr. Pearl has arrived at a conclusion with regard to fecundity which is apparently in harmony with certain Mendellian theories. Notes for the Novice. Acting made/ by the Poultry-dealers''-'Protective As- . sobiatjdh,''- the'; Department of Agricul-vturc--_at Washington (ordered an investigation of the charges that enormous quantities of .chickens 'previous to sale are.."fattened with rock and sand" in their food, mixtures, by unscrupulous dealers.- : After examining samples of the. birds sent, it. is stated that there was an average of half a pound of rock and sand in'each chicken's crop, and it would appear from statistics that. New York City alone buys everv week from 150,0001b. to' 300,0001b. of, rack and sand substances, paying the prevailing poultry market prices. According, to the-Poultry-dealers' Protective Association, "sanding chickens is just as reprehensive.'as sanding- sugar." Drinking water is often a source of great danger. Many, people think that as long as the birds'. tongues are full of water all is well. It would be almost better if the birds had none at all. Sun-heated water is bad for adult stock and fatal for young birds. Water pans must be placed in tho shade, and, if: this cannot be obtained naturally, then artificial shade must be arranged. Never add fresh water to stale. What is left from the previous watering must' bo ornptied out. It means more work, but the results will amply justify the extra labour

During a spell of dry weather, the usual watering-places are- apt to become stagnant or runout. Your fowls must have pure water, even if it costs money to got it.

See that the roosting places- are pro--. perly ventilated. Fowls need prober i rest as much as human beintjs. and they i cannot obtain it if compelled to' sleep: in stuffy, overheated houses. A coat of I whitewash over the roof costs little,) and-will help to keep tho fowls,cool. '

Do not forgot that insects .breed with astonishinn; raniditv durintt warm weather: keep the interior of the houses lime-washed, and give the fowls themselves a dusting with some insect powder occasionally.

All soft food that is not eaten should bo collected and destroyed within half an hour of being put into tho troughs. It starts te turn smir very rarjidlvin the summer, and will set un ptomaine poisoning in the birds if eaten in that state. Mp«l is also liable to deteriorate vorv rapidly in warm weather. There is no hotter "nll-ro«nd" fowl than the Orpington, whieh was first produced bv tho lnte William Cook in the little villace of Orpin(ztnn._ in Kent. The first variety was', blnck in colour. Mr. Conk's versatility evolved the Tiiiffs, and Inter on came the Diamond JnWleo, snanoiles, whites, cuckoes, and bliios. The last-named is th" yomieest of this wonderful family. The advantages of tho Orninetens are thnt they are excellent, table birds, and a cood laying strain nroduces an abuidance of cr".s, especially in winter, when most otW breeds are idle. Tim hens are splendid mothers, beir.3 careful of their chicks. There is no hotter cross for table rmrposes than the Orpington with Indian game.

The famous "Eoslyn" Writing Pads, obtainable from all Stationers and Storekeepers, at 6d. and Is. each.—Adyt.

EGG-LAYING COMPETITIONS. The returns for tho forty-ninth week of tho New.Zealand Utility Poultry Club's ninth egg-laying test for fowls aro as follow:— Total Total for to week. date. W. Mercer, Howick, Whito Leghorns 27 1445 N. Solomon,'Wcstport, W. Leghorns 19 1378 Wainoni Poultry ' Farm, Wainoni, W. Leghorns 28 1355 R. A. Lazarus, Hutt, W. Leghorns 19 1353 C. D. C. Eggers, Nelson, White Leghorns ~.::..,. 25 1343 IA, It. Browne, - Petane ' ' Beach,'W; ; Leghorns 18 1341 R. -Wylie, Hutt, White Leghorns... '...: 26 1339 Dominion P. Plant, Coromandcl, W. Leghorns 20 1333 Wm.. Scull, Christchurch, White Leghorns 14 1320 Thomas Voso. Carterton, Whito Leghorns 21 1315' T. Kennedy, Rangiora, Silver Wyandottes, 11—837; A. W: Adams, Sheffield, Silver Wyandottes, 18—1121; A. E. AVilson, Shirley, Silver Wyandottes, 1—815; W. Knight, Hutt, Silver Wyandottes, 20—923; Jas. Ashton, Hanmer, Silver Wyandottes, 11-956; Thos. Wilson, Marshlands, Silver Wyandottes, 23—1012; W. O. Sail, Cust, Silver Wyandottes, 10—1092; S. H. Scot't, Onehunga, Silver Wyandottes, 21— 1101; A, E. Wilson, Shirley, Whito Wyandottes, 8—900; T. Kennedy, Rangiora, White Wyandottes, 11—933; King and Watson (N.S.W.), Black Orpingtons, 21—992; Verrall Bros., Swannanoa, Brown Leghorns, 27 —1256; J. H. Shaw, Christchurch, Brown Leghorns, 13—1093; A. W. Irvine,' Mount Roskill, Blue Mottled Leghorns, 5— 655; H. Lcger, Weroroa, Whito Leghorns, 24—1258; Horetaunga Poultry Company, Silverstroam, White Leghorns, No.'l, 21—1312; D: Y. Gibson, | Herbert, White Leghorns, J. Cocker, Bromley, White Leghorns, [13—1289; Heretauuga Poultry Company, ' Silverstream, White Leghorns, N0..2, 15—1290; T. M'llwraith, West Melton, White Leghorns, 22—1234;. R. W. Hawke, Papanui, White Leghorns, 4—1070: 'J. Wordsworth, Goraldine, Whito Leghorns, 23—1126; A. W. Irvine, Mount Roskill, White Leghorns, No. 1, 20—1126; Middlopark Poultry Farm, Riccarton, White Leghorns, 12—1001; T. White, Napier, White'Loghorns, 12—1233; Stewart and Landsporg,; Normanby, White Leghorns, 3— 1136; J. A. Corrie, Beckcnham, 16— 1237; F. Mason, Hutt, White Leghorns, 20—1228; G. Bonnett, Spreydon, White Leghorns, 13—1154; R. Willis and Son, New Brighton, White' Leghorns, 7 — 1128; Brackenfield Poultry Farm, Riccarton, Columbian' Wyandottes, 15— 1129; H. S. Woodnorth, TOntc-n,. White Leghorns, 8—1165; Mrs. J. Mills, Dunedin, White Leghorns, 19—1273'; Thos. Fazackcrlov, Sydenham, Whito Leghorns, 9—1176'; A. W. Irvine, Mount Roskill, Whito Leghorns, No. 2, 20— 1178; Mrs. J. Green, St. Albans,-White Leghorns, 8—1264; Mrs. Ansley, Bromley, White Leghorns, 12—1027; Mawson Stewart, Christchurch, Whito Leghorns, 23—1285; W. Knight, Hutt, White Leghorns, 11—1259; R. James, Marshland!, White Leghorns, 10-1227; -J.'■'W. Green, St. Albans, 'White Leghorns, j9—1217-;■! I. . Stephenson, - -Wan'gsnui, White. ,Leghorns, 14 —1163; Mawson Stewart, Christchurch, White Leghorns, 20—1279; Verrall Bros., Swannarioa, 31-1288. ; \ ' FOR DUCKS. [New Zealand Utility Poultry Club's fourth laying test for ducks. Returns for forty-ninth week.] Total Total for , to week. date. W Knight, H'itt (No. 1) Indian Runners 10 1125 W. KniijlH, Hutt (No. 2) Indian Runners 14 1042 Heretauuga P., Co., Silverstream, Indian Run- , ners 10 926 Thos. Dcvthwaite, Avondale, Indian Runnors... 12 979 k 'W. Mover, Hawick, Indian Runners 21 .' 1005 Miss A. Donald. Dunsandel, Indian Runners ... 16 962 A. It. Browne, Petane Beach, Indian Runners 19 947