THE POULTRY INDUSTRY

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2169, 6 June 1914, Page 15

THE POULTRY INDUSTRY

B y Chantecler.) isfi'l,'"*^'^

Poultry Culture as a School Subject. "Terra,-" a well-known writer, has given somo publicity to the subject of poultry as a school subject, in the •'Otago AVitness." The article is full of important suggestions, and is as follows:— "Mr. Edward Brown, P.L.S., who is the leading authority in respect to statistical .information regarding the poultry industry in Great -Britain, is of opinion that, to enable England to retain any considerable portion of the millions of pounds sterling which annually goes to foreigners for eggs and poultry supplied, it is necessary that the education authorities should' interest themselves in the- matter. Whilst England's concern is , to bo as'self-support-ing as possible, it is; of course, the wish of all outside nations to secure, each for itself, as much as possible of the Mother Country's money; and, judging by the efforts of our Government Agricultural Department to foster the- poultry industry in Noii Zealand, it is evidently its wish also to divert a proportion at least of England's egg money to these shores. Such being the case, it is a question well worth considering whether Mr. Brown's suggestion could not as appropriately bo tendered to tho educational authorities here as to those at Home. And it certainly is worth while, for tho export of poultry and eggs should, judging by tho experience of other countries, equal, if not exceed, in a few years our present export ot mutton. The Field for tho Small Man. The millions of eggs and poultry sent annually from all parts of Europe to Great Britain, and all, too, that is consumed in every land, aro produced not >y the holders of large plants—indeed, tho produco of such compared to tho total output is but a drop added to an ocean—but that produced by small holders of from a scoro or so birds. It is questionable, indeed, whether tho majority of large poultry plants, over even pay their way. much less show a profit. On the other hand, thero is no question at all but that fowls kept in small numbers are invariably remunerative —i.e., if kept with reaeonablo care. The explanation lies in the fact that, whilst food which costs nothing '(such as table scraps and other household leavings) ■bulk considerably in the feed of small flocks, and labour, rent, interest, insurance, etc., find no place in the accounts ■kept, tho large holder has to pay for everything—tho high price of grain alone ; in some seasons making a.profit by the egg return impossible. If the education could bo persuaded to make 'poultry-keeping a matier of school education they would in all probability lind tho Government Agricultural Department more- than willing to assist by supplying birds _ from tho Government farms,,also literature, plane, and diagrams, which they have in plenty, for ill would bo.recognised that no taore di'root or better method could bo suggested whereby to awaken public interest in 'the industry. Children 'could be taught many things which it is highly desirablo they should loarn in caring for poultry. They would learn something of physiology, and of tho digestive processes; of ood values; of sanitation, including cleanliness and ventilation; of bookkeeping . (for a proper account would, of course, be kept to show the profit or loss); commercial values; tho necessity of; .methodical and regular, habits, withthe ..birds', (aotrljlt 'nbi;< IprokjkT; they"woifld got" practical dt-imoilstriitioh of tho advantages of proper mating; learn nhaf conduces to health and .to strong fertility; and thus, in a perfect'ly natural manner, become aware of certnin important truths which otherwise aro so difficult to teach, them; and at the samo time they would be led to draw tb? obvious (even to them) conclusion that in many ways what applies to .birds is also apphcablo to liUnian life.

; What Better Lesson In. Biology. ; Then what better lesson in biology ■can be conceived than that which tho study of an egg provides? Not only can tho progress of the gorni in the fertilised eSK .(in tho short period of 21 days) be (Inscribed, and even iwctiotl, till the chicken emerges; but ctteiltou can be drawn to tho wonderful ffct -hat it is owing to the application of heat alone that the quadrillions of molocn.os arranged within the yolk and the 'vl no —composed as they are of atomic elements which latter may be cmimorated—proceed to arrango themsol7ds (o for.i; the different tissues, organs, !)"uk, heart, eyes, and feathers of a bird. If tho .child's mind is not impressed by sutiii a lesson of a wonderful design Mid of a Designer; the teacher's miii'l most assuredly will be; and as a result ho will bo led to treat, his subject soriously and reverently. He will bo led to take a delight in teaching, (under, that tho self-same atomic elements which constitute tho germ of an oi;g and Us yolk and white food supply aiso constitute tho Rcrm of wheat and us food, suvply, and that the same is .true of an aenrn or any organic creature; further,,, that those self-same elements, simply because thoy are present in rhffercnt proportions and differently associated, will, v.iien subjected to the prrpor -ii!idiiiens, progress, and develop to the formation each of its own perfected kir.c*—i.e., become an ear of ci-ni, ,i tr'.f. or an animal or human boi ig, p.ml ultimately, perhaps, become Hour, wood, or fleth.

Children's Llhing for Birds. Children have a natural liking for birili and animals, and arc O"cr prone to make pets of thorn. 'I hey iy. ; II go to no end of trouble to gather thistles for rabbits and ground shell for their cafce-birds, so it should bo an easy matter to turn their, attention to poultry. The boy or girl who learns of poultry-keeping at school will unfailir.crly. try to induce his or her pa-entri )o keer_ a pen of birds at home, with the r.vsii't that thousands 'of thioiijihout tho Dominion who do not do sn now will become poiiltry.iO!.>]v: , s, anil do so on proper lines. In this w.'iv, to tho extent, at lenst. of ol'us nil ] poul'.ry. the country will be. rmro self,svpuntiitp than it is ;>t pe-sent, and it vill m duo course, be. oossib!o to more than (Jioam of a surplus for ixnovt Difficulties. ficro arc difficulties, or ei"ir:.e, lo bo found 'w introduciiif; poiilt;-,- -".i|i;i;e us a nijhool subject—every progressive proposition has to face difficulties, real ot if .-miliary. In some- -.1 rat M'.y bo difficult to persuade a teacher to iiiJorest himself in the subject; in others I will bo the school committees which will raise objections; but, though not I in nil, in many cases the difficulties raised may bo overcome by merely showing that the poultry culture would be remunerative, and consequently a moans of .'iiiKnmnUiiK tho limited funds available for school improvements, etc. The most serious objection to lm met, litiwflver, will inevitably he Hint the syllaoii' " f Instruction is already (.vi'i'onilcd. and this, nt town .schools, may lio found to be iiisnnmimilabk , . If such turns out in be so, the necessities of the case rniijfl be met by the establishment in larßp pcntiircs of n pl.ice wlioro the pupils in Ihc hiiiher standards could bf taken at le;ist for one hour weekly for iiistrnclinn, jinr] Ihe expenses h P met by the department making the. same nipilntion grant, as it. does in respect to Kiirdeii tuition. In country rrlioolr.. linwover, Ihr sulijoct should certainly take preference over some utber subject on the syllabus. "Hut. nil said and done, the advantages to tho Dominion itself, to the par-

ents, and to flip clm'nn «ould i(<.nii* lrom a moie lio\' *11, l 0! li e stock i'armiii b f i n \ de<-<rj)tuii tiu-p same principt«s mutrrlt? ill) iu so sreat and so pmn* tint the iiitiioii ties should %\e, us l 11s tk it 0)1 to any suggested mm of inuil itmj