POULTRY INDUSTRY

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2776, 20 May 1916, Page 15

POULTRY INDUSTRY

(By Chantecler.) POULTRYMEN'S FIELD DAY Dr., J. Hcnry-Crawshaw, the newlyelected president of the Canterbury Egg Circle,: entertained 120 of the members at ICoiapoi last Saturday. Tho Government ..poultry experts, Messrs. Brown and Cussen, were present, and delivered addresses and answered scores of questions. After the inspection of the birds and the plant the addresses were given 011 the lawn, and afternoon tea. dispensed by lire. Crawshaw and her lady l'riends. A hearty 'vote of thanks and cheers were given Dr. 'Crawshaw, who expressed the hope'that many field days would bo held throughout Canterbury, as they were an excellent moans of educating farmers and others on poultry matters. .. Tho field day was a great success, and will do much to increase the influence of. the circle. Strong Position of Eggs. It would appear as if the old summer prices of 9d. and lOd. a dozen for. .eggs were a thing of the past. True, there will always be a class of eggs to be obtained at that price, but by the time 'breakages, rots, and undesirables are_ rejected, they are: dear buying. What should be tho summer price? It is a fairly hard proposition to determine. Producers three years ago were pleased with ls.j last, year Is? Id.' What should it bo to enable them to equitably adjust the winter ■ price ?. In. Sydney last year the price for -.first. grades did not go below Is 3d. It is questionable whether we can look for such a splendid summer- price as this. : It - would' add thousands of pounds to the, pockets of producers even at one penny rise, as it is through - the summer the quantity is produced. Their is only one' way to harden "up tho summer price and keep clown the winter "price, und that- is'-by .centralisation of supplies. The urgency' for' this is apparent right through the Dominion, and it is safe to say that those who do not support centralisation will have little to do in the government'of the industry. ■ , Room for Production. A few years ago South' Africa: used to imjwrt 6070,000 .worth of eggs annually Now, the Union has turned tho tables, and has begun an export trade to • London. How tins has been, done makes interesting reading. The rapid development in the industry is entirely due to the support given by the Government. In New Zealand we have ample scope Tor Increased production. Look at the high winter prices to be obtained. What a field there is for expansion! I canio across a working man the other day who keeps 100 birds, and is averaging .£1 a week clear from them. The time to look after {hem does not,, exceed one hour, daily. ' We 1 end of hard times, increased cost'of''living, but M a week extra Income, fronv imcli' a small .outlay of: labour is "a big help. . Most men work one-third of the : day.'sleep one-third, and Waste one-third. They talk about not getting on.'i. -When they see another man pushing in and working twelvelours a day, they want to divide up. No, man in tho suburbs need pull a long faco about hard -times. He has a clear £1 per week waiting to be pioked up by a

little extra exertion, in what, after all, Is merely a hobby. One-sided Development, 'l'ho annual report of the Tasmanlan Department of Agriculture laments tho tendency to specialise in egg production aild neglect the breeding of table birds, •the director's personal experience has. been that it is luird to get a good table bird in Tasmania. Many parts of New Zealand are afflicted with the same trouble. The only place where table, poultry are kept with any pretence to quality is in Canterbury. 'Now that we have throe 'poultry instructors, we trust the Department will do something to remedy matters along this line. The Returned Soldiers. What can poultrymen do to hfelp 10 turned soldieriiP Quito a number of them are interested in poultry. As a side line for them nothing could tie bet-' ter. They could bo encouraged by in-' T '"' l s w view the csg-laying test at Paj.inui and some of tlio up-to-date round town.- It is a. jiity moro of them did not take advantage of the " e 'd day at Kaiapoi. They could also receive instruction on poultry plunts, attend lectures and classes, and in this way have knowledge that would 'supplement their income in anything they toko' up in the future. • How It Is Done. Since wo announced a week or so ago that nearly half a flock of 1)00 pullets Were laying eggs daily at 2a. 3d. a dozen, we have been asked by,several where and how it i£ done. Anyone can see these birds by. calling in at the Poultrj Institute, Gordon Avenue, St. Alban's, Christ.churcli. They are. now a picture, and 110 one should iriiss seeing them, especially as it costs nothing to do so.' They are a busy orowd of birds, and keep up a song that-gladden the heart of the, poultrymen. They aro kept under cover, in plenty 0 f litter, and'in a house 100 feet long by 16 feet wide. _ Dry mash is always bet'oro them. Wet mash is fed three times weekly, in the mornings; scratch, and green feed at midday; wheat and maize mixed for the evening meal. Last week the takings from these birds amounted to .£8 2s. The feed cost £1 17s. 9d. It won't take long to pay for their chicken days at this rate. If you go and see these birds produco winter eggs yon will como back a determined man. Solid Co-operation. < '' Due'of the best speeches on this sub. ject was delivered at tho dinner of tho late conference by Mr. W. Bierre, Palmerston North; As seoretary of the circle in that district he is closely in touch with matters of co-operation. He believes in loyalty of support, and has no time for the half-hearted and patronising class of producers. Members of his circle, have to sign a legal document to sell all eggs through the circle for twelve monlSs. It) his speech at the dinner ho said the chief obstacle to concentration is not the small producer, but tho larger ones. . Thoy will persist in serving old customers lo save commission. They ask, "Why should I give away commission on 8000 'dozen eggs when I can sell thein myself ?". If combination were to fall to the ground such a man would lose more-than double tho commission he is asked to pay by a falling off in price. ■ Co-operation raises the price, but the laggard saysi "Tou .do the work, and I'll get the profit. Concentration of supplies is essential to govern prices, and .the man w!ro holds out is selfish, and is a drag to tho industry. Thero are some producers here who aro not in with us. I appeal to them to assist us-in our work." Good Orders, Tho Canterbury Egg Circle still coiltinues to, do godu' work. The committeo passed a rule recently, not to raise tho price of eggs above 2s. 3d. The circle agent has more orders than lie can -fill. Last week 800 dozen -eggs were' wanted for shipping within two days, aiid it saya much lor the circle that at this time of year the order was filled. Such, fulfilment could only bo achieved by loyal members on whose supplies the agent can depend.

N,Z. UTILITY POULTRY CLUB'S NEW.' COMPETITIONS. The official results of tho-fifth week of the Now Zealand Utility Poultry Club's twelfth egg-laying competition for fowls for tlio week ended Tuesday. May 16, are as follow:— LIGHT BREEDS. .

01 SO3 »'OR DUCKS. The New Zealand Utility Poultry Club's seventh egg-laying test for ducks. Btturns for tho fifth week arc as follow:— Total Total 1 \ for to „ r , week date. W\ Knight, 1.8 10 i 2 HcrcUiunga Poultry Co., I.R! ... 31 124 H. W. Bower, I.R 34 122 Totals 75 178

Wellington residents are partial in their homos to a shapely palm or aspidistra, or a profusely blooming erica. A choice of theso and of ornamental shrubs are in evidence to those passing, and, better still, to those stepping insido, at 11. C. Gibbons and Co., Ltd.,' Lambton Quay. Specimen fruit trees and novelties from tho nursery are on exhibition, now varies ties coming almost daily. The Iron cross or the German army is not a casting, but is struck with steel flies in heavy coining presses.. After being stamped out the crosses aro taken to tho silversmith's where tlio soldering is done, a fine silver border added, anil the finishing completed, '

XjIUUT UKKtiiJS. Total Total: for to * week, date., Yerral Bros., Bi !.. 24 121 Braokenilold Farm, ... 23 77 W. Davey, W.L ; -26" . 64 J. B. Merrett,' W.L. ... 26 " 11? B. 6. Shearman 1 , W.L - 21 76 Heretaunga Poultry Co., W.L.... 8 13 H. Ball, W.L j...i 36 100 M. A. Cnxxin, W.L 21 ' 53 Dalmuir Poultry Yards, W.L. ... 21 136 Mrs H. Graham. W.L 22' 55. J. WordBworth. W.L 13 25 H. E. Boss,;: W.L. 20 63 B. H. James, VI'.hi 17 33 0. J. Norton, W.L. 22 . 94Alfred . Eaton, W.L 21 109 M. H. Walker, W.L 21 63 Green Bros. (No. 2), Wi 15. 103 \H. Leger, W.L 10 32 J. Nniirarrow, W.L 19 91 Oalder Bros., W.L 28 . 117 E. Pounsford, W.L 19 72 A. W. Adams, W.L. . :.. k ......... 24 78 A. K.' Phillips, W.L. ; 26 111 T. Kennedy, W.L 11 • .34 V.. J. HU1, W.L .'. 29. 80 B. P. L. Clayson, W.L 24 101 T. E. Conway, W.L ;..... 26 48 Heretaunga Poultry Coy. (Iso. 1). W.L : 26 ,88 Banfjiuru Egg ltanch, W.L 31 101' S. Dick, W.L 16 67 G. Gee, W.L. ; 19 104 H. 0. Yates, W L 22' 92 E„ P. Amyos, W.L. 27 137 A. E. Wilson, .W.L ; ' 21 ' '98 Mrs. J. Mills," W.L 21 '98 A. G. Brailey, W.L. 9 56 Green Bros. (No. 1), W.L...., 25 89 Atkinson Bros.. W.L : 2B 71 A. A. Hoare, W.L ; 21 4[ Ii. T. Wright, W L 13 28 To Anau Utility Stud, "W.L 14 79 T. M'llwraith, W.L. ..." ' 1 i 11. A. Lazarus, W.L. ... 28 82 H. W. Bower, W.L. 21 • 71 H: S. Woodnorth, W.L 20 72 Hokowhitu Poultry Co., W;L 16 110 Colder Bros., W.L '. 28 91 J. B. Jlorrott (No. 1), W.L 22 75 Jack Green. W.C. , 27 122 Totals 1023 . 3831 THIED HEAVY BEI3ED TEST. ! Total Total for to >1, week. date. T. Kennedy, W.W. _ Green Bfos., W.W. il , 32 'W. Knight, W.l'.It 12 28 A. S. Cooper, E.I.K 12 , £9 Miss E. Willis, B.0 27 90 C. J. Norton, B.O 2 2 T. . E. Oonway, B.O. 24 84 J. Nancarroiv, B.O ; 21 109 AIlss , J. James, B.O. 30 131 T. Dowthwaite, S.Vr 6 25 A W. Adams, S.W 5 5 Totals ■ ,152 565 1 FIBST SINGLE PEN TEST. Total Total for to , „ „ week. date. A S. Cooper, E.I.E 11 35 It. H. Jainen, WJi ' { '27 T. L. Wright, W.L 3 .. '7 Kanpiuru Egg Ranch, W.L 4 17 Green Bros., W.L 5 22 Oalder Bros,, W.L 4 ' 07 W. Davey, W.L. 6 17 J. B. Mcrrctt, W.L 4 in A. E. Wilson, W.L." 5 ' 22 Mrs. J. Mills, W.L 6 28 Atkinson Bros., W.L. 5 is ?' ?,r L j Gla } -s o n . W.L 5 25 J. Wordsworth, W.L. — 2 Totals, 67