POULTRY NOTES

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 229, 15 June 1918, Page 13

POULTRY NOTES

(By "Chanticleer.")

Educational Value of Shows, ' One ol liic lira lu<6und learned from an t-shimtiun ol iioiiliry is the remarkable variation oi brcuu nun tynu ami urn wonOti'iui eniiiiges bi'oufut iiuout by Die diuliibutioii, by QUUjnug conditions and by ut'cuuing, for tnc .majuriiy ui diverte typtii to lie bm'.ii are dceuenilcd from a, couiniou. imreiit. , . vvh.la a. is trim that some of our breeds have been ovoived by direct breeding, the majority is duo to uuturiil selecaon and tue result of ' onviruiiiiieut..- What ia here meant is that in any district v.liere'tlie conditions are fairly minora), if the fowls, are bred on ordinary linos, the tendency is lowurdH thu development .of one tyjjt. Tins iuiiuunco may take many years, perhaps generations, to accomplisn its purnose, but such IB tho fact.

When modified by direct selection on tho part of breedei-9, the oflect is much mure rapid. Therefore, a poultry show combines tho work of many countries and. of multitudinous breeders. It proves, if proof were necessary, iiow nlasiiu is tho fowl, together with its capacity for modiuraiion and its adaptability. Study of the breeds displayed in aliiium, any exhibition shows that whilo there are great variations and divergences in respect to minor points of difference, such as colour of plumage, markings, amount of feathors, size and shape of ' combs, colour of legs and feet, and shiipo of body, theec are secondary to other qualities which arc not on the surfaco and the-varieties reaolvo themselves into four classes—namely, such as are primarily layers, in which the amount of flesh * aoiall; thostf that aru highly developed in muscln and which, therefore, carry a considerable Quantity of cdiblo flesh, and, as a rule, arc much heavier in body; a third class stuids between these two, combining them without special development in oitliei , direction. These lairter, in many inatanocs, arc favoured by reason of the fact that they serve a dual purpose. There is a fourth class, that of purely ornamental .breedst in whiuh the economic properties are j'frankly ignored and till efforts arj'doi voted to the external characters. As a means of displaying the skill of the breeder* unci of encouraging the recreativo eid.e of tho industry, the ornamental, l>Veedsere worthy of study. 1 Exhibition, therefore, tench the difler- ;' ences between the respective breeds and varieties, and should show the best types of each. It ia an interesting study to learn what differentiates ono breed from another. In some cases these dilTerenccs ate. sniull. For instance, take the Bull Orpisigton and the Bull Plymouth Kock, in which tho colour of the legs. practically iV determines whether a bird is of one or i the other breed. In the former this is white; in the latter, orange or yellow. The main educational value of shows, thereforo, is to teach these differences; to encourage clearness of definition and to aflord that stiimilne to the breeds and varitics which shall help forward practical production. Whether that is realised as much as it ought to Be is another ques- ' tion.

Tho Utility Show. Great progress is bein; made each year in' the increase of exhibits in the utility sections. It seems as if in a few years our shows will be largely comprised of entries from utility men. They are devoting more time to the preparation of their bivde.

A great deal of educative work remains to be done in the matter of characteristics 9f the breeds. These are but little known among most poultrymen. So much time has been taken up in acquiring knowledge on the art of. good production of eggs that little study. has been given to the requirements of the standard. It is up to poultrymen to suppott tho shows, to pen their exhibits in show form/and luecu for standard requirements. Gradually the fancier will come in, and if tho present spirit of good feeling continues there will be a happy.blending of the fancier and the utility man that will miike for the good of the industry.

• EGG-LAYING /

N.Z. UTILITY POULTRY CLUB'S ■ ■ , COMPETITION. Following is the official report of the ninth week, ending June 11, of tho four-, teenth egg-laying competition, held by the N.Z, Utility Poultry OlubiLiaUT BKISEDS. Weekly Total to total, date. BroTTh Leghorne- ■ ,' ■VciTall Bros 23 179 ' H, Hunter 17 22 ' N JZrs. T. JTorton 22 189 Leghorn*--. '■ ,W." flcwall'"■.'....;: 23 190 • C. J. Hadley 17 let E. Ooombeß 21 167 Calder Bros., No. 3 28 225 N. Stark 25 241 E. W. Joncß 25 227 Atkinson Bros 30 280 . Calder Bros '. 25 '233 J. Nancarrow, sen ' 16 159 . J. Stevens ..; 16 112 Oxford Poultry Farm 30 235 If.' Ball- 8 -67 . ' W. A. Gee and Sons, No. 2 23 74 A. 13.. Phillips 25 203 Jlrs. M. B. l'lillar 24 181 Mrs. E. A. Gorinski ' 34 245 Trig Poultry Farm 29 259 , *lti'B. C. Atkinson 18 157 ' J. Nancarrow, jun 27 • 191 W. IX West ...1.. 31 241 J. LigginH 27 '252 - P. W. Wilson 13 126 A; K, Wilson 1» 135 Daliuuir Poultry Xai'ds ... 18 127 H. W. Beck 26 230 11. W. Hawlio 29 235 Omeo Poultry 'Farm 22 112 M. V. Blackmail 30 171 H. Williams 19 Kβ .Herctaunga- I\C., No. 2 ... 20 122 S. L. Beer 30 237 A. E. I'owlcy 17 159 Mrs. J. Mills 20 145 ' Mrs. W. lioach 22 176 ' Jiangiuru Jigg Itanch 19 62 *Smart Jh-OR ■ 23 199. ■ Traccy King IS 258 ¥. A. Ourrin 19 242 Chas. H.. Izarcl 24 15? Green Bros., No. 1 ;..... 28 251 W. Bavey 23 120 L. T. Wright 10 151 • W. SU'pbcnson 17 . 221 0. Thomson 19 205 S. Dick 20 93 A. W. Adams 19. 82 ■Ins. Robcrtaou 9 13 J.-li. Bcnfell 21 2'l W. Haley 28 193 P. Mulder 14 191 I). 'GraJia-m ••••■ 21 W> licliiible Stud Poultry I'arm. No. 2 :....:• H '«7 W.'A.. Ciee and Sonß. Xo. 1 23 194 Reliable Stud Poultry Farm, . No. 1 28 . BS6 . Wai'mea- Poultry Yarde ... 15 . 183 Hci'ctamiga P. 0., No. 1 22 ■ 207 Green Bros., No. 2 •27 '?9 M.iuoi'cae— Miss Jeesie James ■■■ 12 K2. 11. Williams 2j J23 1367 11,195 ' 'Five birds. «EA?Y BEEEDSWeekly Total to total, date. Black Orpingtons— Chas. H. Izard a 205 T. E. Conway, Ko. 1 14 ||J Norton and Dove 10 . J«3 ,1.-Nancarrow, sen 18 175 W. Bloomficld 16 J™ T. K Couway 18 «« White Plymouth lloclts— W. Knight .„ ■ ' 71 - Kbodc Island Bode— Norton and Dove 15 WO K. E. Marsdcn ■■•• 10. 18 BUver WyaiicloUcs\Y. W. llcwineon 7 19 Thoß. Wilson 18 «' Thou. Dowt-lnvaito 6 W T. K. Conway 0 0 A. W. Adams 11 f Thos. Kennedy If JJ lire.. IV HoweU. U » 196 1562 I DUCK CONTEST. I Weekly Total '.a total, dute Indkiu Kunnera— Tlios. Dowthwaito 25 \f' L. A. Wadhain f J« Mrs. W. A. Gee 25 67 W. T. Green f \f \\. M. Copland ■■ f }» Herctaunga. Poultry Co. ... 35 M AV. T. Green _ 39 _^ ,0 237 1473 .HEAVY BREEDS. Single Bird Conteet. AYcckly Tola Ho totai, date. Silver Wyandotks--13. J. Boss 5 10 Thoe. Wilson 4 "I llhode Island RedsT. E. Conway 6 *\ Norton and Dove » •> Barred Plymouth llockA. K Wilson _7 J3 II 106 j LIGHT BUEBBS. Wliite Leghorns'- ,„,,,.,. Weekly total to '-.- total. (Into. Grc.cn Bros.. No. I 6 S3 Ciicen Broa,, No. S ; .. 4 n

It. W. Hawlio 1 5 H. Meadows 5 JO Tracey King ;.....■. 6 43 K. L. Beer i 55 E. E. Maisden 0 0 Thos. Wilkinson 6 45 Mre. ,1. Ifille, No. 1 0 23 S. Dick o 41 Atkinson livos., No. 1 6 62 J. Stevens 3 3 Mrs. J. Mills, No. 2 5 48 Master Em Goo 7 62 Reliable Stud P. Farm ... 6 41 11. fl r . Beck 0 4 \\ r . A. Gee and Sons 6 51 Atkinson liros.. No. 2 a 42 H. Williams .■■ 4 40 75 700