GISBORNE POULTRY FANCIERS' CLUB.

Gisborne Times, Volume VI, Issue 175, 5 August 1901, Page 3

GISBORNE POULTRY FANCIERS' CLUB.

The Poultry Show concluded on Saturday night, when one of the main features was a lecture by tho Government poultry expert, Mr D. D. Hyde. The chair was taken by the Mayor (Mr Townley), who referred to the splendid work that was done by the Government department, and cordially welcomed Mr Hyde. Referring to the exhibition. Mr Townloy pointed out that it was largely a town affair, and he hoped that tho lecture would help to get the country people to take more interest in tho rearing of poultry.

Mr liydo was received with warm applause, the birds heartily joining in the chorus. He humorously referred to the awkward conditions under which ho had to speak, with the rude interruptions from the chanticleers, and said that only his lo\ o for the feathers brought him there that night. He alluded to the progress that had been made by the department; from very small beginnings, and begun under unpopular conditions, it had extended to a big thing. Two years ago the first birds had been sent to the London market; to-day the demand considerably exceeded the supply, although last year over 3000 head of poultry had been sent, now nearly as many' per month had been sent, and a good 'market had also been opened in South Africa. For London the birds must not be over five months old, but sonic very old birds sent to South Africa had realised os to 6s per couple. Within a few years they would bo sending thousands of pounds worth of poultry to South Africa. A great deal had been said lately about the dairy industry, but the poultry industry should go hand in hand with it, also with fruit and bee culture. At the Palmerston North Conference he had addressed the dairy experts on the subject. An error had got into the report ; he thought it so palpable that he had not corrected it, but ho now found that the orror had beon copied into other papers. What he had said was that the net profit per head per year should be ss, not 255. If they did not get from 100 to 130 eggs per year there must be something wrong with the management or with the poultry. People were beginning to waken up to the fact that there was money in the poultry business. He pointed out how people had scouted the efforts to develop the industry, and the groat change that had been effected. A purchaser from England on his first trip had great difficulty in purchasing .£2OOO worth of butter”and cheese. Last year, one buyer’s business had increased to .£320,000, and another buyer in tho colony exceeded that amount. Ho believed that the poultry industry would go ahead with similar strides, and he claimed that, though there would not bo a fortune in it, it wo°ild be quite as profitable. It was not a lazy man’s work; whoover had charge must be up early in the morning, and must give close attention to the details. In regard to the oxport trade, lie pointed out that the Government would pay freight from hero to Wellington or Auckland, kill, pluck, and, if necessary, keep the birds in a freezing chamber for a month, at fourpence per head for fowls and eightpeuee for ducks —provided that the birds were suitable; if they sent “ scrags,” they would have to pay. Fowls must weigh ollbs, and ducks must weigh, 41b. The rate was more liberal than that allowed in Australia, which was sending away so much poultry. Referring to the keep of fowls, he said they must be properly housed, given proper accommodation'free from draughts, and kept strictly clean. They should pity and not argue with people who said that fowls did better among trees; such exposure was bound to

check egg production, The perches should not be on the style so often adopted. The perches should not be more than 18 inches from the ground ; 6 inches would bo high enough for heavy birds ; the perch should be a sapling o inches by 2 inches in size, to fit in with a slot, so that it could be taken out to be cleaned ;

it should occasionally be dipped in kerosene, and vermin stamped out, as it had a very bad effect on the fowls. The drinking water for the fowls should always be kept in a shady place ; a human being would, not care to have the water for drinking left in the sun, and it was no more palatable to fowls. Grit should always be provided ; it was to the poultry as teeth were to human beings, and if they experimented they would find that fowls provided with grit would

give twice as many eggs as those not so provided. Lime also should bo freely used. It was for the want of lime that hens got into the bad habit of eating eggs ; they laid soft eggs, and from that got into the habit of breaking the hard shells. Green food should also be provided; fowls liked a variety of food the same as human beings did, and should not be kept on wheat day after day without variety. Unless people were prepared to give close attention to matters of detail they should give up keeping poultry. The lecturer then went on to allude to the different breeds of poultry that should be kept. Ho said they should never sell eggs for less than a shilling a dozen; in the Department’s pamphlet they would find two effective methods of preserving eggs, and could thus always keep them while the price was below a shilling. He related an instance of a merchant who had bought 12,000 eggs at not more than sixpence a dozen; ho used all he required in his business and then sold the rest for Is 6i per dozen. In dealing with the different breeds of fowls Sir Hyde made use of fine illustrated plates. The remarks as to the different breeds are thus pointedly given in the leaiiet

Andalusians : Splendid layers of goodsized white-shelled eggs, and non-sitters. If killed when about four months old fairly good for table. The flesh is white. They do best with a large range, and are moderately hardy. Leghorn : Splendid layers of a mediumsized white-shelled egg, and deservedly popular. They are hardy, and can bo kept, if necessary, in a small space. Both the brown and the white breeds are in stock.

Houdans : A first-class all-round fowl. Splendid table birds. Good layers of largo white-shelled eggs, Thrive well oven in a small space. Their only drawback is having a crest, thereby becoming an easy prey to hawks. Orpingtons: Becoming very popular, owing to their good qualities, both for table purposes and as layers. This is one of the latest “ manufactured ” breeds. The single-combed blacks are more favored than the buff's, owing, no doubt, to the difficulty of producing the latter anything like up to the standard color. Lay browntinted eggs, are good setters and mothers. Both the buff and the black breeds are kept. Minoreas : Generally conceded to be the best egg-producers ; lay large whiteshelled eggs ; are hardy, and small feeders. If killed when about four months old, fair table birds. Dorkings : Only moderately good layers, but as table-fowls they are general favorites. Lay large white-shelled eggs. This breed should not be kept excepting where the soil is dry. Both the dark and silver varieties are kept. Plymouth llocks : A good all-round breed, one of the hardiest procurable. They lay largo brown-tinted eggs of rich quality, make splendid sitters and mothers, and are capital table-fowls. Wyandottes : An excellent general purpose fowl, and their splendid qualities are fast bringing them to the front. They are a meaty table-bird, with the flesh in the right place.. Lay brown-tinted eggs, and do well even in a confined space. Both the golden and silver varieties are in stock.

Indian Game: Good table fowls, arid, if’crossed with the Dorking, produce an ideal eating bird. Are very poor layers. Langshans: A very popular breed, and have many good qualities to recommend them. Lay largo brown-shelled eggs, which are most in favor in the London markets. As table-birds, they are hard to boat; their flesh is beautifully white and juicy. Very hardy, and good winter layers. Aylesbury ducks: Are the most sought after in the London markets. Borne prime birds exported to England from Melbourne last season realised as high as 8s each. Tiie advantage of raising ducks is that they can be marketed when from ton to twelve weeks old,

Pekin ducks : Good layers and table birds. In America, they are reared ii thousands.

The suggestion which he had made when ho was in Gisborne before, that poultry should bo sold by weight, was now being adopted, and lio would liko to see this same system in regard to eggs. The poulterers in Wellington were charging ninepence per pound for poultry, tie strongly urged that the eggs should always be sent to market in a clean state. Dealing with eggs put in an incubator or sot under a hen, he gave two ways of testing them. In regard to fowls, he said that ■ after the second season of laying they became unprofitable. There should be no sentiment about poultry-rearing ; it must be made a business if they wanted it to succeed, and unprofitable fowls should at once be dispensed with. In reply to Mr Schmidt, Mr Hyde said that 100 fowls could bo kept on an acre of ground without over-crowding. They had proved at Momohaki that fowls could bo kept for 2s a year each, but adjacent to town, where root crops could not well bo

produced, it would cost about double. Mr Schmidt wanted to know how profit could bo made by paying the rent the Government charged for land. Mr Hyde said that £25 a year could be made out of'a hundred fowls. Mr Schmidt did not think it could be done in Poverty Bay. Mr Hyde said it could bo done if it was gone into into a businesslike manner. Mr Schmidt said it might bo all verv well where there was an outlet.

Mr Hyde said that he had pointed out :he prices for which the Government

would handle the poultry. After replying to further questions, the Mayor moved a vote of thanks to Mr Hyde, to whom he paid a high compliment. Mr Schmidt seconded the fnotion, and it was supported by Mr DeLautour, who said that Mr Hyde had made them all converts,

The following was the result of the art union drawing:—No. 1, 8 ; 2, 595; 8, 285 ; 4, 541 ; 5, 469 ; 6, 567 ; 7, 395 ; 8, 18 ; 9, 315 ; 10, 654 ; 11, 778 ; 12, 189 ; 13, 673 ; 14, 719 ; 15, 760 ; 16, 358 ; 17, 235 ; 18, 624 ; 19, 158 ; 20- 88.