THE POULTRY INDUSTRY.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2124, 5 July 1907, Page 1

THE POULTRY INDUSTRY.

A RECORD OE Pi!OCRJiSS. INTER VIEW WITH THE EXPERT “The poultry industry edly growing very rapidly,” remarked the Chief Poultry Expert (Mr. I). I) Hyde) to an Evening Post reporter. He pointed to the fact that at the last census the number of poultry was retained as 3,191 .GOf, but as at the time the figures were taken most of the surplus stock had hen disposed of, leaving only breeding stock iii hand, it was reasonable to suppose that in the full of the season the number would be very much greater. Questioned as. to. tho benefits: o.f the industry to t'fie cofoiiy, Mr. Hyde estimated that the producer had benefited considerably during tho) past few years. Birds that the producer would only get Is each for now fetched 2s O'd, and never less than 2s. Then again, a few years ago the producer had to receive as little as od a dozen for eggs, and even then, perhaps, take out the value in groceries and so on. Nq\y he never gets less than 9d a doizen, and is paid in cash. ftt the bygone days, also, it was no unusual thing for three. or four eggs in a sitting/to be bad. That state of tilings is rapidly disappearing, and you can denend upon getting fresh eggs as easily as oil netting fresh butter-. This alteration, said Mr. Hyde, was largely brought about by the prominence given to tho industry by the Department, and by the leetures which had been addressed to the producers in all parts of tlie colony. Bv those moans the growers had been educated up to breeding the right kinds of birds. Another important factor was the adoption of a system of grading. At Auckland during the past year the

Department graded 1,128,000 er-gs, which, therefore, reached the consumer in a guaranteed fresh condition. “The consumer, on the other hand,” said Air Hyde, “undoubtedly

benefits In tho improved qualit - ol : the birds which he is enabled to buy, and by tho fact that he can depend upon getting fresh e-gs. Although in the scarce time of the year tho price is not so low as could perhaps lie desired, there is a levelling-up movement going on, and 1 hope that ill time the consumer will never be called on to pay more than 2s a dozen, oven during the winter months. The practice of storing eggs when plentiful in the cool stores is rapidly increasing, and as the charge is only 6d per case of 30 dozen per month, it should jirove a great factor in.keeping the price at a reasonable level.” The question was -'asked of Air. Hyde whether, seeing that the producer is being encouraged and instructed to breed birds of greater weight and better quality at an earlier aim, and eggs of a" bigger size (and therefore of greater value), it -would not bo advisable to sell them bv weight, and thus pa- both the producer and consumer?

That,” said Mr. Hyde, “is what I have been urging ever since I joined the Department, and I am very pleased to say that in many parts of the colony poultry are being sold by weight. In fact, in Auckland the major portion of the- poultry is sold by weight. I a hi-sure they would not go back to the old system. Of course, it is much more difficult to get the grower to sell eggs by weight, but? it'will probably come in time. Meantime we are doing wliat we can to benefit the consumer by grading according to size and color. That encourages the farmer to breed utility fowls, and proves to him that it costs no more to produce a good layer and a good table bird than a weed. From that, of course, the consumer will benefit, and although lie may sometimes have to pay a little more, he will have good value for his money. “There has also been a great change in regard to the production of poultry in this respect. By dint of frequent appeals to reason and commonsense the grower has learned to put his birds on the market when between three and four months old, the result being that the public-get birds which they can eat, and the demand for poultry has increased. In fact, the grader at Dunedin renorts that the demand for poultry has so increased that three or four shops for the sale of poultrv and eggs have been opened during the past twelve months. ”

In conclusion tlie Chief Poultry Expert. in answer to a miestion,' unhesitatingly expressed the opinion that epee-laving competitions are entire!- satisfactory and do a great

deal of eood, because they induce growers to breed from the best layers. If that is done all over the colony it will result in a 25 per cent increase in birds and e""s. and make the industry one of the chief sources of wealth to the colony.