Manawatu Herald. THURSDAY, AUGUST 21, 1902. Poultry.

Manawatu Herald, 21 August 1902, Page 2

Manawatu Herald. THURSDAY, AUGUST 21, 1902. Poultry.

A meeting is called for next week of all those who are interested in the poultry business, to consider the best steps to take to forward the advancement of the industry. That something needs doing here is but too manifest, as the obtaining of eggs and the rearing of fowls is in the most crude state, reminding us of the position of the butter trade of a few years ago, when, as Mr Hennessy pointed out at the social on Monday night, the storekeepers would rather see anyone enter their shops than a farmer with butter for sale. Why was this ? firstly, the butter was made under unfavourable conditions so that its quality was very fluctuating, and wfta not in a form suitable for long carriage and thus the store keepers bad to And an almost immediate market, which necessarily being local, was limited, and thus the supply exceeded the demand and

there was a slump in prices. . These things were clear then as they are now but there appeared no reined}’. Fortunately everything has since, been changed, and by scientific milking and dairying the farmer instead of having to take goods in exchange for his butter now receives, indirectly from London, through the various

factories, his cash and is thus an entirely altered man in relation to the storekeeper, and can demand the best of goods at the lowest prices. To any thinking man this is a wonderful transformation and leads to the hope that the farmer may yet find as good an outlet for his surplus growth in other departments of his business.

We have had for the past few years the importance of the poultry yard forced upon our attention and recently we have had practical demonstration of what is possible. It is therefore our duty, as a community, to do unto others as has been done to ourselves, and to spread the information acquired from pamphlets and from personal experience. As a man is said to be a benefactor to his species who makes two blades of grass grow whore one only previously grew, it must in like manner be as

goorl to secure more eggs and heavier weights from an improved breed of fowls to those now kept. This will be, probably, the chief aim of any association ; it must be one of mutual help aad guidance, and like the flax trade, the consumption of the produce of p ultry is so vast, that there need be no fear of helping your neighbour lost he might injure your business. The market, primarily, is London and South Africa and we are told these markets are larger than any supply is likely to satisfy. We hold further than the larger export of poultry, or eggs, from a district, the better the market is likely to be, locally, as buyers will he attracted, and freight will be reduced. Our business, firstly, is to build up the business by finding what are the pure-bred strains of poultry kept near at hand, what other strains it would be advisable to obtain and thus the one great desideratum of securing good birds for crossing will be obr tained. It may be truly said that these things are to be secured without the fuss and bother of an association, but we are sure they cannot be secured so handily and economically. If careful breeding is studied the proper interchange of male birds must be made, and the association could help its members in this direction. We also believe that in the initiation of the business here it would be well if the members could get their eggs hatched by incubator by a responsible person, thus saving the small breeder much trouble and anxiety. Many other advantages could be pointed out, and probably will be, at the first meeting, but it i? evident a start must be made and then it will be time to consider details. Wo hope the meeting will attract the attention of all who keep poultry in large or small lots, for from indisputable evidence it has been shown more eggs and more meat will be obtained by care in the selection of birds kept, without any ntnre money being spent in feed. The associetion will practically give an owner one hundred per cent upon his present labour in poultry keeping, which must surely be worth obtaining.