GENERAL NOTES

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 323, 7 April 1928, Page 24

GENERAL NOTES

An interesting exhibit at the New Zealand Utility Club's Young Bird Show was a Minorca pullet exhibited by Mr. Dodd, of Ashburton. Thi3 bird was the only chick hatched from a setting of eggs sent from England some six months ago. Mr. Dodd intends trying his luck again with another setting. Importations Mr. J. Cummings, Christchurch, has just received per s.s. Corinthic a cock breeding trio of White Leghorns from Lord Dewar. The cock heading the pen is of wonderful type, with one of the finest head pieces it has been our lot to see on a White Leghorn. The serrations are beautifully wedgeshaped whereas the Jobes are of the correct shape and free from creases. The bird, too, has a grand flow of feather. The hens are cock bred, and are of great type and colour, and the mating should produce some of the finest cockerels seen in New Zealand for some time. Mr. Cummings bred some wonderful pullets last year, and ■we hear he is paying special attention to a fine team which he intends penning during the coming show season. The recent importations arrived in the pink of condition—a credit to Mr. Bradley, Lord Dewar’s manager. Mr. Cummings has been a tower of strength in the Minorca world for the past 12 years and bids fair to be just as hard a nut to crack in 'White Leghorns. Lustre in the Plumage The beautiful gloss on some fowls is a great point in the show pen. It cannot be attained without perfect health, and is seldom seen unless a grass run be at command, though rigid cleanliness and constant green food ■will do much. The highest gloss is seen combined with “tight” feather; the looser the plumage the more difficult to get gloss. A certain amount of oily food helps to promote lustre, but only healthy and active fowls can stand this, the others losing health if so treated. One of the best methods is to stew some linseed so as to make a thin jelly and to mix the whole in the morning meal allowing from one to two large teaspoonsful of the dry seed to each fowl. With this, if the breed is coloured, may be mixed a little saccarated carbonate of ir”n. A moderate use of sunflower the same effect. But carefu on a clean, fresh grass run is worth them alh