OUR FEATHERED FRIENDS

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 265, 18 March 1911, Page 7

OUR FEATHERED FRIENDS

(By "Oock-o'-thc-North"). 1 must regale my readers this week with something new, and perhaps for a week or two after. It is a brand new "standard," brought out to judge the utility classes at the various shows running such classes by Messrs L. Brown, J. Rose, 1!. W. Hawke, T. Kennedy, and the secretary of the New Zealand Utility Club. No doubt these gentlemen are extraordinarily gifted to undertake such a task; in fact, they must be so, considering the fact that though some 5000 or more persons are raising and caring for poultry for utility purposes in, the Dominion and that I have kept in close touch with a very big slice of this number, both through the press and by correspondence, I have never heard yet of any representative request being made that these five gentlemen should take upon themselves the task of evolving so vitally important a set of laws (or rules) to govern a large body like this as to the class of bird they should raise. I should have thought that a "standard" of any J description intended to govern so large a body of people would have been drawn up by a meeting of delegates appointed by the various districts where the in- j dustry is of sufficient importance to warrant the sending of such delegates,! but perhaps this is simply my ignorance, j though I must plead that every other country which has drawn up a standard has followed a similar course, or formulated one by their governing bodies, whether national associations or specialist clubs, such as in England, for the various- breeds, and the American Poultry Association, etc. But here five men appointed by no one can sit down and draw up a standard to govern thousands of persons who have never even heard of some of them.

The governing body of New Zealand poultrymen is the New Zealand Poultry Association, of which I have the honor to be one of the executive, and I take it this is the body to draw up a standard to govern the judging of utility poultry, or, at least, to appoint a strong committee to do so and to approve or disapprove of it when drawn up. Three of the gentlemen responsible for the "standard'' I refer to were present at the meeting of the latter Association, and never uttered a word in reference to it, or asked the approval or otherwise of that body. Considering that it was the most influential and representative gathering of utility poultrymen which has ever been held in the Dominion, I consider the action a cool one, to say the least. '

Remember, readers, this standard proposes to govern the awards given in utility classes, and when the general public, who do not understand matters in connection with these classes, see a bird ticketed first and special they naturally infer that this is the bird to buy for breeding for egg production; yet it is quite possible, under the proposed standard, for three birds of, say, 150 eggproducing ability, to obtain Ist and special, second and third prizes, while another bird of 250-egg capacity would not be mentioned, and this in a utility class, the meaning of which is useful, good producing and profitable class. If a bird has a defective comb under this "standard," she is liable to lose a certain number of points. Why? Will she lay less? Will the quality of her flesh for the table be inferior because of it? Will she bo of a lesser weight because of it! Certainly not. Then why cut out any points—in a utility class. If she has discolored lobes she loses more points. Again, does she deteriorate in any useful quality because of this? Again, no. Then why should she lose anything in a utility class for this? And so on right through the list, which may cause her to lose from 35 to 40 points out of a possible hundred for (so-called) defects, which have no earthly bearing on the bird's useful points in any way. It may be contended by the exponents of this brilliant "standard" for utility classes that perfect combs, pure lobes, and perfectly marked or white plumage are a desirable trait in a bird. That may be so, but it is the work of the fancier. Why should the utility man be called upon to maintain qualities for two standards, viz., show and utility. If the fancier will consent to have his birds judged by the same "standard" it will be different; but as it is now, the object sought is to try and make the utility bird do double duty. It is absurd.

It behoves utility men throughout throughout Taranaki to put on their armour and slay this thing before it slays them. The same thing was tried in America years ago, and had it succeeded utility poultry would be dead there (nor nearly so),'but it failed, with the result that' last year the sale iff eggs and poultry for table only in the lUnited States exceeded £120,000,000. Just imagine it, if you can, and then support this "standard" if you like. My advice to my readers' is this: Before entering your birds in any utility class just Jind out if it is to be judged by this "standard," and, if so, unless you are a fancier and have standard-bred birds, leavn that class severely alone, for the prizes will not be for you, not if you entered the hen which Jack of beanstalk fame stole from the giant and which laid golden eggs. (To be continued next week).

JOTTIXGS. Keep a clear daily, weekly and monthly account of your outgoings and income, so that at any moment you can say there is a leakage here, and, what is far more important, stop it. lie prompt with all your correspondence. Many a good order has gone elsewhere through laying a letter down and replying to it a 'week later. Keep a clear record of all the names of those supplied with eggs for hatching and birds, the strain tiie birds come from which were supplied, and the time sent; and when repeat orders come in you know then exactly what to send, so as to avoid in-breeding and to ensure your customer good, vigorous stock. By this means your business in shillings of one year will mount into pounds the next. When sending out terms or prices be clear and explicit, to that there may be no misunderstanding, and adopt the up-to-date poultryman's motto—cash with order.