POULTRY NOTES

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10662, 18 June 1912, Page 7

POULTRY NOTES

(By Utilitarian.)

The following shows are yet to be held:— Lower [Hutt, July 24'tHi, 25th, and 26th; Auckland, June 20 to 22; Palmerston North," June 25 to 28; ■Newton, June 28 to 29; Stratford. July 3 to 4; Hastings, July I'2 and 13Carterton, July 17 and 18. Hatching has now commenced on •some of fche poultry plants in th.>s district. What will the harvest be? Meat ,fcxr young stock 'seems to be more of a in« ! j£iss:ty tha.n ifor the adults. This is not at all extraordinary when we remember it'he carnivorous inclination of growing boys generally, hut who, as they become more matured in years, often, lose the extreme desire for an eat. Watch young chickens til's sling tor a wo'rra,* and they will' appear to almost go mac! in their exciteimcnt. 'Such a racing up and down the peaie, fii's'b one and then another obtaining tlie coveted prize, .un.t'il at ija'it one iucky -little fellow eludes his brothers «nd sisters and swallows the tit-ibit with all the rapidity at his command. Adult hens will rush oround 'too when there is meat about, hut to nothing like the same extent as chickens.

It iii? gratifying to note that Mr Merrerbt, 'the secretary of t'he New Zealand Poultry Association, has, in •conijunfetion with others, been exerting himself on behalf of fins day-old chicken breeders. The deputation recently waited on, Mr EM, PtotimaeterGeaieral, alnd requested that day-old chicks should .be carried by pest, on account dF the trouble in reaching cuisitomers far from tlhe railway. The Minister expressed surprise that young chickens could travel so long without food, wheieat Mr Mer- . ret stated that it -was cruelty fio feed 'tha mat- 'all for the -»rst three days icef thei nlives. Mr Ell has promised to give' the matter every cahsiderattion, and .said' that inquiries into the inatter are au ready ibeing made in other countries, with a view 'to improving (thiiiugs in. New Zealand. A representative of the Utility Egg Circle -who lias; returned lately from 4i itvrief trip to WeFi&ngton tstatesf that ithe cit'y as .flooded with eggs jusJL now, and itilus being eo it is a wcai•der tihat the price is as high as it ■is. Fnom several enquiries he instituted he aeccrtained that grocers ar-*-strongly in favour of uniformity of prices, and expressed the wish thai egg producers would pull together aind regulate the> prices At present it as purely a system tof cutting each father's 'throats, a loss to the dealers in eggs,, a'nd a oonsequefnt loss to the producers. One well-known firm in the city adepts for the use of itci .carters cardboard boxes, with divisions, which hold two dozen- eggis, and will fold up like a packet of candles. This facilitates handling, and •mfojimiies 'ftrealiJageis. T'he boxes are •So ocinfetrueted that they will pack into an ordinary egg' crate, arJd as 1 undersiond they are very cheap they shoulld prove .wdl worthy cf adoption /by prodiuoens themselvcii, which would very materially lessen the cost .of providing egg carriers. Waiting cif these little cardboard boxes recalls to mind the .caee of ithe Corning Bros, in' America, who" liaW* made a specialty of oaiteriirg fcir their, egg eutomere. They catering lor their egg customers.' Tlhey trade, up in, boxes to (hold .one dozen each, and these boxes are pu-t up in 'a ; fpa'.rf'iculairly tJ&enty manner. This draws cuetom in a most marked degree, c-rcd really is only en, the principle adepted by ir.aa.y manufacturers, such as 'Jhocto'ato makers who | market their wares in the most appetising form they can think of. Who:Y> .there ulho is net acquainted with the ornanrciUital ehc.ec.late boxes, with the chocolates them® elves resting amongst the varie-oofo-uired frillinglooking papers—get up to sell. We -want mcfre of this specialising in our industry, not Only with eggs, but with table poultry. Jif dealers would only realise the value .of fi welldressed bird the city sho-ps would not contain- so many eye-.sores, and ■ a. better demand would immediately si-rise.