POULTRY NOTES.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXV, Issue 10713, 5 March 1913, Page 6

POULTRY NOTES.

(By "Utilitarian.)

! [<r,v frequently do wo hear of persons .stating that they havo the great Padman's stock, and also of people inquiring for same. There is room for .some, enlightenment on the subject in .the first place, the number of those who have imported, birds direct from Padman are, probably, very few, whereas, a much larger number claim to have his stock. In tho latter ease tlm owners havo abtaiue-d their birds not direct from Padman but have got JtrKl of S'.it'ic descendants, close or >inoi.e. as (ho oase may lie. Now, those {descendants may lie good or oihorv, iso. tliey may have the Padman characteristics, but as wo know that only a very small percentage mature up to- the exact type of their parent 6, there is room to consider when purchasing from so called Padman str.ck. It is not inferred by this that- anyone, purposely misleads the pub-lie, it- is just a matter of want of thought. Then we come across cases wlie.ro owners have purchased- birds through three or four hands, and periiaos several descending generations in the bargain, and still claim to have Padiinan .stock for .sale. Tho whole affair is misleading to ill© amateur. Certainly, one slicuid get- a very fair class of bird, but to give the impressinn that they are necessarily of the same quality is not strictly moral. The son of a godly minister does not necessarily imply a worthy individual, and the ton of a. remote, though direct, descendant of a Padman rooster does not always produce a too de.sir-

able bird. Nevertheless, the amateur is on the. right road when lie purchases birds with the Pad man characteristics in them as far as he can get them, and while he confines himself, when selling stock, in stating they have Pacinian blood, though not direct importations, no one should grumble. The X.Z. Poultry Industries, Limited, which was recently formed, is .'.feadily forging ahead, shares a.-e being taken up in many parts of the Dominion, and Masterton is also waking up in this respect. We say, without a doubt, that this country is going to be the salvation of the industry. It is what we have been looking forward to for many years, and it be a. lasting disgrace if poultry-men fail to substantially support it by becoming shareholders. Ten shillings per .-hare, with a minimum of five shares each, is a mere bagatelle, and the poultrykeeper who is not siifliontly interested to assist that much can scarcely be said to be very enthusiastic: and as only 2s 6d is the application fee with another 2s Gd on a!!o;;Tiieiit, with call's of 2s 6d of not less than three months, taking up shares should be within the reach of all. Where the company will flourish particularly will be in the purchasing of poultry feed, and members of Egg ; Circles will he paid, we understand, on the. .spot for their eggs, instead ofwaiting for each month's cheque. It has been thought by .some of the company who eliminate the necessity of Circles, hut cn reflection, it will he seen that there will be direct encouragement for their formation. Country eggs going on rail in bulk will be a saving and the purchase of feed through the company will be simplified . The company, of cour.se, will purchase feed in different localities to suit the various shareholders, as for instance, if there should only be a trifling difference in prices between here and the South Island, it would be an item to consider, for Northern poultrykeepers, 1

A poultry com partly, we consider. ha<s advantages over many othet suit* i!ar concerns, as the turnover, even if at times, small, is quick, thijs saving the need for a large capital. The promoters who have the business at heart are endeavouring to do all they can, free of charge, and shares ntny taken up will go into the oomjiipy unscathed by com missioji Wh til the company has atrtaiuelS *- nn when operations will b" "* -louu, The secretary- . c ? mm^" cecl - Mr * ..ff Utility Circle, ' -ord, will be pleased to rec .e applications. The whole nine of the provisional directors have now been appointed and it only remains, for poultry producers to fall into line and each take up few or many .shares. March is a -somewhat puzzling month for those who have not too much accomodation. Some of the pre-sent-season's layers will still 'be shelling out eggs, and though owners know the pullets ought to be' housed without any further delay, still they feel reluctant to move out the older birds to make room. "When this is the ca-se, wo feel safe in saying that it is better to clear out the older ones, or at least, while they are still laying, crowd tliem together, rather than risk retarding the young pullets, for orr the latter depends the main winter egg supply.