POULTRY NOTES.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXV, Issue 10713, 22 March 1913, Page 7

POULTRY NOTES.

I (By "Utilitaw<,u.") Quito a numbor of remits are down fox discussion from various Circles, at the coming Conference, in Auckland, and we wonder how umo will be found to dispose of them all. There is but -one solution, viz, to keep the conference efltiroly confined to commercial matters and to affairs dealing with the welfare of tho Association. The three days set down for business are entiroly too short, a week would be little enough. As doubtless many of tho dologate-s will avail themselves of the opportunity of visiting Rotorua, at the conclusion of throe days, much valuable time might be saved by carrying on discussions in the train. In fact, at the last poultry conference something informal of this nature was done. Such business, certainly, wouki not be quite without precedent as witness the to-bo historic occasion lately when the Turks and Bulgarians *>pet)t a whole week in a, railway car to transact their affairs of war. To go further back, there was the case of old man Kruger who, during the close of the Boer war, availed himself of a railway carnage for similar purposes. Members of the Utility Egg Circle desiring cheaper poultry feed should communicate with tho chairman, Mr O'Leary, who will give all particulars. This,' the threshing' season, is the poultryman'fi opportunity of obtaining plenty if cavings from the mills. These make admirable scratching material for chickens. A few bags, of those stored up for next season are well worth the trouble for going for, an<J many farmers are only too glad to have- someone take them awuy: -■ 'lt "•won!t-he-many-years before the grain farmers will recognise the economic value, of cavings and will be demanding 'so much per sack. The grain farmer* owe much, as it is, to the poultry industry, for it is owing to the poultrymen, entirely, that they can get such a good price for their second class grain, so much eo, that there is' very little difference in price between firsts and seconds. It-is gratifying to note .that the N.Z. Times still battles away for the general betterment of the poultry industry; long may its present writer live, and flourish. A handful or two of ashes sprinkled on the dropping boards, after cleaning is a wise precaution, against 1 vermin, and any odd pieces of char- , coal the fowls find amongst the ashes will be much relished by them. Now that the oyster season is again 1 here poultrymen can expect to find. ; in a few weeks, ground oyster shell at the shell depot, Mr EC. O'Leary's. You can't afford to be without thus as forward pullets wnll be or should be in full laying condition directly. Fowls without shell provided means soft , eggs, and thin shelled ones, resulting in plenty of broken ones and giving the birds the tendency to adopt that bad habit of egg eating. Moreover, as the dear season is close at hand, eggs will be worth looking after, much mow so, from • a, pecuniary point of view,; than in the summer. As' Utilitarian will be absent at th§ poultry conference during Easter week, these notes will not then appear, till towards the end of the following week. A conference, representative of all,parts of the Dominion, will, doubtless, give the; writer opportunity of dispensing some valuable information, on his ' return, through these columns-. Many even ' from the Wairarapa would wish to go to the Conference, but other duties hold them back;. nevertheless, everyone can help, if she or he so desires, by contributing towards the Conference expenses, by sending any donations to the Organiser, Mr T. H. Rutherford, Masterton. All donations, unless otherwise requested, will be acknowledged in these notes. and also in the N.Z. -Poultry 'JourTial. A few shillings is within the power of every poultryman. Assist, one and all, and help raise the poultry industry tow here it should be in the front ranks of commerce. When England consumes £22.158,449 worth of poultry annually or at least in 1912, New Zealand should get a move on and raise more and more and capture some of the export trade. This is best achieved by co-operation, and the coming Conference, inaugurated by the Poultry Association is the means whereby this can hest be carried out. Readers will therefore see the urgency and at.any rate the advisability of'financially agisting. If preferred, donations con be sent direct to the secretary of the Association, Mv J. B. Merrett, Box 588, Christehurch.