Oamaru Poultry Show.

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume IV, Issue 229, 15 July 1902, Page 3

Oamaru Poultry Show.

(by our special reporter.)

The supper held in connection with the Oamaru Poultry Association on Friday evening was a great success. It commenced at 10 o’clock, being opened with the National Anthem after which a great many toasts were proposed among them being “ Kindred Societies,’’ coupled with the names of Messrs Reilly, Grant and Thompson, each gentleman responding suitably. Another was “ The Government Poultry Industry,” coupled with the names of Messrs Hyde, Reilly and Lundon. Mr Lundon replied with a recitation which was well received. Mr Hyde, Government Poultry Expert, replied on behalf of the Government. He said in regard to poultry exported the Government had received a letter from South Africa stating.that New Zealand poultry sent there was the best packed and in the best condition of any received from any part of the world. He considered that the birds shown here, especially Plymouth Rocks, were equal to anything south of the line. He spoke at some length on the poultry industry in America, and considered that our birds wore equal to their birds for show purposes, but not for laying. He advocated going in for utility as well as show purposes and gave some useful hints as to the Aran-ican style of weeding cut bad layers by having a numbered ring on each bird’s leg and having nest traps by which a hen can go in to its nest, but cannot get out again. In this way a record is kept of the best layers, and the ones that do not lay a certain number of eggs in a given time are then used for table purposes. He considered that it was due to these systematic arrangements that the Americans reared the best layers in the world. He had seen a pair of brown Leghorns imported from America lately which had probably cost their owner d)3O. They would not compare with our birds for showing, but would, be considered, lay a greater number of eggs. Mr Reilly also responded advocating cool stores for the reception of poultry in Africa. Mr Hyde said he was bringing this forward in his report to the Government. Mr Hyde’s remarks (especially regarding Plymouth Rocks), must be gratifying to our Waimate fanciers, of whom we ought to be proud, as they have done a great deal to make a name for tho “ little, place,” some of them taking prizes all over New Zealand.

On Saturday afternoon Mr D. D. Hyde, the Government Poultry Expert, addressed a large number of ladies and gentlemen interested in poultry. The chair vas ta]i 9n by Mr R. Baird, who briefly introduced the lecturer to the meeting. Mr Hyde gave a good deal of useful advice as to the care of fowls, and the requirements of the poultry trade. Speaking generally as to the industry, he said it was a business that required more careful attention to details than any other, but he could show that it would yield better returns than any other class of live stock, if certain conditions were complied with. Too much attention had been given in the past to the feathering, and for the purposes of profit-earning more thought should be bestowed on laying and table qualities. A first cross of the pure Minorca and the pure Langahan was, in his opinion, the best for these two purposes. After giving advioe as to

I bori ing, feeding, etc., Mr Hyde urged that poultry breeders should sell their dressed birds and their eggs by weight. They should make up their minds not to sell eggs for less than Is a dozen at any time, and to secure that eggs should be' stored in cool stores where they would keep for months at a time. The price for that service usually is n 1 farthing per dozen per month. Sheep farmers on big stations in the North Island were going in for poultry, finding 100 fowls to the acre better property than sheep. The poultry produce in America was larger by 30 million dollars last year than any other farm produce, including wheat, oats, cotton or wool. He advised that breeders should seek to get a private trade, and should send only birds of even quality and in good conditions to the Government export depots. He favoured artificial incubation, the breeding ot the heavy b eeds in the early months, and the lighter birds up to November of each year. A bone crusher and grit mill were essentials for successful poultry keeping. Mr Hyde advised also keeping a record of the eggs, breeding only from active hens and keeping no birds more than two years. One or two questions being answered by the expert, he was accorded a vote of thanks, rnd the meeting closed.