THE POULTRY INDUSTRY.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXI, Issue 183, 3 August 1900, Page 3

THE POULTRY INDUSTRY.

AN INTERVIEW

One of the chief features of the recent poulty show was the display of incubators of various kinds, and American poultry-raising appliances, a fact which led a "Star" representative to interview the manager of the Colonial Agency Company upon the subject of the poultry industry. In the course of conversation the manager said he looked forward sanguinely to the day when the poultry industry of the colony would top all our other industries (except perhaps wool, for a time), if only the raising of poultry was carried on under the scientific methods by which the Americans have brought the industry to such enormous proportions, He pointed otit that the value of the poultry industry in America is officially estimated at $290,000,000, or £60,144,GG0 per annum, thus topping their returns from other industries. "How is all this accomplished?" "By the use of incubators. The hen's time is saved raising chickens. She is kept at her "business" laying eggs which no one else can do for her. When she has moulted the second time, she is fattened \ip and then killed for the table. If kept beyond that time there is loss on her,

not profit. The young roosters are not allowed to "'eat their heads off," and a.re feel up and killed off in about three months. Some are made into capons and sold when they" attain a large .size. The fattening np does not end here, for some poultry farmers do nothing else bill: raise "broilers" for the market, which are chicks forced till six to eight weeks old, and then sold, a. constant supply being forthcoming for many months from eggs raised specially by the farmers at about 2/ per dozen, guaranteed to be fertile, and true to such crosses required by the demands of the American local market.

In addition to these points there is not only the studying of the home market, but the producing of such "spring chickens" as the Eng-lish market demands, and which we in New Zealand must attend to if we are to succeed in building up the industry by obtaining payable rates for Qur labo>ur."

"What then is the policy of your company?"

"Our policy is to create an export trade by inducing farmers and suburban landholders or even city lot holders to use ineiToators to produce quantity and to cross such breeds as will produce the. table birds which will taste best in England."

"And what breed is that, in your opinion?"

"In my opinion, and in that of most of our prominent poultry men, the Dorking or* White Wyandotte hens must be mated with Indian Game roosters, as the extra fleshy breast of that bird, combined with the white skin and legs of those hens, will produce a. table bird unexcelled in such quality as will bring one shilling per head more in the London market than the blackfeathered poultry for instance. "•Do you intend to cater only for the London market ?"

"Only in the first instance; but we want at present' to relieve the local market, which some of the breeders assert is at time glutted, cockerels and pullets only bringing them 9d a head." "What rates will you have to pay to get your fowls to.London?" The rates are quoted in the pamphlet issued by Mr D. D. Hyde, the Government poultry expert, as follows: "The Department will receive, grade, kill, pluck, prepare, supply cases, pack and freeze the birds at the following uniform rates: Fowls and ducklings, 4d each; geese and turkeys, 8d each." "And what are the expenses in sending poultry Home?" "These will be 4d a head for fowls, as per Government circular, just quoted, and London charges may amount to about 7d per head more. ■ As to the prices obtainable at Home, Messrs. Brook Bros., Leaclenhall Market, London, give a quotation for prime chickens: January, 3/ to 4/; February, 3/ to 4/; March, 3/3 to 4/6; April 4/3 to 5/6; May, 4/ to 5/; June, 3/6 to 4/3 each. This is a very large return, and is the branch of the trade which the Company chiefly want' to see expanded, and the demand for "first-grade" poultry is simply unlimited. "Can we produce poultry as cheaply as the Americans?"

"Undoubtedly, if our people will only take the trouble to feed their birds like the Americans do. Tor instance, most people buy chick wheat or maize, which the Americans do not think of doing. They are always on the look out for bargains in small (or big- potatoes) beet roots, turnips and mangels, which they rasp up and mix with half bran, or perhaps sharps and cut clover, which, on the whole, is cheaper than whole grain (though some of that is used), while the chicks get a proportion of finely cut clover from two days old. Besides incubators Americans make great use of brooders of various capacities. These are a necessity, for the chicks must be kept warm, and warmth is more necessary than food. Green bone-shavers are also a necessity for chicks, and. for producing eggs; clover mincers cannot be done without if you want to have cheap feed. And we aim to 'sell everything for poultry men.' " "And with regard to eggs?"

"Well, there is no use having eggs when all the hens in the country are laying and the price is 6d to 7d per dozen. What is wanted is that by aid of the incubator you can have hens bred to lay eggs in any month you choose,-when eggs are 1/6 to 2/ per dozen, and when winter laying fowls pay handsomely. An export can also be made of fresh eggs, to be carried in a cool chamber, but not frozen; the eg-gs are separated, whites in one tin and yokes in the other, and so frozen. We hope to use up a lot of eggs in this manner."

"Do you expect the farmers to use incubators and the poultry appliances you speak of?" "Not altogether, though we hope to teach their wives to manage) the machines and let them run them extensively; and we hope to interest a lot of people to learn to run one machine, and then gradually to work others, and so to make a good living by raising chickens. It is eminently a work for woman, and many an old couple might be quite independent of the old age pension; while girls could be taught this as a business, which would pay better and be a healthier occupation than the typewriting, clerking, etc., etc., which is now overdone." "You keep all • the appliances for candying on this business?" "Yes; and I will make advances on fatted poultry which passes the, Government grader, or purchase them outright for cash on terms which can be ascertained at this office."