POULTRY KEEPING.

Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 192, 15 August 1925, Page 24

POULTRY KEEPING.

(By R. J. TERRY.)

TO CORRESPONDENTS. TATVA (Ellcrslie) has some Black Orpinston hens, second cross between Black Orpingtons and Rhode Island Reds. They are pood layers. Could they be bred from.' —I don't quite understand what you mean by second cross, but if it is two-thirds of one breed and one-third of the other, then cross the birds with a rooster of which there is only onethird. If they are ha If bred yon may cross with either the Black Orpington or the Rhode Islnnd Red. You do not conform to the rules re jour name. SEYMOUR STREET has a bird with a swollen foot. There have lieon several from time to time suffering from corns.— Tho treatment is quite simple. Make a cross incision on the under side of the foot, cutting right through the thick skin. Remove pus, clean the wound and stuff with a piece of clean rag dipped in a germicide. Bind up to keep out dirt, remove rag and replace Willi clean. CAMBRIDGE dubbed a rooster and the bird was In a bad mess. Can I advise how to remove the blood, as warm water and soap does not do so. — You made the mistake of usinjr warm water. Always soak out blood stains with cold water. Warm water coagulates the albumen in the blood. You may have to get a little bleaching to remove the stnln. POULTRY (Dargnvllle* has four hens which are infected in the mouth and throat, being pale yellowish, and the roof of the mouth a decided yellow.-—lf there are no cheesy growths and the discolouration is not deep, get sixpennyworth of peroxide of hydrogen. Fasten a piece of cotton wool on a small stick and use this as a swab. Two applications should clean the throat. Put a good germicide in the drinking water. The peroxide will not clean up the mouth and throat if thero are cheesy growths there. BAD EGGS. Last week T mentioned that the bad egg season had started somewhat early. I then went on to say that the law as regards chilled eggs appeared to be a dead letter, but I am very happy to acknowledge that I was wrong in* this respect, and that the officers responsible for the enforcement of the new Act have

been; extremely energetic. I find that there has been a number of cases where preserved and chilled eggs have been sent to merchants and auctions without being described as preserved eggs. They have either been condemned by the officer or brer, labelled preserved or chilled. The Department has been lenient up to the present, but it is the intention to take drastic action in the near future where warnings apparently have no result.

The officers of the Health Department have complete check on cool-stored eggs, as the Act states: "Every person undertaking the cool storage of eggs for salo shall keep a record of all eggs so stored, indicating the ownership of the eggs, the dates respectively on which the eggs were received for storage and withdrawn from storage, and the name of the person so withdrawing the eggs. Such record shall be accessible to any officer during ordinary hours of business." The Act further states: "No person shall sell any eggs;for human consumption which have been in cool storage for a longer period than ten weeks, unless such eggs are each stamped on the shell in bold-faced capital letters of not less size than six points face measurement and in indelible ink with the word 'CHILLED.'"

Just why eggs can be piaced in cool storage for ten weeks without the necessity for stamping them an "chilled eggs is difficult to understand. The eggs might be in cool storage for, six mouths without any further deterioration than at ten weeks, providing that the storage was properly managed. The regulations are somewhat contradictory. The fact that eggs may be in cool storage for ten weeks without the necessity for stamping them as such makes it possible t.i bring in cool-stored eggs from Canada or almost any part of the world. There certainly is a regulation that imported eggs shall be stamped. To quote the regulation: "Eggs imported into New Zealand and ihe packages containing the same shall be stamp 3d as hereinafter

set out to indicate the country of origin, and no eggs shall be admitted into New Zealand unless and until such stamping has been effected. Each egg in every consignment shall be stamped on the shell in indelible ink and in bold capital letters with the words 'IMPORTED FROM,' followed by the name of the country in which the eggs were laid."

This seems to give poultry-keepers all the protection they require, as naturally anyone would know that eggs could not come from Canada or any far-away country without being chilled. This stamping is certainly a step in the right direction, as I have knowledge that in the past consignments of eggs from Canada have been repacked and sold without disclosing the fact that they were Canadian, and I am sorry to have to report the fact that the purchasers were very pleased with them and 'wanted to repeat their orders owing to the splendid grading of the eggs.

There is now every reason to believe that within the next couple of years there will be a great improvement as regards the quality of eggs marketed. Improved quality means increased consumption and enhanced prices.

STRAIGHT TALK.

There is no doubt that inferior eggs marketed in Auckland during tlie summer months are duo in a great measure to what might be termed the old-fash-ioned system of bartering. Many country storekeepers would like to cut out the pgr, trade, but they cannot do so, because when Mrs. Smith or Mrs. Jones bring in a few dozens of eggs it is reducing her grocery account, anil if they did not take the eggs the trade would go to the opposition store. Now. those eggs are placed in a box and pushed under the counter, then someone comes along and buys a dozen or so out of it, a few dozen more are taken in exchange, and. remember, it is the top of the box that is being worked on all the time. If a doubtful lot of eggs comes along they have to be taken, as it is possible the other storekeeper would not refuse them, and when the box is full it is then sent to a merchant in town, who again has to take these eggs, because it helps to reduce the storekeeper's account.

Well, the industry' is only going through the same stages as did the dairying industry, when the storekeeper had to purchase a few pounds of butter from his customers, irrespective of its quality, or lose their trade. Now they send to the creamery and get a better price, a monthly cheque; and so the storekeeper gets cash and the people get a better butter. Well, that is what must be done if we are to lift this egg trade. The producer must send direct to the big merchant, get his monthly cheque, and pay cash for his groceries. Everyone is going to benefit by this system, especially those who eventually have to eat the eggs. JERSEY BLACK GIANTS. Some few months ago I published an American description of the Jersey Black Giants. Judging by the number of letters that I received it created considerable interest. Some have expressed the intention to import the birds. One of my correspondents has received further information and photographs of the Jersey Black Giants at various stages ot their growth. They do not appear to have any great distinction as a breed. The head is typical of a Black Orpington, and the bird in its growing stage has a remarkable close resemblance to a Black Orpington. When developed the specimens under review were, somewhat longer in the back than the Orpingtou as we know it. but otherwise they have all the appearance of a rather close-feathered Black Orpington. DO YOU WANT TO SEE ME? There will be an opportunity at the forthcoming Winter Show of meeting my many correspondents, as I shall be there demonstrating the poultry industry. PRIZES AND RULES TOR EGGS. See advertisement at foot of Garden column.