FOOLING THE HEN.

Press, Volume LXIV, Issue 19343, 22 June 1928, Page 8

FOOLING THE HEN.

- —*—_ USE OF ELECTRIC LIGHT. [THE PKES3 Spoclal Servico.] W ELLINGTON, June 21. When the question of the use of electricity in poultry farming came up for discussion at the conference of the Electric Supply Authority Engineers' Association, one delegate said that he was surprised that nothing seemed to have been done in New Zealand with regard to the production of eggs by electricity, this remark being greeted with hearty laughter. The speaker said that he was willing, when he got up on his feet, to bet 300 to 1 that his remark would raise laughter, but he was quite serious. Investigations in America and on the Continent proved beyond all doubt that hens in hen houses lit by electric light, especially in the winter months, did their job earlier and oftener. "In fact," he declared, "one American poultry raiser told me that with the aid of electric light his hens had all their eggs laid by 6.30 a.m. on a winter's morning." Another delegate remarked that the whole position could be summed up by: Mary had a little hen That caused her many a tear . . . It laid quite well when egf?s were cheap But ceased when eggs were dear . . . But tears are now all swept away, She's installed electric light; The hen now lays one egg a day And one again at night. This poetic effusion convulsed the conference, which then, after a query as to what effect electric light had on the roosters, passed on to the consideration of a more serious topic.