THE.FEATHER FANCY

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 192, 8 May 1908, Page 11

THE.FEATHER FANCY

[Notes by " Domino."] , , • POULTRY SHOWS. , ' ' . Juno 3.—Woodvillo. Juno. 11. 12.—Eketahuna. 1 , Juno 17, 18.—-Hawera. June 18, .19,' 20.^Auckland. Jun0,23,'24, 25, 26. —Palmcrston North. - i • July 2, 3,14.—Wellington. ... July 3, 4. —Newton. . i July 7, B.—Carterton. July S, 9. —Wauganui. > . July 8, 9, 10, 11.—Waikato. July 10, 11.—Wairarapa. , ■ July 15, 16.—Pahiatua. . July 17,13.—Hastihgs. . . July-21, 22.—Napier. July 23, 24, 25.—Taranaki. , July 28, .29.—Martom ■■ . .August l o, 7;-i-Taihapo. •- < •. ' y 0 , I ' am pleased to learn that thero is a movomont oh foot among local magpio enthusiasts to form'a "New Zealand Magpio Club.''. . And why not? ■ A Club, which is i.. ' sure'.to' command icohsiderable support, will proTO'-ir. boom to the Fancy, and will ,uudoubtedlv- place, the dainty and popular magpio in a position its merits justly, war-- : - rant. ■ Circulars will bo forwarded shortly : ; : to all/ktjOwn fanciers, I '"'inviting suggestions, * ■efcei, ' and', it bohoves'* all breeders ' to rally . rou'nd tho promoters' I sincerely trust that before. many months are -over a "New , Zealand - Magpio Club' 1 will ,bo an accomplished fact." 1 - ' iTlio Christchurch Poultry Club's f annual Bhow, for which'entries close next Thursday,i will, . as/ usual, be well supported by local fanciers, several of whom will personally bo ' taking their/teams to tho popular Southern fixture.' I venture to predict that, as in previous years, , many. of. tho good- things offered, will coirfo to thoi Empire City. . r.,tr-,-.j*.. Messrs./F. /Dacro 1 (Christchurch) ■ and S. Johnston (Palmerston North) are down to judge .the Poultry Classes at the ■ forthcom- • ulg -Auckland Show, to .bo held, on June. 18, 19, and 2U. ■ , • ■ . T-i 1 '•■■■■■' ..J. , ; 'Tho .'schedule of the annual show of the /Wellington Poultry, Pigeon, and Canary. Soqiety. ls.neanng completion, and may bo looked;for;m a day or so; ,As. usual, it . i will -be with;- numerous trophies arid, specials, and in: the pigeon section tlie'riow ' popular/"Magpio Spoons" wilL onco again. De one • of; tho principal attractions. • t 1 - ;The- following, letter is taken from the "Wostoni.Mail (W.A.).. It is written by ■ Mr. Reginald Shaw, of Leederville i , 'fit/jnay possibly surprise, somo of your , readers to Jiear that until lately I'.had in my.possession .two hensj one of which laid 390 /eggs in twelve .moliths, and other : 403 in the same time, an -averago, as you will, perceive, of over -an egg a day. lam awaro that, many pooplo will bo incredulous about this statement,: but I should not have made it wero I not in .a• position to prove' to .their satisfaction its 'absolute truth.- I think-that,"l am the first to discover, the . -■ fast that the number of eggsa' fowl ,: can • produce- is chiefly dependent' upon its cay paoity to provide the shells. Manv of your readers.who. have killed a fowl'which they . cohsiderod had finished laying must havo - , wondored at . tho clusters of embryonic cgi!;s that - Under' normal conditions could-noVer . come to maturity. This' shell production is ■ dependent rupon the; proportion 1 of lime that the fowl, can extract from shell-^rit I ,' etc.-, but'the, bird's powers ~of assimilation am . exhausted, before I .it • has/obtained- sufßoient matonal to, provide a covering for its rudi-: .: mentaryleggs." Vv : :' r '-" •: