THE POULTRY INDUSTRY.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1174, 8 July 1911, Page 14

THE POULTRY INDUSTRY.

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Genesis of the Incubator,

It would bo interesting. to know who was tho discoverer of artificial incubation, and tho observations which led-him to build an oven for the purpose.;' Possibly the practico of some birds to build their nests by using green grass to set up fermentation,'or .the ostrich burying its eggs in warm, tropical, sand, or tho .lizard's use of artificial heat to Wing forth its young, led him to experiment with hens' eggs, and to apply.artificial means for tho purpose of hatching Chickens. Ages have passed since the Chinese, with their rico barrels, or tho Egyptians-with their heated ovens, began tho work that is' perfected in our incubators of to-day. -Practice soon taught them the required'temperatures, and just as, by touch urkuin, when eggs have cooled sufficiently or by the hand, we cannot tell tho comfortable heat required in a brooder, so the ancients (by practice) were able to tell to a degree what temperature was suited for tho eggs. No doubt the work was relegated to experts. The largo ovens, in which tho attendant could walk to test tho temperature, lead us to suppose that huge co-operative concerns existed, and, for miles around, one oven would hatch the thousands of chickens required by the agriculturists. These nomadic days are full of romance, and there is ample scope for the poultry enthusiast to investigate and bring to light tho interesting data connected with poul-try-keeping of those times. , Space will not allow of further description, and the beginner is recommended to. study standard works to learn of the immensity of those ovens, .in which could be hatched 300,000 chickens in one season. This great work was done by experts, the knowledge being handed from father ..to son, without the aid of themometers, copper tanks, or moisture pans. They had none of these, and yet could hatch chickens without tho suggestion of failure. I First Real Incubators. First of the experiments in modern incubators wore- made in France. In the Kith century experiments, were made which ultimately 'led to tho hot water and- hot air machine, which we have to-day. It is singular that, for years, tho thought of applying a lamp to a hot water tank to keep up a regular temperature did not suggest itself to tho experimenters. Tho hot water was constantly drawn off, and renewed as the temperature began to fall.- ' Ultimately, in 1880, the Wearsin hot water machine made its appearance. From that year till the present time, varied improvements have taken place, until now wo have a perfect system of hatching chickens, hindered only by tho carelessness and neglect of tho operator, or the weakness of tho breeding stock that produces the eggs.'. The Best Machine, After a- varied experience with almost every system of artificial incubation, wo have como to the conclusion that moro depends upon tho breeding stock than the incubator itself. Either make of machine generally advertised in New Zealand may be used with confidence. There is nothing "cheap and nasty" about any of them. 4. "ood deal' of the blame given to machines is the fault of bad management and inferior' eggs. No one can expect to make any progress in poultry farming without incubators. They are always readv, and, when carefully, tended, give excellent results. Tho great trouble about poultrv-.farmers is that they use machines that hold tdo few eggs. To be fiddling about with incubators of 60-to 100-egg capacity, when several hundred pullets are required, is sheer waste of time and money, lo hatch with largo machines is a pleasure. With small incubators the ..season drags on wearily, and as much energy'is-con-sumed iu tending 100 chicks as if there were a thousand.- For tho beginner, of course, a small; machine, is preferable, till experience is gained. . '.' Next week this very interesting subject'to to bo continued. '' Of General Interest. . In the Boys' Gordon Hall on Wednesday last (says tho Christchurch Press ), Mr. J.-'B. Merrett, editor of tho iN.A. Poultry Journal," delivered a most instructive ' and interesting e ctnr . e , on "Modern Poultry Culture." The lecture was illustrated with many excellent lantern slides-showing tho progress of the embryo chicken until it breaks its way out of tho shell. The speaker - touched on tho marvellous- manner. . in- whicb. Nature -.provided'for the .sustenance- of the chicken during the .period of incubation, remarking that tho study of the life within tho eggshell was one cf the most absorbing scientific studies that could bn imagined. Tho lantern with which tho slides were shown was operated most efficiently by tho lad who built it—a member of tho Boys Gordon Hall. At tho close of the lecture ono of the lads mado a few remarks expressing the ithanks of the members of the Gordon Hall to Mr. Merrett for his able address, and a hearty vote of thanks was carried by acclamation. For moro than a century past, says tho London "Daily Telegraph," the rearing and fattening of thickens has been a thriving industry of Heathfield, a Sussex village, standing on the crest of a ridge of hilly land. As many as 60,000 fat chickens are sometimes _ sent to various markets from this district in a singlo week. Tho/ birds, known as Surrey and Sussex, realise-some. 30 .per cent, moro than poultry sent from other districts. It, seems hardly wortli while mentioning 50,000 a week after tho million from China, but yet tho comparison is worthy of note. "Hotspur," in the "Australasian, 'in the course of his remarks on tho Melbourne show, says:—"lt was a mammoth exposition of 2191 -.exhibits, embracing 733 dogs, BGS poultry, 393 pigeons, -172 canaries, and 28 cats, and Tasmania, South Australia, aud New South Wales were all represented: Taking tho big collection of exhibits ill all their grandeur of feather, they were something of which this Slate should be proud. I have taken part in twenty-live annual shows from the days of the Brahma and Cochin craze till the present time, and have observed the changes of fashion, and tho making of new varieties and tho revolutionising of others. I have seen the lion-hearted enterprising pioneers of the fancy in the palmy days when money was no object to the enterprising importer, and I have watched the small skilful breeder- ploddingl his way to the front with skill and determination. A recent "American "Weekly" tells of a man who backed his sixty hens to lay 1000 eggs in a month. He won with 39 eggs to the good. ~„,,, . , Tho Dunedin Fanciers Club has issued its prize schedule for the annual show to be held on August 3, 4, and 5. In the poultry section silver cups va.lued at logns., lOgns., 6gns., and 2gns., a marble clock valued at ogns., an oil painting valued at 4gns., ' three trophies valued at 3gns. each, and four trophies valued at 2gns. are offered for competition. Mr. If. G. Hunt will judge Leghornl!, Mr. P. C. Sinclair Wynndoitcs-, and Mr. E. O. Eeilly all other varieties.

In the pigeon section two trophies of fens, each aro offered, while in the. canary section a silver cup valued at Sans, and three trophies valued at 2gns. each arc offered. Mr. \V. B. M'Kenzio will judge fancy pigeons, Jlr. AY. J. S. Tattersfield worfcins; homers, and Messrs. Kerr and Hopkins canaries. Entries close on July '15.