POULTRY NOTES

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 10, 6 October 1917, Page 13

POULTRY NOTES

(Bγ Chanticleer.)

Various Poultry Topics. The Christcliurch "Press" contains an interesting report of aji interview with, Mr. J. B. Merrott. from which wo take tho following :— "Tho chief object of ray visit to tho North Island," 6aid Mr. Merrctt, "was to join the. executive of the New Zealand Poultry Association in presenting to tho Minister of Agriculture some- of the remits passed at theEaater conference. Wo naked the Minister to fix a standard for pollard. At present, you see, millers arc turninj out bran and calling it pollard. No wonder they are satisfied with the price, £6 15-. a ton. The poultryman, doesn't mind paying for bran, but to pay pollard prices for it is a bit too muoh. Wo also aeked for greater care to be oxcrciecd in handling eggs sent, through the poet. But pur main subject was tho Asiatic egg. Parliament can do a lot of things, but I don t think it possible to shut out of New Zealand, any pure food. The frown stuff now coming in is quite pure. Tho Government may, of course, prohibit tho use of tho imported yolks. ' In any case, it, would take a year to absorb tho supplies on order and on hand, and by that time producers could do much towards making up the nhortagCß. "When in the Wairarapa I was offered ample land for a poultry settlement for ten returned soldiers. Tlie gift was worth many hundreds of pounds, hut the locality was not suitable. So application is being made for 183 acreß already secured by the Government, and on this area eighteen returned eoldiers can he placed. An instructor would be placed in chareo. Each soldier would havo ten acTes. Hβ could keep a, couple of cows, have fruit tjces, ilovycr and vegetable jjardene, and supplement hie poultry income. Each wtuld have a good home erected, and tho settlement would work on co-operative lines in the pmichasG of all foods and rcnuisitos, as well as in tho marketing of their produce. Poultry-keeping 'ia not a simple work. You emile? Well, lot me tell you it requires a creat deal of thought and attention to detail. It is unlike handling most undertakings. The poultry-keeper has to care for life of the highest animal order, and great care ia needed to make his -work 4 6uccesß." "In the matter of poultry, the numbers are smaller, but they'are of greater value. In eggs Vfe market more. The Canterbury Egg Circle number two hundred and fifty members, but it i 3 difficult to know -whether leas or more egtrs were I marketed before the war. The circle markets more, you aee, but that is the leault of concentration. I fear that when the census returns come to hand the numbers of birds kept will he less, and we may find a, greater need for importations. Still, the quality of the birds is improving, and with a little more encouragement, and the promise of foreign competition ent out, ■we can soon bring our production up to requirements.