POULTRY FOR MARKET.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XCIII, Issue 10594, 1 March 1895, Page 2

POULTRY FOR MARKET.

TO THE EDITOR.

Sjr,— Answering Mr Walker’s letter, neither he nor the poultry societies have introduced most of the birds he mentions. It is recorded that the “ pilgrims ” had a stock of good ol# English races of fowls. Those robust pioneers never thought that later on Yankee mongrels would be introduced to spoil their work. The time of useful importers such as Isitt, Saunders, the Rev C. J. Merton, and others like them is gone. Wo hope that with the help of the New Zealand Poultry Association a stand will be made against the doings of some of the members, who have not the slightest desire to improve our stock. In “ Jours’s” opinion, when a man buys a show bird, reared in wadding and crossed in-and-in—as it is nine times out 0 f ten—he simply wastes his money.—l am, Ac., *JOUBS.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir, —In further articles in the Canterbury Times I shall prove by statistics that the Mediterranean birds, except the Minorca, have done harm in the egg trade as well as in the table-fowl trade. Mr Walker is wrong when hestates, in strong terms,|that no members are killing their surplus stock for sale. Nobody can stop their doing so; anyone can do with hia birds what he likes; but then, as Poultry Society members they ought not to boast of improving our yards. I . am glad to hear, for the sake of poultry-rearers, that the Leghorns lately imported are in good health. I need say no more on the subject of the sale of diseased fowls ; the local authorities will, no doubt, take steps to stop this traffic. A last word : Neither Mr Walker nor any of his fellow fanciers does anything to help by their experience the rearers of poultry for the market, Yfo only hear of them at show time, when business is to be done amongst the fanciers. Mr Walker ought to knowthat in giving the results of their long experience for the benefit of the colony, the Canterbury Times’ correspondents are doing far more than some of those who perhaps spend hundreds of pounds in spoiling our stock as the members of the societies have lately done.—l am, &0., *THE CANTERBURY TIMES’ > CORRESPONDENT.