POULTRY NOTES

Marlborough Express, Volume LIII, Issue LIII, 25 October 1919, Page 10

POULTRY NOTES

MODEL FAKM ; S IN NELSON

(By ~"0vo.")

That poultry raising can be made i\ profitable industry on a ymall plot ol laud was easily demonstrated to the writei- during last woek while on a visit to .NelboiT: The main success in poultry raising, lil*c a.ll other busilkr^es, i.> to have a capable man at ti.e head, one who knows the game irom A to Z and Js a thorough worker. Side-lines in the way of a mirkec-gdi'den are an adjunct which ii'/!ke- ; poultry more payable than o.heru ise. Poultry must have green trod to obtain the best results; const yuenlly a vegetable patch is a ne-c-.^ity. , At the homestead of Mr Frank t'ibi>ons, situated in Vanguard t'.'treel, NeLon, all thesa essentials can be .seen by the visitor. Mr Gibbons lisks two acres of .really fir&tciass land in a sunny spot, on which ho runs LOO fowls and breeds every jvar approximately 1200 chickens, mostly of the White Leghorn and I.lack and Buff Orpington breeds. The chicken-> are all hatched with the ;iid of six incubators, all heated by gas. Besides chickens, Pekin duck's arc reared in large numbers. Grit Lulls, bone mills, and other machines <ire all driven by "power," consequently hard work is obviated in some of the .sections. The housing sind general arrangements are a credit to the owner. Mr Gibbons, *. part from being in the game for business, is an ardent fancier, and is si good judge of birds oi all varieties. "Ovo" can safely assert that the appointments in connection vrith the iarrn are equal to anything 'of their kind ;n the Dominion. , ■ - Whilst touring Nelson J was driven out Lo the up-to-date 'and model vegetable garden and poultry farm owned by Mr H. Baigent, of the /Masonic Hotel". This farm is run in conjunctio.i with the hotel, and. praq,-. tically all the supplies are obtained irom the farm for its use. Situate ii) Halifax Street, there is presented to the victor a beautiful two-storey-ed residence, surrounded by a magnificent flower garden and shrubberies, 'whilst the vegetable garden nnd pcultry run are adjacent, all bfcing on the one plot. The owner is a' ~koen observer, and daily puts in n any ho lire watching operations, which ho coi.Ridors one of the best recreations that -it is possible to have. Mr Baigent runs about 50 fowls, and breeds hundreds of chickens every >car\oi ieally good varieties, Buff Oipii/gton"? being his pet class, and of these he possssses some champions. The visits to both these homesteads were t revelation, and ,my recruit | gcing into the double /business 'should pay a visit Lo these places, where lio would learn and should inwardly ■digest ihe up-to-date methods adopted.