EXHIBITORS AND LAYING STRAINS.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLII, Issue XLII, 8 February 1908, Page 1

EXHIBITORS AND LAYING STRAINS.

There are a few oxhibitors whom vo personally know who kill and narket every bird they roar which is lot up to exhibition standard or good jnough to sell at a long price as breeding stock, rather than sell them it low prices as culls and these exbibitors do the poultry-keeping industry a "good turn in adopting this method, as they do not spread broadcast throughout, the country numbers of birds to bring dire disap' [lointment to their now owners, and lend somo colour to the cry of the pessimists who delight in saying that poultry do not pay. Where there ia one exhibitor, who combines a good laying strain with exhibition stock there are at least twenty who pay no regard whatever to the laying qualities of their fowls, and when it is remembered that they nearly all sell their faulty birds- to the general poultry-keeping public, it will 'not be a,. difficult matter to see how p,oor layers', are obtained. ' OOOD'tAYING QUALITIES . .--*- IMPERATIVE. It is nb good trying to make utility" poultry pay unless they are bred from stpek whoso merits for the breeding pea are based on good laying quali-

\ ties. It may be thought that we Jay § too much stress on this point, but wo I cannot help emphasising the importf ance of fowls being from good laying i strains if they are to be made a success; when wo call to mind the numbers of struggling poultry-keepers who are feeding well flocks of birds from which they are hoping to get °Sg s , but which will not ever pay their owners ior their food and troua ble, on account of not being able to produco sufficient eggs to supply a 1 margin for profit.