POULTRY FOR EXPORT.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 4288, 22 February 1901, Page 3

POULTRY FOR EXPORT.

THE WELLINGTON DEPOT. INCEPTION OF A PROMISING INDUSTRY. When a dairy expert wa.s_ first, appointed to tlio Department of .agriculture, the innovation was regarded m many quarters as ouc entailing useless expenditure, and hardly likely to materially affect the wealth of the colony. With the inauguration of the export of frozen chickens and ducklings—on the lines of the very .successful trade which has been established between Australia and London —confidence in the work of fostering the poultry industry has been established. Mr D. D. Hyde, tho Government Expert, has shown untiring energy m his efforts to start the preparation, grading and packing of the birds on , the correct lines, and from what a "Timex” representative saw the other day at the Wellington poultry export depot, there is very little room fox 1 improvement in the work controlled by the Government. If the producers will give the same thought and attention to breeding and maturing the poultry, tho highest prices on the London market will bo at their command. A fortunate circumstance in connection with the inauguration of the trade is the fact that several London dairy produce ’houses, which are represented in the colony, are prepared to advance at tho same liberal rate as is charactcristio of their treatment of shippers of butter and cheese, making an advance against the bills of lading up to 83 per cent, of the market value of tlio birds. Poultry depots for killing, dressing, grailing and packing havo now been established at AVollington, Auckland, Dunedin and Christchurch, and a thoroughly competent poulterer and grader has boon appointed to each centre. Immediately the birds are dressed they arc packed and sent to the freezing works. The package adopted resembles a dressed fruit-case, hut with this difference, that the case is packed from the side. The ease is lined with butter cloth, has openings both at the end and sides, and has a batten running across cither end of tlio case on the bottom, so as to allow a free circulation of the cold air of tire freezing chamber.

The killing of the hulls is done on Hio American system—cutting into the brain from tho inside ct the mouth, so as not to show any disfigurement of the head. This is important, for the head lias to be loft on the bird, tlie plucking only being done to about half-way np the neck. After the bird is plucked—the fine feathers of the wing being also loft on—the head is washed and a piece of cotton wool is put inside the moutn. in order to absorb any moisture. Before being cased, the head is wrapped in a piece of 401 b parchment paper and the wings and legs are neatly lucked in. Blotting-paper is placed between, tho two layers of birds in each casefive in each layer—to absorb any moisture- consequent on freezing. Altogether, the packing of tho birds is carried out on tho most approved principles, and is identical with tho system practised in America and Australia.

On the top of tho ease is branded, in large letters, the words “ New Zealand Produce,” the initials of the producer, the not weight of the case, and the stamp of the department—‘’Department of Agriculture, New Zealand. Graded by Government Inspector.” On the front .side the number of. tho case is stencilled. It was noticed on an examination of the ducklings which were being prepared for shipment at the depot the other day that some showed tho yellow flesh of the Pekin straixi, while others had the white flesh, of tho Aylesbury. It is a, point to be remembered by producers that the London poulterer wants a white-fleshed bird, with white lags, and it is only for such birds, whether they be chickens or ducklings, that he will give the highest market price. It is partly for this reason that the Dorking is such a popular table bird at Homo. Its flesh, however, is greatly improved in flavour by crossing with tho Indian game, which breed, by reason of ite very hardy nature, also counteracts tho delicate constitution of the pure Dorking. For the same reason the Pekin duck, which is of a hardy nature and matures very rapidly, has a corresponding effect on the more delicate Aylesbury. Mr Hyde, the Poultry Expert, is of opinion that it is not advisable, therefore, to entirely neglect tho Pekin, even though the colour of its flesh is against birds of the breed securing fancy prices. A peculiarity of tho Pekin duck is that after being killed its flesh becomes much darker, xvhile the Aylesbury maintains its fine table colour. In selecting birds for the export trade, it is to be remembered that eye have to cater solely for tho London mai-kct, and tho requirements of that market must be considered if the business is to be brought to a successful issue. The Americans, for instance, will have nothing but a yollouT11c.shod bird, and consequently there is a great demand from them for Pekin ducks and the yellow-fleshed fowls. The English epicure, on the other hand, demands a whitc-fleshed bird, and must have it.

Mr Hyde is of opinion that a breed of fowls which will come into great prominence in the export trade is the' buff Orpington, as it is a white-fleshed bird, with light legs. It is also a very hardybird, matures quickly, and the hens are very fair layers. A special article on this breed will appear in the “New Zealand Mail” of next week.

The Wellington Poultry Depot is situated on Government land near the Black Swan Butter Factory, and at present consists of two unpretentious lean-to sheds, one devoted to three rooms for killing, packing and storing, and the other to pens capable of accommodating 300 birds. The expert in charge of the store can kill, pluck, dress, grade and pack 100 pairs of birds a day. Those persons who are desirous of shipping birds this season —from February to May—or of embarking in the business next year, can -rain all the information they want by means of an excellent pamphlet issued by the Agricultural Department, and edited by the department’s expert, Mr Hyde.