A VISIT TO THE CHIEF POULTRY YARDS

Otago Witness, Issue 2407, 19 April 1900, Page 47

A VISIT TO THE CHIEF POULTRY YARDS

OF S'ORTH OTAGO AND SOUTH CAN-

TERBTJRY.

I found in Oamaru another very enthusiastic and successful breeder of white Leghorns in the person of Mr W. B. Burns, who, like Mr Hunt, whose birds I reported upon last week, is also a great prize winner. This fancier showed me several very fine birds with which he had made good records in the show pen, and though at the time of my visit it was rather early to judge, I fancy that amongst his younger stock he has .some very likely birds for exhibition purposes. Mr Burns is apparently a fancier of great experience, and in the course of an hour's conversation I got some very useful hints and confirmation respecting some theories I already entertained. Mr W, J3E. Wilson, of Allen -street, Oamaru, was not at home at the time I visited his pens, but under the guidance of Mr Hunt I managed to see his birds. Here I saw the winning second prize Dorking cockerel of Timaru and Oamaru last year, and the first and second prize hens. Also a cockerel that gained second at Timaru and first at Oamaru. I saw a very promising 12 weeks' old Dorking cockerel of wonderful size running loose, and some pullets of very nice colour (the salmon in the breast being as pretty as can be imagined), .well defined toes, and good shape.

Mr John Symington, of Nen street, fancies partridge, cochins, black-and-red game, and game bantams (duckwing, blackfeds, and pile), and as he has taken prizes at many shows, it goes without saying that he keeps the very best of stock. Of the kinds he keeps it will interest my readers to know that Mr Symington has the largest stock I have seen anywhere. He does not pretend that his particular hobby is a particularly profitable one, but he loves his fancy, and breeds purely to further it. All the birds at this yard looked well, and even the great cochins, clumsy as they appeared alongside the trim games and bantams, seemed unusually smart and comfortable.

Next week I have a short note to make of a visit to Mr Lundon, at Waimate, and will report upon Timaru fanciers. Curtailment of Space prevents my writing further this week.