VII.- MILTON (Continued)

Otago Witness, Issue 2456, 10 April 1901, Page 48

VII .- MILTON (Continued)

Dorkings. — Messrs H. and D. Moyes keep both the silver and dark breeds of this old English favourite. Their birds are all a fairly correct lot, and among them I noticed a sprinkling of really superior specimens. All looked weighty, healthy, and vigorous, and in watching them I could not help wondering why the breed is not more popular than it is amongst fanciers. Is? it not a fact universally acknowledged, that the Dorking is one of the finest table birds, and that, mated with the game, it gives the table bird par excellence both as> regards weight and quality — particularly the latter? The only reason I can give for the neglect of this very useful breed by the fancy is that the idea prevails that it is not suited to our variable climate. I think this idea is erroneous, and I will give the grounds for my opinion. As my readers may have noted, my tripe — last year north and this year south — were both undertaken in tbe very worst possible month of the year in whioh to see birds to advantage. In the interests of readers of this column, however. I may explain that I think I can learn more from fanciers when they are in the midst of their difficulties than at any other time, and consequently I feel it is not an unmixed evil that I miss seeing them and their pets when at their best. Now, just when adult birds are either approaching or actually enduring the rigours of the moult, and the young stock are bursting their hackle feathers or shedding their chicken plumage, how have I found the Dorking in comparison with other birds? Fii et class ! I have in every case found the Dorking stand the closest scrutiny, and notwithstanding the wretched summer of this yea.% the most advanced chickens of all that I have seen were, as I have already reported, of this breed, at Lawrence.

Those who contemplate shipments of poultry Home will do well to bear in mind that the Dorking is a weighty bird of excellent quality, that the game-Dorking cross fetches the highest price per lb on the market, and that with them, by care and skill, tremendous weights can be attained. Cockerels weighing 211b Boz the pair were placed in the English market la=t season.

Mr Patten is one of Milton's best-known fanciers, and his birds have been sought for far and wide. His particular fame lies in brown Leghorns and silver Wyandottes, and undoubtedly he keeps the beet. Having had many years' experience in the fancy he has learned — as all fanciers should — to take the ups and downs which are inevitable with equal equanimity, and I was much struck with the almost ttoic indifference with which he related to me his hatching mirfortunes of only last season. What a pitiful story some fanciers would have to tell if after importing at a high figure fhe dozen eggs they had only succeeded in hatching out eight birds! Of course, Mr Patten did not pretend to be at all proud of achievement, but, on the other hand, it would be hard to tell that he was in any degree "cut up." This was not all, however, for of tlx 1 e-ght birds hatched only one is worth looking a(. The fact that some of them were deformed did not in any way disturb Mr Patten., tian-q-mlhly of mind; he conld forgive that — he reckonod it but an accidental circumstance, impossible to guard ngain-t. Ina much as they were not true to tyre, hovie»ei, was civile another mattoi : -md if thcie i-> one m us; more certain than another, it is thai Mr Patten's nap ortatioii" will be fiom an Alter source m future. U it not strange that even leading fanciers do not strive a

little to guard their reputation better than they do? It is quite evident that tliey sell the produce of their yards before they aro in a position to guarantee it. Probably — it ought to be impossible — they dare to sell eggs from hens — perhaps from pullets — mated to a cockerel of unknown quantity, one -very likely that was bought at the LM show— an "improved" bird, or, in other words, a handsome mongrel ! Amongst Mr Patten's oirds I saw a very nice white Leojiorn cockerel from Mr Peter Sinclair's strain; a very hardsome brown Leghorn of the Messrs Tonar's 'train, a very nice lot of brown chicks bied from the last-mentioned bird; and an equally good lot of Wyandottes bred from a very fine rooster of a Melbourne strain. This fancier's birds have the advantage of plenty of scope for foraging in grass, etc., thorough protection from wind, ample tree and bush shade from sun, and their housing— already described in these columns— is on the most modern principles. Finally, I may hay that Mr Patten knows the points of his fancies thoroughly, and I have always found an interview with him instructive as well as interesting. Before venturing to describe my experiences and discoveries at Mosgiel and neighbomhood, where I, may say I found the interest in poultry-farming far more general than in any ether locality I have \icited, I will take the liberty of trying to impress as convincing-ry as I' can a- few of the "musts" essential to successful poultry-rais-ing,, and I fhould like those who are careless in such matters to understand that I am not going merely to detail my own peisonal experiences, but truthb which are the outcome of the practice of the poultry world generally, and which I invariably found closely observed by the most successful fanciers. By successful poultry-racing I mean hea.thy, plump fowls, and a good yield of egg?. watertight roofs to poultry houses are a first essential. Sounu roofs ct ,-ourso mean dry floor*. Dry roofs are not -cured by iron covering, bo-^er sound, for tVat- allow moisture to permeate through a..d reun-n, m the hhape of heavy drops, the brerth of tbn fowls thence l\e=, which is not absorbed, but condenses upon tho iron. Ibe ceihng immediately above the fowls, as they roost, iuuf.l be of wood or some other absorbent material. Cleanliness.— This is also a leading essential, and c/ne not secured by spasmodic attentions—i.e., by having everything epic: and span juet when the fit takes oi">, or when a visitor is expected, [t means regular periodical cleaning oi't of droppings, whitewashing of walls, cleaning of percln-s by scraning or application of disinfectant', the providing of dv.st baths for the fowl , and when inspection (which bbould be t«equent) of the fowls theui=el\e d «hows tbar i, is necessary, the treating of Uo birds \v*y insect powder, sulphur, or vhate\or e.'-o may be found effective. Feeding Chicken?.— Keep chukens gloving from the very start. At fuvt feed often, bill sparingly, so that nothing is left to sour, but keep satisfied. Subsequently feed i^» often but more liberally— i.e., feed til they will oat no mere. Feed early and feed late. If chickens are stinted when young they cannot develop to their best and they will not lay as th»y should. They will stait laying later, lay but few oggs, and knock off earlier. Feeding Layir.g Hens.— lf cl'owod plenty of range, two good feeds a dny, as much fib they trill eat each time will suffice. Foraging for whit they can find during +he day will keep thorn on the move and healthy. If confined in runs a mul-d.ty meal is nccoceary. Over-feeding causes a growth of fat about the egg passage and consequently provents laying. It also causes disease, vv ellbred fowls suffer less from generous feeding —as the phrase goes, they "put it ii.to a good skin. — than do mongiclb. Early chickens are the moot profit-iL-lp. They grow larger — getthig the full benefit of the universal spring growth of inssct life and vegetation— and consequently lay sooner than later-hatched chickens. Late chickens may be healthy and ultimately lay well, but they are too long developing to be profitable. Autumn ohiokens as a rule arc small, no matter how well fed right through the winter, and develop only in the spring time. Water must always be fresh and sweet. To ensure this, tine, fountains, etc., require cleaning every day without fail, and what is equally necessary, they must be kept out of the sun.

Grass or other vegetable substitute is nece&sary to poultry, both to young stock and old. „ . „ Very Important.— Don't be discouraged it upon mending your ways in any of the above particulars you do not find immediate good results, but keep right on, sticking to the rule, and ultimately— perhaps not till next season — improvement is sure to result. Remember that to get top results from fowls you must begin at the beginning, begin with the eggs. Further, it stands to reason that eggs from bird 3 bred by experienced breeders alone give chickens which will profit to the full by skilful treatment. Chickens hatched from eggs laid by neglected birds will profit in a measure by good treatment, but not as pedigree chicks would do. The foregoing remarks are for the novice or the, as yet, unsuccessful poultryman, and not for the fanciers such «->■ I have been reporting upon. It is by studying the methods of the la-tter class, of course, as I hope I have made sufficiently clear, that I feel in a position to speak with conviction on fcuch matters. Mosgiel next week.