POULTRY NOTES

Otago Witness, Issue 2624, 29 June 1904, Page 57

POULTRY NOTES

Br Terbob.

— From the Government Poultry Department I learn that Messrs Nimmo and Blair, who have recently taken up the agoncy for the Victor incubators and brooders, have sent an incubator to each of the Government poultry farms — Momohaki and Milton — for trial. This incubator has not hltheito been sold on this market, but from American sources I learn that it has been adopted as the machine for use at the poultry farm in connection with tb& World's Fair, St. Louis, in preference to any other American machine.

— Tlie machines sent to Momohaki and Milton, as above mentioned, are eaci of 200-egg capacity, are claimed to be absolutely self-regulating ; and are peculiar in comparison with other machines in the important particular that they combine both the hot water and hot-aii principles of incubation. This is contrived by arrangements which provide that the lamp flame not only heats the water in the overhead tank, but also the free current of fiesh air which is continuously passing through the egg chamber, The Victor incubators and brooders are manufactured by the George Ertel Company, of Illinois, 111.. U.S.A., a firm which has been established 38 years in the business of incubator manufacturers, and is naturally proud of the distinction of being chosen in preference to piactically all other American manufacturers for the concession at the disposal of the World's Fair authorities. During- the show ;ome 30 to 50 large incubators will be worked, and on the 200 ft x 300 ft space occupied by the World's Fair mode-l poultry farm, the story of the chic-ken will be told from the egg to the- table, and spectators will be initiated into all the mysteries of the poult ry business from the time the fresh egg makes its appearance in the nest to its serving as a broiler on the table of the epicure.

— I notice that Mr I). H. Holland, whose white Le-ghorns I referred to in terms of hig-h praise in reporting iipon my visit to Palrnerston !North. scored for jMe^rs Briscoe and Co.'s £3 3s trophy for exhibitoi* scoring 1 most points in white Leghorns at the Auckland show. Messrs Tonar Bros, got a leg in for this trophy last year. It lias to be won twice in succession or three times at intervals.

— The winner of the black Orpington cockerel class at the recent Christchurch show — substqucntly sold at auction for £11 — was bred at the Bisham Poultry Farm, and sold by the proprietors shortly prior to the 6b.ow at the catalogue re-erve price. Attention is directed to the BUham Farm's advertisement.

— In view of the suecsss of Danish poul-try-farming, carried on principally upon small areas of from two to three acres, some information published respecting the methods adopted in Denmark should prove interesting. It appears from an official report that a few years ago the Danish farmer regarded ponltrv-raising as a "necpssary evil." which oould not well be dispensed with, and until 1867 no attempt was made to export eggs. In 1870-71 only 50.000 dozens of eggs were exported, but in the followinsr fiscal year ths exports mmped Up to 555,000 dozens, and in the forowinq year they attained the remarkable figures of 2.310.000 dozens. The Danish farmer, in fact, has discovered the golden possibilities of egg-production, and since that date the trade has constantly increased. Poul-try-raisin? requires close supervision. This the big farmer is unable lo give, and it is the small land oeeunier who looks after the business himself that is able to make it a success. Another reason for the neglect of the industry is the lack of organisation, f-h* pnultrv-rflisc-r bom? derwident on the local buyer for the sal© of his eegs. Tlie obv ous solution of this difficulty is co-one-ration. The Danish Co-operative Egg Export Association was established in 1895, and in that year handled epss to the value of about £4300, while in 1902 it received £217,600 for the eggs sold by it. It lias

now a membership of 33,500 farmer*, diwcled into 500 local societies, each society having its own by-laws, which, however, must conform to the provisions of the central organisation. Each society collects at its own expense the eggs produced on the farms of its members, and prepares them for shipment to one of the eight general shipping fcntres at its own expense, and profit-sharing is absolute. The follow ing are briefly the rales of the association: — "No circle of fewer than 10 members is admitted to membership in the company. Each circle on being admitted pays into the company about 6|d per circle member. Each circle admitted is obliged to deliver all eggs collected from its members to the company. Eggs over seven days old must nob be delivered, under penalty of a fine of about 6s for the first offence, and double that for further offences. A circle must not keep eggs longer than four days after collection "before pending them to a general shipping station of the company. The eggs must be delivered absolutely clean. Each egg must be stamped plainly both with the number of the circle and with the number of the member of the circle delivering the -egg. Each circle must provide its members with stamping ink and rubber stamps bought of the purvej'or indicated by the company. Each member of a circle must forward all eggs produced except tho=e needed for home consumption and for hatching." The eggs are carefully graded into classes, and are sold by the pound f.o.b. All expenses are paid by the co-operative company from the time tlie eggs leave the local sociefes until they aie placed ort, board ship. The average expense is 6 ore (3d) per (kilogram (2.21b). In other words, the expense is a trifle over a halfpenny per dozen. The co=t of collecting the eggs from the farmers and bringing them to the local societies' centres is borne by the local societies themselves. This work is done by a collector selected by the circle board. The collector is usually paid so muoh per pound of eggs collected. The expense of this collection is very low, perhaps on a-n average not more than 2 ore per kilogram (a farthing per 2.21b), or something less than a farthing per dozen. The total cost to the farmer from the time the eggs leave the nests until they are on board steamer is therefore fd yer dozen. About 25 per cent, of the co-operative- eggs exported are rickled. It is here that the greatest profit is made. The process of pickling is the ordinary limewater process, with some additional secret processes. The minimum price paid by the association during the year at different times illustrates the important point of how confidence on the part of consumers increases the value of a product. In 1898 the lowest price paid to the farmer in the height of the summer season was 50 ore (6id) ncr kilo-gi-arn; in 1901, 60 ore (8d) r>er kilogram : and in 1903, 68 ore (9) per kilogram (2.21b),

— A correspondent request? me to acquaint poultry importers that birds cannot be shipped on the understanding that freight will be paid in New Zealand, as the shipping- companies require- freight to be paid whe-n they take charge. Owing to ignorance of this fact, my informant has just suffered disappointment through the non -arrival of birds of Warren's wmmns> strain, and wishes by timely warning to save trouble to other importers.