POULTRY NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3005, 18 October 1911, Page 35

POULTRY NOTES.

By TSBHoa.

J" —lt .is reported that a Gore poultry- ] .breeder has had- a sotting of eggs returned I to him 'by a customer" with the allegation j .that alter testing for sex the egg;3 were found to be nearly all cockerel producers! The sap©.report also alleged that although there is- not much known about "testing eggs for sex in New Zealand, the'practice is ■ general on the Continent of Europe. There is. no reason for believing, that there is an atom more known about testing eggs for sex -on the Continent -q£ Europe than there is in this Dominion or in England, America, an ; d Australia; and, ..if one may judge. by the poultry books and ..journals published in British-speaking countries, by the reports of.- Goyernmerit experimental stations, and the silence on the subject at poultry-breeders' conferences * there is really nothing definite known of tine sub r ject anywhere at all. So far as can be gathered from scientific authorities who . J-'xive studied the sex problem,." an, egg, until it has advanced a-stage in incubation, does not possess the character known i-s sex—'i.e., is neither, male nor female. It is only during incubation that the germ in an egg deeviops in ono direction or the other as regards sex, and science has not yet discovered what influences cause one ■egg to -develop into a male and another into a female. If a person undertakest© test eggs for sex, and the -result is approximately correct, full credit is taken for the prognostication, when, as a matter Of fact, there is no proof that some of the eggs said to be cockerel picduceis did not actually turn out pullets, and vice versa'; for, as a rule, it is not till a, month or so after hatching that the sex ' can be known, Whilst there are scores of people in" New Zealand who oiaim to be able to "test eggs for sex, there are, I believe, hundreds who, having trusted to the prophets and found them fail, have eventually lost all confidence in them. The only . time -I personally submitted eggs to one of these 'experts T took particular; care to take only eggs that I knew were infertile; and I was ho little amused when he separated the sexes with all the echfidnce in the world. Of course, this was not a • fair test, because if the eggs had been fertilised, then: the expert's notion that the air chamber being on one side in some of the eggs instead of fairly at the exid, as in others, may have been a sufficient cause for the germs to have developed one sex or the othejr aeoordung to the tester's theory; or if his theory was not concerned with the air chamber, then the shape of the eggs or the- presence of a wrinkle on the shell, etc., etc., may have made all the difference. When the sexophones, so called, were being exploited at 7s 6d and 10e- 6d each, last season and the season before, it was difficult to explain to some enthusiast that the pendulum or circle motion produced was altogether under the command of the. On© holding the sexophone, and was quite irrespective of the nature of the object being testedr The truth, however, was generally appreciated when it was discovered that if suspended from an inanimate object such as a nail or a piece oi projecting timber the instrument had no momentum whatever. It is pretty safe early in the season, when pullets are highly desirable, because they are to be the future winter layers, to conjecture that there wilt be eight or nine cockerels in everv slitting of 13 eggs, &nd later in the season, when it is a foregone conclusion that the. birds will not lay till the ensuing spring, it is not at all unlikely that pullets will predominate. There are exceptions to every rule, of course, but experience points to results such as I have suggested. A fortune awaits the person who can, as a rul© (surely that is not asking much !) successfully test eggs for sex. I believe Mr Carr, manager of the Government Poultry Farm, had a theory relative to testing eggs for sex, and that he tested it at the farm; but what the result was rumour sayeth not. Mr Ash, of 16 Richardson street, St. Kildtv, who is adverting Andalusians, has several very nice- poi;-. of "the breed, and all but one are from blood imported a year or two back. The solitary exception is a pen imported from what Mr Ash alleges :s the biggest poultry farm in England and selected for export by one of the best judges of the breed. From these remarks it follows that Andalusian fanciers can rely upon gettinig from Mr Ash birds or eggs of a. strain quite distinct from anything they may happen to have themselves. Mr Ash is a fancier pur© and simple, his object being birds of the most modern show requirements, and that he is successful is shown by the fact that he secured a cliarapuonship' at this season's Waimate show, antcl two seconds and a commended at the Dunedin fixture. Andalusians in size are "larger than the modern White Leghorn, but quite as sprightly in carriaige; and ra colour and markings Mr Ash's specimens are standard at every point. Eggs I sawin the nests were a ti-eat to look at in these davs of groat records. It is to be hoped that the demand for this useful and handsome breed will increase here, as I believe it is already doing in Australia, for they constitute one of the most attractive show exhibits.

Parliament intends to take up the subject of the poultry industry seriously, for there id a proposal to be placed before that

august body to create a national poultry institute. This was intimated in a bv Lord Carrington, as Minister of Agriculture. It is stated that the sympathy ol agricultural M.P.'s is entirely with the proposal. They believe that the development \ommissioners could not better expend the «!BSOO asked towards the £20,080 required "or foundation purposes, or do wiser ..han jrant £2050 a year towards the £«WO a required for its maintenance. This Sroposal is a breaking away from the old Ajnservatism whose parrot cry it was that poultry coukl not pay. Now the belief is ill ithe other way, and "poultry-keeping '«," Lord Blyth says, "no longer, a mean's. •)L providing "farmers' wives and" daughters with pin-money; it is a serious business for men and. .women." With an increased temperature and sudden changes, conditions' which are rife as this season of the year, poultry are very ipt to be off colour sometimes.' This want of tone, is due-.in many cases to indigestion. Poultr.yrkeepers should, therefore, care-, fully 'watch their- fowls, seeing;, to it that the food is suitable, and that the water placed before them'is 0001, olean. and fresh. If mashes are given, either moist or dry, an extra portion of bran should be added to it, 'and once a. week a small packet of Epsom salts should be given to each 20 y 30 fowls' in a moistened morning mash. A little special attention at this time of year will save a world of trouble later on when summer is on hand.

Camphor is an- excellent remedy for colds" in poultry. Colds are" the start of' •oup and many other diseases to which poultry aTe subject. They therefore should not be neglected. A . piece of camphor about the size of an egg may bo tied up. in a cloth and placed in drinking water. A piece of iron may be put in with the camphor. This will keep the _ camphor at the bottom of the drinking vessel, and enough of the camphor will dissolve daily to check colds or roup. Camphor roust not be given to laying hens, as the odour will be noticed in the eggs. It is however, a first-class remedy for young and growing stock. '. ■ ■-•-■ The Central Produce Mart (Ltd.) rex>rt that jxxultry has been exceedingly scarce, and some record prices were obained at' their sale oil Wednesday last. Hens ; realised- fromi 2s 2d-to 2s lOdi each; young roosters, from 2s 9d to 3s 7d each;, ducklings, from & 3d to 3s. 6d; and duok6 irom 2s 9d, 3s, and 3s 3d each. Eggs.— These have been meeting good inquiries, ind all lines are moving steadily "at full market prices. Ordinary case eggs are realising lOd to 10£d. and stamped and guaranteed are rea-lising lid per dozen. Young ducklings and cockerels are. eagerly inquired for, and high prices are certain; to be secured for early consignments.

DUNEDIN FANCIERS' CLUB. There were :36 members present at the .nnual meeting of the Dunedin Fanciers' \3lub, held at the offices''of the secretary on the 6th inst In the absence of Mr J. A. Park (pre-; sident), : Mr E. Webster (vice-president) took' the chair. : The Chairman moved the adoption of the 'outgoing committee's report, which, inter alia, contained the following clauses : "In presenting the_ 31st annual report,. your committee wishes to congratulate the memb#s oh' the fact that this is the first' time for many years that you have had the ; pleasure of seeing a balance sheet piit i fore you showing a-credit balance at : the : bank. Members' subscriptions show a; slight increase, but your committee would be pleasedto see a larger list of members, j The committee was placed at a great dis- ! advantage this year, owing to the lateness of the show, which had to be postponed from time to time on account of the Agricultural Society not being able to decide finally on what date its show would be held. But, notwithstanding all these delays, the show turned out a great .success, both as regards exhibits and the attendance of the public, which was good, although slightly short of last year. The judging was again done practically jby local men, and gave general satisfaction. Mr Leedham again carried out the arduous duties of ring steward to the dog judge, and he certainly deserves the club's thanks. The Special Prize Committee — Messrs Rogen, Carolin, Conn, and Oinand —is to be thanked for. its efforts, and the good results shown on the special prize list The club wishes to thank Mr Snowball fpr his attendance as hon. veterinary surgeon; also the judges—Messrs H opsins, Kerr, Sinclair, Hunt, Rogen, Webster, Brownlie, Conn, Reiliv, M'Kenzie, r and Kyle—for the very able manner in which they gave their awards, and Messrs Kerr and Hay no for their exhibits of Per- * sian eats. You roommittee again has to thank the treasurer, Mr E. Webster, for his energy at all times on behalf of the c club; also Mr W. Henderson, the club's superintendent, and the secretary (Mr Wilson), who carried out his arduous duties with credit to himself and the olub, and your committee is pleased to be in a position to once more vote him a bonus." The report was unanimously adopted. In speaking to the motion for the adoption of the balance sheet, the Chairman drew attention to the fact that the assets at present amounted to £425 Is 4d —a figure which he believed would be the envy of other clubs in the Dominion. He also pointed out . the savings made in various leading items of expenditure. The receipts showea—Subscriptions £4l, entry fees £lB7. 15s. door takings £2lO 14s, sales of exhibits £22 3s 9d, or a total of £516 4s 4d. The expenditure included —Wages and salaries £6 19s, rent and fittings £54 9s, and a profit on the show of £BS 14s 4d. The motion was adopted and" the committee thanked for its efforts on behalf of the club. A notice of motion by Mr H. M. Brownlie, "That a special committee be sot up to revise the club rules," was and the following committee was elected—■ namely, Messrs Brownlie, Hopkins, Allen, and Menzies. This committee was also requested to take into consideration the ringing of poultry at shows The election of officers resulted as follows:—Patrons— The Hon. Sir George M'Lean, M.L.C., and Messrs S. S. Myers and S. Solomon, K.C. (re-elected); vicepatrons—Messrs F. Rogen, R. ActonAdams. P. L. Wright, J. A. Johnstone, Alexander Begg, W. F. Edmond, W. Downie Stewart, A. W. Shaw, Lieutenantcolonel G. H. Stewart, Major G. R. Ritchie, Captain Crosby Morns, Mr Talboys, and Dr Macpherson} president, Mr J. A. Park; vine-presidents —Messrs E. Webster, P. S. Omand, J. W. Thomson, and Menzies; treasurer —Mr E. Webster; auditor —Mr G. M. Mac Lean; hon. veterinary surgeons—Messrs W. D. Snowball, j

Kerrigan, and G. Edwards; hon. solicitors—Messrs Stewart and Payne; commit-tee—Mc-.'i-s Conn, Skene, Rogeti, Trewern. Leedham, W. Omand, Hopkins, Esquilant, White, Adair, Caroliri, Hunt, Allen, Tattersfield, Ellis, and Dav; life membersMessrs S.-S. Mvcrs, H. Brownlie, R. Ferguson, H. G. Williams, R. Brownlie, R. A. Crawshaw, J. Rennie, J. Rose, T. Hides, and H. P. Harvey.

Messrs Kerr, Mills, and Talboys were accorded a vote of thanks for their services as scrutineers. - ....

Mr P. Carolin gave notice of motion: 'That members' tickets be ss, and entry money 3s 6d for members and 3s for nonmembers in future." Mr Kerr was unanimously elected a lite member of the club. A bonus of £lO 10s was voted to the treasurer, Mr E. Webster.; - A "'vote of thanks was. Unanimously passed to Mr J. A. Park for his valued services as president. " , ' \ .