THE Temuka Leader. TUESDAY, JANUARY 23, 1900. EXPORT OF POULTRY.

Temuka Leader, Issue 3538, 23 January 1900, Page 2

THE Temuka Leader. TUESDAY, JANUARY 23, 1900. EXPORT OF POULTRY.

The present Government have left nothing undone to develop the resources of the colony, but the farmers have not on all occasions helped them as they might have clone. It is very difficult to move a farmer out of his own groove, aud tho officers of the various departments do not go about it as well as they might, Tho following letter speaks for itself: TO TUB EDITOR. Sir,— On the 15th of January tho breeders were officially informed that poultry for London could have been sent since last December. Apart from the anomaly to give notice six weeks after the time has lapsed, tho public would suppose that the Department can forward at once from Canterbury any suitable poultry. la an interview, Mr Hyde was obliged to admit that not a crate is actually made, and no graders nor dressers appointed tor this province. The Government does not know if tho birds shall bo dressed in Lyttelton or elsewhere. To save the appearance of tho dressed birds, Mr Hyde advises to draw tho olfal with a hook, which is tho most unpractical way to get a clean bird for tho table ; hence the difficulty to find a suitable dresser.

To push the trade tho Government ought to make a net advance of 3s Gd per pair of birds selected, and deduct the expenses from the price realised at Home. Mr Cameron, the Government produce agent in Loudon, has plenty of time to control the sale of a few crates of poultry. AVith such full information the farmers would know how to manage for the future instead of having to work in the dark as they are" actually asked to do, by bearing themselves unknown costs and freights. The most striking feature is that the Burnham School has not for the present a score of marketable birds for export. Since tho Government has undertaken there tho expensive initial expenses starting poultry rearing on a largo scale, that Institution ought to have thousands of birds ready if proper steps bad been given under good management.— Fours, Alexander Beck, M. E., Experimental Foultry Farm, Woolston, January IS, 1900.

Nothing could be more absurd than to announce on the loth of January that poultry could be taken to London at the beginning of the previous December, but it is not fair to blame the Government for this. It is impossible for Ministers to look after every detail like this. They can only give directions to tho heads of dejiartments, and if they fail in their duty Ministers cannot help it. They can, and should, now that attention has been drawn to it, demand from the responsible officers an explanation as to the cause of such a ridiculous neglect of duty, but the poini is, Did the announcement of tho 15th January refer to last December or to next December f AVe do not, of course, know. Wo have no information on the subject except what is contained in the above letter. One thing wo know, however, and it is that the Government will find it difficult to get farmers to do much in the breeding and rearing of poultry. The fact is they do not grow enough for home consumption. Last Christmas it was almost impossible to purchase poultry in Temuka. We have knowm people to search all round for good fowls to buy for Christmas dinner, and they had to do without them. This should Dot be so. Fowls can be roared very inexpensively on a farm, and there are few things which would yield greater profit if looked after properly aud with due regard te breed. The eggs, the feathers, and the flesh are all marketable commodities, and now, since they can be frozen and taken to Loudon, no one need hesitate lost they cannot sell them. The fowls reared in New Zealand during the summer months would reach London in the dead of winter, when good prices are obtainable, and would without doubt, yield handsome profits, but it will take a good deal of persuasion to get our farmers to attempt the experiment. AVe remember a time when the Government sent round here expert after expert to teach farmers how to make butter and cheese on tho most approved principles, but there was scarcely a farmer availed himself of it. AVe also remember the time when the Government sent us for distribution a largo number of pamphlets dealing with the dairy industry, but only two farmers ever took the trouble of getting any of them. If anyone in any other trade or calling were offered a wrinkle iu his own line he would very readily avail himself of it. Tho farmer alone refuses to be taught. He knows all he wants to know. Now ideas and improved methods have no attraction for him. In this respect tho farmer makes a great mistake. No one knows his business so well that ho cannot bo taught something new, and in tho matter of poultry reaving we should advise fanners very strongly to give the matter their most serious consideration. The Government are ready to give all information on tho subject, and have recently issued a circular dealing with tho matter, a copy of which we publish elsewhere. We would advise farmers to give it their attention, and if they do they will find that there is money iu it.