WOMAN’S LARGEST POULTRY FARM.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 144150, 21 July 1913, Page 4

WOMAN’S LARGEST POULTRY FARM.

A PAYING BUSINESS. Writing of a visit to the womanV largest poultry farm, owned-by Miss Edwards, of Coaley, in Gloucestershire,. Mary M. Maxwell in ■ the Daily Chronicle says:— . , • . , A few years ago she ei tirteci out in; business on a half-acre tff land, with. 20 birds, one incubator, a fed only a'little village girl to help i'tt the poultry' .yard, tho housekeeping, a aid the stable,. She put 300 eggs into th at single incubator, and took from it /only three little chicks, and they died during the/ first week. What sh© ?i©arned at first* was simply how not.iff. bo a poultry* farmer, and when you -team how not bo, he anything, you are iff a fair way of .learning how to be ilt the next time you try. She is now sending birds all over the world—to Egypt, ■ lllosoow, Turkey, Holland, Nigeria-; Bmyrna, Buenos; Ayres—and it was dh© who sent -the first Buff Orpington's .to tho United States, and the first Siilvter Qampines to' Australia. During rth© year she sells thousands of eggs a*H tiknfsands of-lit-tle live chicks. She, will up an asf firing poultry farmer in-. a-small or a arge way, supplying evoitythiug,' from the fowls to the wire neittmg for the housing. She sells her '.winners for from £5 to £IOO each, and for one she received £165. She is prudent of the Ladies’ Poultry Club, and (a member and judge in a dozen cdhte-r poultry dubs. 1

POULTRY KEEPING FOR WOMEN. As , a business for women, poultry farming is increasing in favor.fi', and Miss Edwards gives as its advauv-ages, first, that it is work for womtvi at home; second, that it offers operfings for women in public and private '‘.appointments; third, that it is specially suitable,for the daughters of farmers and clergymen who have land at tho.w disposal without paying a rental; and,,, fourth, that it can be made a successful financial business by women who take land solely for the work of fancy and utility farming. At tho samo time she discourages girls from starting out in this business unless they have a fair amount of capital, and have an income sufficient for their maintenance while they aro getting their start. A small place of two acres may be started with an original outlay of £SO, the farmer ■ paying at the rate of 50s per acre for the hire of tho land. Tho £SO would include three breeding pens of birds, two incubators, two brooders and poultry houses, wire netting, and stakes. There -is then the feeding to be considered, and other incidental expense® that will come up during the year. Thoso young women who have not tho capital to begin in business for themselves often take tho course of twelve weeks, and then, if clever and capable, are sometimes able to secure positions as resident poultry assistants at salaries ranging from £2O to £3O a year, including board and lodging. Or they may bo able to teach ,in the poultry departments of agricultural schools.