POULTRY EXPERT'S VISIT.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16782, 11 July 1922, Page 4

POULTRY EXPERT'S VISIT.

SOME VALUABLE HINTS. At F**e»ni/wi?’s Cafe last night, j>fr C. A. House was the guest at di.nneof the poultrymen of Christchurch- Mr G. E. Jeffreys, president of South Island Poultry Association and of the Christchurch Poultry. Pigeon and Canary Club, presided, and amongst those present were Messrs H. Beck (president of the New Zealand Utility Poultry Club), Arthur Smith, R. Pearce, secretary of the Christchurch Poultry Club. J B. Merrett, R. AV. Hawke, and a largo number of prominent breeders of fancy and utility poultry and of pigeons. The toast of ‘ c The King ” was honou redThe chairman said that he was exceedingly pleased and highly honoured in welcoming Air House as a fellowfancier. (Applause.) In extending a welcome on behalf of the fanciers of Christchurch, he hoped that Christchurch would try to emulate the 15.009 entries of the Crystal Palace show. Mr J. B. Merrett. in proposing the toast of “ Our Guest,” said that in Air House they had one of England’s best as far as the poultry world was concerned, and it would be very unbecoming if they did not honour such a Air Arthur Smith in supporting the toast, welcomed Air House on behalf of the fanciers of Christchurch, and spoke of the debt of gratitude they owed to Air House for his writings. Air House, who was received with applause, said that he had been in soni« surprising situations, but that day had been one string of surprises. Air Merrett had spoken of him (the speaker) teaching them : he thought that they had been teaching him! He had heard, during the two or throe days he had been in Christchurch, that the Christchurch fancy of to-day was not. the Christchurch fancy of the past. Those who said so did not know how it was.

but asserted that it was ,-o. Well, they were not to alter things } if they encouraged that -pirit. (Hear, hear.) They should be up and doing ! and show the same spirit that their boys had shown six or seven years ago. That was the spirit to bring Christchurch up to its past standard : they had the pluck if they only liked to j -how it. People ofren complained about things but made no effort- to put them right; they would never get Christchurch to the front unless they made a determined effort. AA hat had made the fancy of Christchurch in the past had been the energv the zeal, the enthusiasm put into it. and they could not* tell him. in the face of recent history, that there was nothing of that spirit left. He was convicting them out of their own mouths, not out of his own, because these were things j that had been told him. He hoped that when he came back in two years he would find things different. He had seen some of their stock that- day, and one thing he had noted was that some breeders were not paying that attention to detail that meant success. The man who looked after details, the little things, never missed the big j ones. He had seen that day some very handsome birds, and some not so handsome —and he had seen them not only in the same stocks but in the same pens. Ho would give those who had birds to sell a tip—if they wanted to make the best money they should not let their flocks be mixed, cull well and strongly; the man who culled the hardest was the man who reaped the biggest monetary success in the industry. It was wiser to kill some birds before they laid than to feed them for six months and find that they could not. lav. He described how the utility men in England classed their birds as extra special pen 1,2, and 3, special pen 1,2, and 3, and pen 1. 2 and 3, and said that it might be all right, but he. as a plain matter of fact man. when he went to a fancier’s yard wanted to see his best ; when the different pens were examined a big difference was found in the stock. If they put their best birds, carefully selected and graded, in their No. 1 pen. they would be a pleasure to them as breeders, and a pleasure to their customers. They should endeavour to ingress men who vent to their yards to purchase by showing them something bet ter than they had at home, j and if the birds were properly graded their customers would want to buy them. Even if they did ,not have the same keen competition that breeders had at Home, they should make it a matter of pride to sort and grade their birdft. Pedigree was all very well there was no man stronger than lie was on pedigree—-but it was the rock on which inanv a poultry breeder foundered. Not only the bird but pedigree was wanted, and not only pedigree. but the bird was wanted. They should also give attention to type -to breed characteristics. 1 tility men had a great deal to say about fanciers spoiling the breeds, but in his opinion, the utility men were bigger sinners ; than the fancy men. The fault of the j fancy men was going to excess in the J matter of breed characteristics. The utility man did not do that, but went j on the idea that the hen was sent into j the world only to lay eggs, and some ) were so silly as to expect a hen to lay j an egg every day of the 365. They bred from the stock with the highest records and overlooked the characteristics of type. He emphasised the important of health in utility poultry, and said that a bird that was narrow in the chest was like a man or woman with a narrow chest -it was an indication of weakness. He was told that big birds would not lay big eggs, but any doctor would support his assertion that weak animals would produce more freely than strong ones. Health, strength and stamina were more important than were number of eggs, rii a lengthy reference to Australian Black Orpingtons, Air House said that (in England thev had loeen named “ Australorps,” and he thought that a most suitable name. The Black Orpingtons lie had seen in New Zealand approximated more closely to the Orpington. ideal and standard. Air House I spoke at some length on his experiences as a judge, and gave some valuable hints to those who thought of takhift up judging. Other toasts honoured were: “The Musicians,” proposed bv Air H. Beck ; and “ The Press,” proposed bv Air R. AY. Hawke. During the evening songs and other items were given by Alessrs R. Vincent, P. Jones. A. Trueman. A. Owen and A. M’Donald. The proceedings closed with the singing of “ An Id Lang Syne.” *