POULTRY NOTES

New Zealand Tablet, 4 October 1917, Page 43

POULTRY NOTES

(Byl'Mr. G. W. Ambler, Christchurch.)

The Editor having very wisely decided to include Poultry" Notes every alternate week in the already wellfilled pages of the Tablet, ; and having given me the opportunity of writing these notes, I shall endeavor to give reliable and practical information to the poultry breeders, who are readers of the Tablet. Poultry culture was previously looked upon as a hobby, it is now to be regarded as a serious business. People do not ask, "Do you keep poultry?" but "Do poultry keep you Nor are they concerned over "Will poultry pay?" but "How much will thev pay?" I shall also endeavor to provide the readers with a sound standard of poultry keeping, and in as many instances as possible, touch upon details arising from special conditions. The cult of the domestic hen is very simple provided the recognised rules of the game are strictly adhered to, and by a careful study of my notes, I hope to help the readers to discover the stepping stones to success. The many pitfalls associated with the industry will from time to time be clearly pointed out, and with the aid of my notes, the wise poultry keeper should succeed in avoiding them, and if my writing inspire a greater respect for the little domestic hen my labors will not have been in vain. My articles are not in any sense intended as being for the fancies, but details relating to poultry keeping generally. I will, however, from time to time give a fair idea of the broad characteristics of the different breeds. There can be no doubt New Zealand is sadly behind in practical poultry keeping, and it is correct we are yearly paying large sums of money to other countries "for eggs which might with greater advantage be retained at home. It is true that to individuals the returns from poultry would only be small, but the "Scotch," proverbially a canny race, have an old proverb that "Every mickle maks a muckle," or to translate it into English, "It is from an accumulation of small things that great things are produced." This proverb has a two-fold application in this case: it is applicable to the larger amount of money which would be earned throughout New Zealand . if many people each earned a little by poultry keeping, and it is also applicable to the state of individual farmers in this country who are suffering from depression of trade or war. I do not believe for a moment that farmers could make their farms pay 1 by going in largely for poultry keeping any more than I believe that the solution of any agricultural difficulty could be found in the universal production of corn, but I believe that poultry keeping is one of the small things which is utterly neglected by farmers in general, and that if they were to attend to it properly, and also attend to some of the other small things which they equally neglect, they would find their rewards in the vastly improved state of their balance sheets. The Government deserve to be congratulated on their effort to stimulate . "poultry keeping." General attention has been directed to the subject by lectures and demonstrations r on poultry keeping, delivered in most parts of the Dominion by the Government experts, Messrs. Brown and Cussons. : , That the lectures, together with the different laying competitions, are beginning to bear fruit cannot be doubted by anyone observing the great increase:. in the number, of poultry to be ; seen in the various districts as one passes through. There are also many working men in the outlying districts, with their small sections ; of vground; who would find their, reward in cultivation 'of>;poultry;? while even v in our towns a good deal r could be i;* done i by careful selection of stock, and attention to their wants. Some timei : : ago in England we heard a lot of "three acres and a ) cow " j si. would succrest in New Zealand instead" of. ',. purchasing "three acres and a cow," see what they }f can do with three square yards and a . hen* or even , v , t ; half a dozen.--hens. Three square yards may seem a small spice to .'devote; to half , a dozen hens" and I do . not for one moment advocate so small? a limit if • it can £■ . ,«,.** .... , i ....,' .'.'. ... •: • . ,\

be avoided. I have, however, known of cases where! half a dozen hens were successfully kept irt a space of 4ft by 10ft. Poultry keeping has a thousand charms. ;■ It affords pleasurable occupation to a multitude* whose hands would otherwise be idle, or perhaps be mi&r chievously employed. It stimulates intelligence which would otherwise lie dormant, or be- exercised in less beneficial directions.' ~. It appeals >. to the best class among our cottagers, and to the artisan who has not the same amount; ,;of|; ground at ; his disposal in which to tend his stock, and who likes to : have the best procurable, just as it does to those whose circumstances are more favorably conditioned. , We all like to see and own the best and to feel our efforts are worthily expended, and our chief reward as poultry lovers lies in the pleasure of watching the growth and development of our stock and in realising,, that we have not been occupied in vain. Should my writings be the means of bringing more "grist to the mill" of the many of our poultry keepers, I am certain not only myself, but our worthy Editor will feel more than repaid. , .... - :.....;„.,.