Frozen Foidtry in South Africd. 171 



although they cost f.o.b., Montreal, 9d. per lb. Repeat orders, 

 however, have been accepted at 7|d. The mainteuarice of the same 

 standard of quality and packing as these, cannot fail to command a 

 big business. 



Defects in Australasian Shipments- 



Birds from New Zealand have also been shown me at times as 

 being better than ours, but so far as I have seen we have nothing to 

 learn from that Colony regarding this trade. In most respects our 

 production will fully hold its own with theirs. If anything, probably 

 theirs are plucked cleaner than Victorian, but they possess the same 

 fault of discoloration. As regards Victorian fowls, one is compelled 

 to admit, even regarding the best of them, when they are seen on the 

 poulterer's slab sandwiched between the Russian and Canadian that 

 we have still something to learn, and that we are at best but third in 

 the race for the trade. 



Most of our fowls are well-conditioned, but owing to ineifective 

 bleeding, they become badly discoloured, showing numerous black 

 blood clots, and their appearance alone creates a comparison that is 

 dead against us. This defect is stated also to shorten the period of 

 their wholesomeness after being exposed for sale. The leading 

 poulterer here informed me that he can depend on the Russian and 

 Canadian fowls to keep fresh and sweet from the time of opening the 

 cases, for at least five days, whereas in the Australian, decomposition 

 sets in after the third day. 



Another cause of complaint against Australian poultry is that of 

 irregular grading. One large importer in Durban assured me it was 

 no uncommon thing to have four or five different weights in a case of 

 15 birds, and I have myself seen a 3^ lb. fowl in juxtaposition with 

 one of 24 lbs. 



A merchant showed me an invoice for 1,000 Russian young fowls, 

 averaging 2^ lbs each, and he assured me that from experience he 

 was justified in asserting that if the whole lot were weighed in- 

 dividually, that the variation would not exceed one or two ounces at 

 the most. This is explained by the fact that they are all of one 

 breed, they are mostly hatched about the same time, they are fed and 

 fattened on the same kind and quantity of food, consequently there is 

 great evenness of growth, development and weight. The weights most 

 preferred are from 3 to 3^ lbs. each. 



The Range of Prices. 



It frequently happens that some little defect in the preparation of 



an article is atoned for by a reduction of what may be considered the 



standard market quotation, but in the question of price as in other 



matters, we are at present at a disadvantage with other countries. 



Canada quotes now TJd. per lb. 



Russian Fowls, 3 lbs., London packed, are 4s. to 4s. Gd. per pair C.I.F. 



Victorian, 3 lbs., 5s. to 5s. 6d. per pair C.I.F. 



New Zealand, 3^ lbs., 4s. 9d. to 5s. 3d. per pair C.I.F. 



