88 Journal of the Department of Agriculture. — July, 1922. 



THE POULTRY YARD MONTH BY MONTH. 



July. 



By .1. .J JonDAAN. I'oulliy iiistruLtor, School oi Ajiiiciiltiiii', Cilcn. 

 Orange Free State. 



Oigaiiizdtion. — At tlic present time, co'-operative organ zation engages wide 

 attention. All sections are combining to wafbh that their interests do not suffer, 

 hut the real spirit shoald be to get an honest and square deal for the labour and 

 capital one has invested. To keep up with the march of progress poultrymen 

 must also organize, and the questions thus arise as to v/here, how, and when. 



When to Organize. — This month a start must be made. Eggs are still a fair 

 price, and the need may iiot be pressiug, but what about September, October, 

 November, and December next? They Avill then be a glut on the market, due 

 to heavy product'on, competition, lack of control, over output, and various such 

 cau,ses ; with low prices ruling and bills to meet, producers undersell each other. 



If organization were undertaken now when the supply does not meet the 

 demand, producers would learn to know each other better by then (and it is 

 hoped as a result to trust each other also), the sources of demand would be 

 more known, the good marks and so on. This would all tend to make for 

 continued business during the " glut " period, and at prices ruling higher than 

 would probably otherwise then be obtained. 



If action in organization is delayed until then, no increased price can be 

 (xpected, as the consumer has a large supply to draw fi'om, and the eggs frou 

 the organized mark still being comparatively unknown, would not get anything 

 more than the ordinary price, while the overhead charges of the organization 

 would still have to be deducted from the members, so that many might become 

 discouraged and drop out. 



How to Organize. — One of the main reasons why co-operation has not proved 

 so successful in South Africa in the past is on account of " big starts." This 

 has brought about downfalls in more directions than one, but principally 

 because mutual trust through personal knowledge of each other was difficult to 

 attain. Start therefore in a small way. Half a dozen producers, say, might 

 combine, each doing his share of the work entailed; eliminate overhead charges, 

 but, above all, at the outset firmly implant the principle of loyalty. 



Poultry clubs, farmers' associations, agricultural societies, should all ass'st 

 ill the formation of egg circles, egg depots, and so on. To get the best advice 

 on such matters address the Poultry Instructor of the School of Agriculture 

 nearest the district concerned, as local conditions, facilities, markets, supply, 

 etc., must all be taken into consideration. 



It will be necessary to form a small committee, as it generally does the 

 most and best work. It would be an advantage iff one of the members v.ould 

 undertake the necessary testing, grading, marketing, etc., of the eggs. A set 

 of rules, that must be carried out without fear or favour, must be drawn up. 

 Some central receiving place to Avhich producers must bring or send their eggs 

 should be decided upon, each supplier to have proper egg boxes for sending eggs 

 to the depot and a rubber stamp to stamp his eggs with a distinctive number or 

 mark, so that doubtful or bad eggs may be traced. There must be kept a proper 

 recording system of quantities sent in, forwarded, disposed of, and amount 

 realized. P^ach egg must be tested, so a proper testing lamp is essentiial. A 

 supply must be obtained of commercial egg boxes to send all eggs to market from 

 the depot. 



Methods. — Eggs must be gathered daily and regularly sent in to depot, 

 stamped with the producer's number: all' doubtful eggs to be returned or 

 destroyed. Careless or deliberate suppliers must be severely dealt with. This is 

 vital. Eggs should be bought on a weight basis to encourage the production of 

 a first-class article. Disposal of the eggs must be at the d.scretion of the com- 

 mittee ; payment to be made to members monthlv. 



