CANADA AND AUSTRALIA. 



i-ji 



long distances, with all the risks involved 

 therein. The standard of quality upon the 

 British markets is distinctly higher than either 

 in Canada or the United States, and, as a 

 consequence, grading of eggs for England has 

 to be carried . out very strictly indeed, in 

 addition, strong complaints were made as to 

 the English system of selling on commission, 

 which had proved very unsatisfactory. One 

 merchant told me that he did not think, even 

 when the Canadian supplies had overtaken the 

 trade, they would go into it again to any 

 extent unless they can have their own repre- 

 sentative on this side. I have no means of 

 determining how far these complaints are 

 justified, but such were the statements made." 



Australia also sends a certain amount of 

 dead poultry to England, and shipments have 

 been made of cold storage eggs, but the latter 

 trade is of little account. It would 

 Australia. have the advantage of opposite 

 seasons, sending off eggs when most 

 plentiful, to arrive when most scarce — but the 

 risks and uncertainties of the business have 

 been already mentioned. Poultry-farming is 

 quite a recognised industry in several parts of 

 Australia ; one very marked area being the 

 shores of Botany Bay, a few miles from 

 Sydney. Here as much rent is charged for a 

 few acres of poor land and a wooden shanty 

 as for an equal holding and decent cottage in 

 England, the competition is so great ; three 

 to twenty acres being the usual size of the 

 holdings, and the produce being sent in by 

 cart to Sydney, where the dead poultry are 

 often sold by auction. It is significant that 

 whereas the Sydney Labour Bureau had for 

 several years previously reported poultry-men 

 as wanting engagements, in the annual return 

 issued June, igoo, no person professing such 



an occupation was registered as out of employ. 

 Some of those Botany Bay farms produce 

 chiefly ducklings, for which a Muscovy cross 

 IS largely used, others chickens, others eggs ; 

 and stock birds to improve stock have been 

 largely imported during late years. 



So far (see table, page 137) dead poultry 

 has chiefly been sent from West Australia ; 

 but Sydney is actively moving in the same 

 direction ; and the only definite figures we 

 have are from that quarter. The expenses of 

 shipping, commission, etc., are found to amount 

 to about lod. per bird. 



The latest development of the Australian 

 industry is a recent, and so far rapidly in- 

 creasing, export of dead poultry to South 

 Africa. 



Taking a general view of the whole trade, 

 there is nothing to discourage the home pro- 

 ducer who can send to market the better 



qualities of either poultry or eggs. 

 General The very fact of distance prevents 



Conclusions, any foreign produce from being 



first-class, and the British public 

 are becoming better educated to the higher 

 value of first-class. If attempt be made to 

 fight the question of distance by cold storage, 

 up to the present price, and quality also, 

 suffers. For cheaper grades the outlook is 

 less promising ; and so far as these satisfy 

 a public of their own, we are not clear that 

 British growers can compete at a profit any 

 more than in growing other things. The pro- 

 ducer must aim at the best, and at getting it 

 to market in the best condition ; and just as 

 our splendid English hot-house grapes are 

 beginning even to be exported to the Con- 

 tinent, so new-laid English eggs and the best 

 English poultry will, we believe, find a paying 

 market even during the present century. 



