8 Jan., 1908.] 



The Poultry Export Trade. 



51 



week, at the rate of one pound to twenty birds. The food should be moist 

 and crumbly and in cold weather should be fed warm ; grit, charcoal, and 

 green food should be supplied daily. On topping off poultry the sexes 

 sho'uld be kept separate, and a warm and dry spot should be selected for 

 penning. The heavy breeds are the most suitable, and the chickens should 

 weigh at least 3 lbs. each when put up for topping off. They should not 

 be more than 4 to 5 months when .ready for export. 



I am pleased to be able to state that a good all round improvement can 

 be noted in the breed, quality, and condition of the poultry sent in for 

 export. This is fully borne out by the fact that on the London market 

 ducklings brought up to 13d. per lb., while chickens realized from lod. to 

 I id. per lb. The demand, even at that price, was much greater than the 

 supply, and numerous inquiries have been made by purchasers as to the ar- 

 ranging of a regular supply. The best months for export to London are 

 from January to March, and for local consumption from September to De- 

 cember. 



The following is the value of poultry exported from Victoria from ist 

 July, 1904, to 30th June, 1907 : — 



J904-5 ... ... ... j£ii,6-jj 



1905-6 ... ... ... ;£i4,957 



1906-7 ... ... ... ^17,248 



BUFF ORPINGTONS. NOTED FOR THEIR TABLE PROPERTIES. 



Experiments have been made both in America and England on the cost 

 of rearing and feeding p&ultrv for export and also' egg production, and a 

 comparison of those with the above should be interesting. Professor J. 

 W. Robertson, of the United States, conducted the following test : — Three 

 lots oif 12 chickens each of the same variety and age were selected. One 

 lot was placed in a fattening coop and fed twice a day. Another lot was 

 put in an open pen, whilst a third lot was put up in a coop and fed with a 

 mixture of mangolds and ground oats. The food given to< the first and 

 second lots was composed of ground oats mixed with skim milk, and during 

 the last few weeks some tallow was added. The birds in the fattening 



