lo July, 191--] Kcpart au l-.^^g-laynig Com petition, 1011-12. 



43.3 



lazy, and. consequently, not so fertile. It is regrettable that the old type 

 Minorca with lighter head gear, which used to produce an egg averaging 

 2\ ozs. in weight, has almost ceased to exist. 



Size of egg is a matter of heredity, and should he caiefullx considered 

 when mating up the breeding pens; it is of quite equal importance as 

 numbers. It i.s not uncommon to get a lid. dozen more for a guaranteed 

 2-oz. egg than for those mixed lots too often seen in the sale rooms. A 

 few years back Denmark was threatened by the English buyer, that unless 

 the eggs improved in size, the firitish ])ublic would look elsewhere for the 

 hen product. The Danes set to work to remedy the complaint; and in a 

 few seasons produced what is known at the present time as [9 lbs. weight 

 for long hundreds (120). and her cash receipts for hen eggs from England 

 is e.stimated at nearly ^3,000,000 per annum. Australian poultrv breeders 

 would be wise to carry this fact in mind. 



Method of Housing. 

 To accommodate the competing birds commodious pens were built. 

 The ground on which thev were placed was cleared and drained. They 



RESERVE PEN SHOWING CONSTRUCTION SHELTER FRAME AND YOUNG TREE 



BUDDLEIA FORMOSA. 



were built under the supervision of the Public ^\ orks Department ; the 

 dimension of each pen was 30 feet by 12 feet. The pens are separated by 

 plain sheet iron, 3 feet high, and this is again surmounted by wire netting 

 (4 feet by 2% mesh inches). Xo to]i rail finishes off these partitions, and 

 consequentlv there is no inducement for the fowls to reach obstacles that 

 afford no footholil. The plain sheet iron which surrounds the runs gives 

 excellent shelter from winds, and induces (]uietude amongst the birds. 

 In a corner of each pen is a gahanized iron house 8 feet by 4 feet — the 

 frame work being outside. The onlv wood seen in the inside of ihe house 

 are two pieces of jarrah 15 inches high and a 4-ft. length which drops 

 into slots in the uprights and forms a perch. The-e can be easily removed 



