358 Home Production of Poultry. 



Though experiments are being' conducted with artificial incu- 

 bators, the hatching- is done chiefly by hens and a considerable 

 share of it by turkeys. Mr. Massey informs me that he has had 

 " many turkeys now (July) sitting over three months, and they 

 appear quite at their ease." The chickens are not confined in 

 the pens of the main building, as at first proposed, but placed in 

 moveable " runs," so as to give them fresh ground frequently ; 

 some are reared under hens, some under artificial mothers, and the 

 loss in chickens has been very small. The total number hatched 

 has been (up to July) about 500 at Bromley, and a similar 

 number at the Hertfordshire establishment, while about 1000 

 pheasants' eggs were then hatching ; but the chickens would have 

 been much more numerous if the Company, having a great 

 demand for their choice native and foreign varieties, had not 

 disposed of all their early eggs for sitting : in fact, during the 

 spring, the receipts were from 30/. to 50/. weekly for fancy birds 

 and eggs only. It is too soon yet to say whether or not the 

 Company will make handsome profits ; but at present, though 

 the expenses are very heavy, the managers consider that their 

 prospect is exceedingly good. One of their chief branches of 

 business hitherto has been the importation and sale of fancy 

 French breeds (with which the Company have won many prizes 

 at English shows), and a new trade is opening up for their novel 

 poultry fittings and appliances. One point, at any rate, seems 

 to be already established : the brood stock remain healthy, the 

 chickens are not subject to any unusual average of mortality, and 

 the French breeds, quickly acclimatized, give every satisfaction. 

 Mr. Massey tells me that he has " never seen an ailing Houdan 

 in the establishment." At present the Bromley Home is chiefly 

 devoted to the breeding of what may be called " fancy " birds, 

 that is, pure-bred fowls of the most valuable varieties, but the 

 supply of ordinary market birds and eggs on a great scale will be 

 gradually embraced in the growing operations of the Company. 

 This part of their business is already large, though the demand 

 is only local. 



Another great undertaking is advertised by The British 

 Poultry-Breeding Company (Limited), whose farm is at Kattern 

 Bourn, Shenley, Herts, about fourteen miles from London. 

 According to the prospectus, the Company proposes to begin 

 Avith 1000 laying fowls and 2000 breeding hens, from which they 

 expect to sell 150,000 eggs a year, at I5. 6rf. per dozen! and to. 

 rear, with the assistance of artificial hatching, " at the smallest 

 estimate," 100,000 chickens per annum, which will be sold at 

 " an average pi'ice of 3^. 6f/. each ! " A further sum is looked for 

 from first-class specimens, "say 100 raised in a year, to realize 

 5/. per bird! and the manure and feathers are still further to 



