322 



Journal of Agriculture, Victoria. [11 June, 1917. 



are for genuine sales and, as the birds on each occasion were purchased 

 by a breeder who does not keep fowls as a hobby, it may be safely assumed 

 that the price paid was not above fair market value when the egg pro- 

 duction of these birds was taken into consideration. 



During the past ten years, I am pleased to say, a very great im- 

 provement has been effected in the egg j^roduetion of White Leghorns 

 and Black Orpingtons. In years past America led the way for prolific 

 layers, but the figures which have been obtained by pens of six birds and 

 by individual layers, as well as by the total number of birds at com- 

 petitions in the Commonwealth, have exceeded the best records estab- 

 lished in America, and Victoria can justly claim to have influenced 

 these figures to a great extent. In the competitions just concluded at 

 Burnley, White Leghorns and Black Orpingtons had by far the greatest 

 representation, and they were also ahead in egg production. While 

 allowing that these two breeds are the best egg-producing varieties, it 



New Building at Burnley containing 150 single pens. 



must also be admitted that if the same expert knowledge and careful 

 breeding as have been given to Whit© Leghorns and Black Orpingtons 

 were given to other breeds, there is every reason to believe that they 

 could be greatly improved. 



The arrangement under which breeds other than those named com- 

 peted has afforded valuable object lessons, and interesting comparisons 

 are provided by the records of the egg production from the different 

 breeds kept under exactly similar conditions. The provision of single 

 testing pens has brought the present competitions at Burnley up to date, 

 and all breeders are unanimous in declaring for single testing as the only 

 reliable method of indicating the best layers. As a proof of the 

 high opinion in which single testing is held by competitors, it 

 may he stated that they unanimously agreed to forgo all prize money 

 for the tests of the current year on condition that the Department 

 would provide single pens for the testing of the different breeds, 

 and the erection of 150 single pens was completed early in April. 



