POULTRY FARMING 425 



and schools, and the work of experiment stations, but the work of government depart- 

 ments, of poultry associations of many different types, and even of associations of 

 other kinds which are in various ways engaged in education. This movement began 

 to take definite form when poultry courses were introduced into colleges and schools, 

 and to show continuous growth soon after the first such course was established in Amer- 

 ica, in 1898. It did not, however, make strong headway until near the end of the 

 last decade, and even then many believed that it would soon decline. Within the last 

 few years the permanence of this movement has become assured. Nearly all states 

 and provinces in the United States and Canada now provide instruction in poultry 

 culture at their agricultural colleges, and there are poultry departments at many 

 secondary agricultural schools and industrial schools. Some privately endowed univer- 

 sities are preparing to establish poultry departments. In a number of states poultry 

 culture is taught in special high schools and in a few some instruction in the subject is 

 given in all schools of certain grades. It is generally recognised that this is the branch 

 of animal husbandry best adapted to school work. The wider introduction of practical 

 courses halts for want of qualified instructors and suitable text-books. In other parts 

 of the world the movement is not so marked, yet in nearly every country where poultry 

 production is an important interest beginnings have been made, in some cases earlier 

 than in America. It will not be long before opportunities for instruction in the subject 

 in all progressive countries are nearly equal. 



The most notable events in the educational field in 1912 were the organisation 

 at London of the International Association of Poultry Instructors and Investigators, 

 and the completion of the administration building of the Department of Poultry 

 Husbandry of the New York State Agricultural College at Cornell University, erected 

 at a cost of $90,000. The reports of experimental work with poultry which in recent 

 years have attracted most attention are those on the inheritance of egg production 

 from the Maine experiment station, and those on white diarrhea in chicks from the 

 Connecticut experiment station. In these experiments popular interest in the subjects 

 allowed a concentration and continuity of effort which are not often permitted to Station 

 workers. 



Another example of the results of concentration of force has been given in the 

 work of the United States department of agriculture for the improvement of com- 

 mercial eggs. This work developed several years ago from investigations of the bu- 

 reau of chemistry in connection with problems of legislation relating to cold storage. 

 The department of agriculture has used both the bureau of chemistry and the poultry 

 experts of the bureau of animal industry in it. It has been found that there is an an- 

 nual loss, estimated at $45,000,000, due to improper handling of eggs, especially in hot 

 weather. Through both the bureaus mentioned a campaign of education to check 

 this loss is carried on by the department. 



Current Discussion. The matters of greatest fundamental importance to poultry 

 keepers which have been prominently discussed in recent years and especially within 

 the past year, without definite results, are: the fox question, efficient organisation 

 of poultry interests, and international standards for exhibition poultry. The fox ques- 

 tion has become more acute in England because of the general increase of interest in 

 poultry on farms, and the special increase due to the recent multiplication of small 

 holdings. In America it has not had much attention except in Massachusetts. In 

 England the Poultry Club, and in America the American Poultry Association are subjects 

 of constant controversy because of their alleged failure to adapt themselves to the needs 

 of the poultry interests which they are respectively to represent. The discussion of 

 international standards has been rather a question of Anglo-American standards. The 

 absurdity of having different standards for the same breed in different countries is on 

 all sides admitted, but as they exist the possible effects of changes of standards upon 

 business have to be considered. While there does not appear to be any prospect of 

 immediate action, interest in this question is significant as an indication of the tendency 

 to standardise poultry culture throughout the world. (J. H. ROBINSON.) 



