IRELAND TO THE RESCUE 161 



(exclusive of Uckfield), during 1904 represented, in fact, 

 a total weight of 653 tons. Bred by the Irish peasantry, 

 the chickens are taken by them to the markets at Kilkenny, 

 Carlow, Baltinglass, Bagnalstown, Tullow, Carrick-on- 

 Suir, Athy, etc., and there the birds are bought up by 

 wholesale dealers, who despatch them at once to Heath- 

 field or Uckfield, by way of either Waterford, New 

 Milford, and the Great Western Railway, or Dublin 

 (North Wall), Holyhead, and the London and North- 

 Western Railway, which represent the ' quick ' routes ; 

 or, alternatively, by the weekly Clyde boat from Water- 

 ford to Newhaven, whence they travel over the London, 

 Brighton, and South Coast lines to their destination. Of 

 the live Irish chickens received in 1904, 527 tons came 

 by the quick routes, and 126 tons by the long sea route. 

 The rates from any Irish inland town by the quick 

 routes work out at 7 per ton ; and from Waterford by 

 boat to Newhaven, and thence by rail, 3 53. per ton. 

 Notwithstanding the difference in the rate, the majority 

 of the birds are sent by the dearer routes, partly because 

 they then arrive in better condition, and partly to suit 

 the local markets, as the detention of the chickens for 

 transport by the weekly boat would involve difficulties 

 in regard to feeding, etc. 



The effect, therefore, of the totally inadequate sup- 

 plies of available chickens, not merely in the southern 

 counties, but also throughout England and Wales, is 

 that the Sussex industry is handicapped by the cost of 

 importing Irish birds and these, also, of a less desirable 

 quality to make up for both the local and the national 

 deficiency. Nothing, in fact, would suit the Sussex 

 fatters better than that farmers, small holders, cottagers, 

 and others in England should breed chickens of suit- 

 able qualities for them to purchase and fatten off for 

 the market. 



ii 



