104 POULTRY BREEDING IN 



I. The Object of the Voyage. 



The primary object of the voyage was to ascertain 

 everything connected with poultry breeding in France, 

 which might assist in promoting the success of our 

 undertaking ; also to inquire into the truth of numerous 

 assertions in the public papers, that there existed in the 

 vicinity of Paris most extensive Gallinocultural estab- 

 lishments, which by their particular system of artificial 

 incubation, rearing, and feeding poultry on horseflesh, 

 realized in one instance, viz., in that of M. de Soras, 

 upwards of jE40,ooo per annum. I need scarcely say 

 that, after the most searching investigation within a 

 radius of forty miles of Paris, my opinion has been 

 fully confirmed that such establishments do not nor 

 can possibly exist ; moreover, I can now firmly assert 

 that there is not one establishment in existence within 

 fifty miles of Paris where poultry breeding is carried 

 on otherwise than on the old farm system ; in fact, as 

 you will perceive hereafter, I have spared neither time 

 nor expense in this inquiry : yet, although I have been 

 unable to trace anything like a system in poultry breed- 

 ing in France at all approaching to that we are about 

 to carry out, it cannot be denied that I have obtained 

 very valuable information, which will, no doubt, prove 

 of great advantage to our Company : moreover, I ob- 

 served such startling novelties connected with poultry 

 breeding in France, that I deemed it to the interest of 

 our society that at least two of the directors should 

 come there also to enable them to corroborate this 



