64 POULTBY FATTENING. 



other parts of the country equally suited to the 

 industry. 



Whatever is to be learned in connection with English 

 poultry fattening must be from the Sussex district. 

 Of course there is a large and decidedly useful amount 

 of poultry produced in other parts of the country, 

 more especially in South Lincolnshire, Essex, and the 

 Wexford district of Ireland, but the examples to be 

 met with in the south of England are certainly of the 

 highest type, and there can be no doubt that a splendid 

 quality of fowls are turned out by the fatteners in the 

 county. 



So far as the question of the trade is concerned it 

 is very difficult to appreciate exactly what is done in 

 this direction, but I find from Mr. Eew's report 

 already referred to, which is later than the estimate 

 I made two years ago as to the output from Sussex, 

 that the trade now represents something like £160,000 

 per annum. It is to one fact, namely, regularity of 

 supply, that the district can dominate the poultry 

 markets of the entire country. More will be said on 

 this point in considering the question of marketing, 

 but it may be well to mention that a regular supply is 

 essential to the success of any industry. In the 

 majority of instances fatteners do not raise many 

 fowls themselves, but send out higglers who collect 

 from raisers. I show here (Pig. 9), collecting cage 

 carried on a man's back, for by-roads. 



It may here be pointed out that the staple food 

 used by Sussex fatteners is ground oats. The reason 

 for the adoption of this food is somewhat difficult to 

 discern, but oats are largely grown in the district, and 



