THE POULTRY INDUSTRY IN 1916 311 
pay more. In many cases eggs and poultry are now in the luxury 
class, which is not to the interest of poultry-keepers. 
The causes are manifest—namely, (1) higher cost of production ; 
(2) reduction of home supplies, owing to depletion of poultry 
stocks ; (3) large demand for hospitals, forcing up prices by com- 
petition ; (4) great advance in shipping charges ; and (5) reduction 
of imports. 
Of these the three last-named have had the greatest influence. 
The needs of our wounded heroes must be met. At the same time, 
there appears to have been want of organisation in buying. 
Instead of sending eggs from this country to France, the War 
Authorities should have obtained supplies from Italy. Had the 
Government dealt with shipping in the early days of war in the 
same way as railways, the inflation of rates would not have taken 
place to the same extent, equally in regard to feeding stuffs and 
other goods. 
Reduction of imports is, however, the main factor, as seen in the 
statistics recorded below. Here are the facts, comparing 1916 
with 1918, so far as volume is concerned : 
WEIGHTS OF IMPORTED EGGs AND POULTRY 
E Poul! 
Tons ext 
1913 7 ‘5 P - 179,833 278,465 
1916. ‘ 5 . 55,053 137,382 
Reduction ‘ 124,780 141,083 
Thus we find that in 1918 sixty-three eggs per unit of population 
were imported, and in 1916 only nineteen ; or a decline in supplies 
of forty-four eggs per head in Britain, as practically all these are 
consumed in England, Scotland and Wales. 
As a result of war a very important development has taken 
place—namely, importation of dried and liquid eggs, mainly from 
China. In 1913 none were recorded, although a limited amount 
of trade was done. Last year the declared values were no less 
than £1,393,141. Prior to the war these went chiefly to Germany. 
They are used by confectioners and pastrycooks, The dried eggs 
