1920.] 



Incubating Stations. 



1231 



good. Nevertheless, the records of the birds this season have 

 been exceedingly good, and over 1,300 chickens and 85 adult 

 birds have been distributed. 



The stock raised during the year has proved vigorous, and 

 the mortaUty has been very low. Careful records have been 

 kept of the pedigree of the birds retained, and the Station is 

 in a very good condition, owing very largely to the capable 

 and thorough way the work is being carried out by the 

 manageress, Miss Philipsen. '-^ ^ 



Cornwall.— At the commencement of the work the Station 

 was under the great disadvantage of being seven miles from 

 the railway and with no facilities for demonstration work. 

 Excellent work was done at Kernock for two years, but in the 

 latter part of 191 8 the equipment was moved to Truro. 



A field of 2 1 acres near the County Hall was rented for the 

 purpose, and although to a certain extent the removal has 

 meant a fresh start, with the usual disadvantages attendant 

 on removals, the -work has gone steadily on under the same 

 manageress. 1,120 day-old chickens, 1,674 eggs for hatching 

 and 40 stock birds have been distributed from the Station 

 during 191 9. The present position of the Station is very suit- 

 able for demonstration work, of which advantage is being taken, 

 and Miss Watson, the manageress, has been able to extend the 

 value of her work by visiting and giving practical lectures in 

 the county. Miss Watson is now training an assistant in the 

 work. 



Useful evidence of the value of the stock is given by the trap- 

 nest records, which show the averages for the flocks for the 

 first six months of the year (commencing immediately after 

 removal) as follows : — 



Average for Leghorns (6 months) 134*2 eggs per bird. 

 Wyandottes (6 months) 116-4 

 The laying of the Leghorns was very consistent ; the lowest 

 score in the six months was 123, and only six birds failed to 

 lay 130 eggs. 



A drawback to the estabHshment of a complete holding for 

 poultry on a small scale, such as is the case with these Incubating 

 Stations, is the difficulty of finding holdings possessing suitable 

 buildings. A substantial building is needed for incubation 

 purposes, and good accommodation must be provided for the 

 storage of food ; the initial expense is, therefore, proportion- 

 ately high. 



Although these Stations have efficiently demonstrated the 

 possibilities and methods of managing poultry on a small 



