936 Eevival of Sussex Table Pon.TRY Industry. [Jan., 



To come down to more recent times, the following figures which 

 the Eailway Company have lately placed at the writer's disposal 

 will enable some estimate to be formed as to the extent to which 

 the trade has been affected as a result of war conditions. 



Before and After the War. — The following quantities of dead 

 poultry have been despatched from the principal stations in the 

 fattening districts : — 



1913 1,770 tons to London. 



1919 45| „ „ „ 



The following quantities of lean live birds have been received 

 at the principal stations in the fattening districts : — 



1913 700 tons from Ireland. 



1919 20 „ 



Although these figures do not include returns from all possible 

 centres of departure and arrival, and so cannot (on account of 

 more modern developments and extensions) be compared accu- 

 rately with those given earlier in this article, they are sufficiently 

 indicative of the disastrous effects of war-time conditions upon 

 this previously flourishing industry.* During the progress of 

 hostilities not only was the economy of fattening called into 

 question, but the withdrawal of skilled labour and the impossi- 

 bility of obtaining supplies of suitable feeding stuffs resulted in 

 the general suspension of operations throughout the districts. 



The extent of the commencement of the revival as indicated 

 by the 1919 figures has been increased in some measure during 

 1920, but progress is still very slow. Some of the oL^k^r fatteners 

 who were forced to close down will probably never make another 

 start. Some of the younger skilled operators will never return, 

 and those who remain are seriously hindered by the high cost 

 of feeding stuffs of the required quality, the increased cost of 

 appliances and of carriage, the inadequate supply of locally 

 reared chickens, the interference with the cross-channel traffic, 

 the rise in wages, and other difficulties only fully appreciated 

 by those who were familiar with the conditions that previously 

 prevailed in this industry. 



Food and Freight. — As is perhaps generally well known, the 

 best quality table chickens for which the Sussex producers have 

 been so long noted have been largely reared on Sussex ground 

 oats, and fattened on a mixture of the same meal with fat and 

 milk. Sussex ground oats are a product of the mills of this and 



* It is also to be noted that none of the figures quoted include consign- 

 ments of the finished product to south coast seaside resorts or destinations- 

 other than London. 



