760 Poultry Keeping in Gloucestershire. [Nov., 



This autumn a laying test has been started for birds belonging 

 to residents in the county of Gloucester only. The necessary 

 funds are being obtained by subscription. The start is in a small 

 way, but it is hoped that the standard will be high. Fifty pens 

 have been arranged for pullets, and ducks are also being 

 catered for. 



The importance of poultry keeping by general farmers cannot 

 be overlooked; indeed, some of the largest and most successful 

 of the poultry farms in the county are the property of general 

 farmers who have acquired an expert knowledge of poultry. 



The large poultry farm has come more into evidence in recent 

 years, and there are now about a dozen farms in Gloucestershire 

 where more than 1,000 head of laying stock are kept, and a large 

 number with from 500 to 1,000. There are eight Mammoth 

 Incubators in use in the county, nearly all having been erected 

 recently. 



Two large egg-collecting depots are in existence at Ciren- 

 cester and Nailsworth. At the former over one and a 

 quarter million eggs were handled in 1921. The commercial egg 

 farmer who sends his eggs direct to the large markets in many 

 cases dispatches the consignments by goods train and this prac- 

 tice is increasing. It is found that there are fewer breakages 

 than when sent by passenger train and the cost is much less. 



Gloucestershire is an important fruit growing county and for 

 this reason alone should carry a large stock of poultry. These 

 two branches of farming go very well together. Mr. P. M. 

 Hinton has kept poultry in some of his orchards near Tewkes- 

 bury for over 12 years with noticeably good results. The apple 

 trees in these orchards have borne good crops for each of the 

 past four years, including the years 1919 and 1920, which were 

 generally bad apple years in this district. The growth of new 

 wood has been very strong and it has been noticed that the 

 young fruit trees on the land under poultry have matured more 

 quickly than similar trees on adjoining ground not under poultry. 



The keeping of a large number of birds on these orchards has 

 enabled the owner to maintain the trees in first rate condition, 

 and a very substantial saving of money has been effected in the 

 purchase of manures. A reduction in expenditure on spraying 

 has been possible owing to the destruction of fruit pests by the 

 birds. For example, the Apple Blossom Weeevil is becoming 

 less in evidence each year in those orchards which are stocked 

 with poultry. 



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