1920.] 



Poultry Laying Trials. 



1119 



The present time (5th February) seems a fitting time to 

 review, very briefly, the work accomplished by County Councils 

 and Councils of County Boroughs on 



^Ti^n h^Lo^a^ ^^^^^^ Ministry of Agriculture and 



Authorities Fisheries, with regard to the work of the 

 settlement of ex-Service men on the land. 



Councils have on their lists 25,905 ex-Service appUcants, who 

 have appHed for 450,603 acres. Of these applicants 16,017 

 have so far been approved as suitable for 269,025 acres. 



Councils have actually acquired, or agreed to acquire, 

 162,247 acres, and in addition the councils have 75,000 

 acres under consideration, the bulk of which, it is hoped, will 

 be acquired at an early date. Of this area 11,620 acres are 

 proposed to be acquired in the exercise of the compulsory 

 powers entrusted to the councils by Parliament. 



The London County Council have up to the present not 

 acquired any land for ex- Service men. 



Up to date 4,250 men have actually been provided with 

 holdings, on a total area of 59,136 acres. The figures given 

 show that a substantial beginning has been made in the 

 direction of carrying out the promises of the Government with 

 regard to the provision of land for men who have fought for 

 their country. 



The poultry laying trials at the Harper Adams Agricultural 

 College for the 12 months 1918-19 ended on 29th October 

 last, and a Report has recently been 

 PoultryLaying Trials issued. This Report sums up the work 

 at the Harper Adams ^^^^^^ ^- ^ poultry breeders 



Agricultural College, . ^, ^ • ^ . • • 



Newport, Salop.* others who are mterested m the im- 



provement of egg production. 



The general interest taken in the trials, as evidenced by the 

 increasing number of other trials held since the College com- 

 menced this branch of work in 191 2, is not confined to the 

 owners of the pens, as the information obtained and fully 

 described in the reports is of considerable value, not only to all 

 who are engaged in improving stock, but also to those who are 

 concerned with egg production. The breeders of utiHty 

 poultry must remain at a disadvantage compared with the 

 exhibition or " fancy " breeder until a definite standard of 

 points can be agreed upon, and, though steps are being taken 

 to arrive at some agreement in this direction, it is now only 



* Contributed by the Harper Adams Agricultural College. 



