1904.] 



Poultry Societies in Ireland. 



s 5 



provided that sufficient working capital for current expenses 

 were available. It may be seen from the above table of figures 

 that Dervock Society owns a horse, van and harness, and 

 also has put in an acetylene gas plant. A society could do 

 very well without these, although it is more economical to 

 have them from the start. Horses can be hired to collect the 

 eggs and to do other work, and Dervock Society employs 

 three or four horses for these purposes. Considering the little 

 night work which is done it is not absolutely necessary to have 

 an up-to-date gas plant, and cheaper light might be provided, 

 yet I strongly approve of the acetylene gas installation, as it is 

 most useful for thoroughly testing the eggs. If the cost of 

 these items were omitted, a poultry society could start business 

 with an investment of £40 to £50, and very many of our 

 societies have actually started with a smaller capital. 



For the purpose of collecting all the eggs regularly and of 

 ensuring perfect freshness the society's district has been sub- 

 divided into four smaller districts, and each of the four collectors 

 employed has charge of one of these sub-districts. He is 

 furnished, to start with, with a list of the names of all the 

 members in his district, and he is bound to call on each of them 

 at regular stated times. In winter time, when eggs are scarce, 

 his visits are made once a week, but when the weather is warm, 

 and eggs are in danger of becoming stale quickly, he makes 

 his rounds two or three times a week. After a few weeks of 

 this work, the collector knows his circuit very well and is 

 personally acquainted with almost every member in it. He 

 does not call on residents who are not members, nor has the 

 society any dealings with them. 



The collectors are instructed to buy only clean fresh eggs, 

 and they must refuse any which are dirty or stale looking. 

 They do not take a testing machine on their rounds, but with 

 some practice they learn to know a fresh egg when they see it, 

 and there is but little danger of their accepting any eggs 

 which are below the standard quality required. 



The eggs are bought by weight, and for this reason the 

 collectors take a small weighing machine with them. They 

 also take duplicate docket books and a supply of silver and 

 copper money. They pay for the eggs as they are bought, 



