1 907.] 



Export of Poultry to Russia. 



625 



Rouen, with a few of the Aylesbury breed. The breeds of geese 

 exhibited were mostly either Toulouse or Holmagor (a purely 

 Russian breed), as well as Chinese, Emden, and several Russian 

 breeds. Most of the turkeys on show were of the Bronze 

 variety (of American and English origin), with, in addition, a 

 very few White (of French origin), Norfolk and Cambridge. 

 The Bronze is the favourite breed in Russia. The exhibits were 

 of the practical kind for breeding and trading purposes, rather 

 than special fancy breeds. 



Though the products of poultry rearing, more especially eggs, 

 are exported in very large and increasing numbers from Russia,, 

 rearing, feeding and housing conditions in general are exceed- 

 ingly primitive, the prevailing type of fowl or duck being of no 

 particular breed or of various crosses, these conditions in general 

 accounting for the comparative smallness of Russian poultry 

 and eggs, and the low prices obtained for them abroad. The 

 numerous poultry exhibitions and annual shows established of 

 late years are, however, gradually introducing some improve- 

 ment, confined mostly to poultry farms, as distinguished from 

 the poultry rearing of the great mass of the peasants. Good 

 breeds such as those shown at the exhibition are kept only on 

 better-class farms or in the runs of fanciers. 



The importation of poultry from abroad is but small, and, 

 judging by the low average value per head, can hardly be 

 breeding stock of any special worth. Though almost all the 

 breeds exhibited at shov/s are of foreign, mostly British, name 

 and origin, they are now bred in Russia, and judging by the 

 import returns of recent years, the stocks do not seem to be 

 replenished to any extent by fresh imports from abroad, and, 

 least of all, direct from the United Kingdom. 



The average value of the 119 "domestic birds of all kinds, 

 including pigeons and singing birds," imported from the United 

 Kingdom in 1903 was about 8s. per head, and of the 49 

 imported in 1904 about 3s. per head, so that an import trade 

 with Great Britain can hardly be said to exist. Under 

 Section 40 of the Russian Tariff, domestic birds of all kinds 

 are imported into Russia duty free. 



Exhibiting at shows, such as that lately held at Moscow, 

 would in Mr. Cooke's opinion undoubtedly be the best means 



D D D 



