1909.] The Poultry Industry in Germany. 



19 



sent about one head of poultry to every two acres, while in 

 Denmark the proportion is 1*33 and in Ireland 1*15 per acre. 



The importance of the industry in Germany has induced the 

 State authorities in recent years to take steps to encourage 

 utility poultry keeping, and with the view of ascertaining the 

 position in various parts of the Empire, the German 

 Agricultural Society has recently conducted an exhaustive 

 inquiry, 1 which gives detailed particulars for every State 

 and Province separately. It may be said that the official 

 recognition of the poultry industry in Prussia only dates from 

 1898, though several States and Provinces gave some attention 

 to the subject before that date. The expenditure from public 

 funds during the last nine or ten years in the whole of 

 Germany has amounted to ,£59,800, of which about ,£47,250 

 has been spent in Prussia. In 1907 the total outlay was 

 ,£7,900. Generally speaking, the assistance takes the form 

 of grants for more or less definitely defined objects distributed 

 through the Agricultural Chambers and Central Agricultural 

 Societies, and the expenditure is supplemented by grants from 

 the funds of the Chambers themselves. 



The steps actually taken in each Province vary, but the 

 following description gives an account of some of the different 

 methods of fostering the industry which have been adopted. 



Poultry Breeding Stations. — The most popular type of 

 assistance in Germany is what is called the Poultry Breeding 

 Station. With the assistance of the Chambers of Agriculture 

 and similar bodies, no less than 2,995 of these centres have 

 been established, and they are to be found with few exceptions 

 in all parts of Germany. The object aimed at is the intro- 

 duction of pure-bred fowls of breeds specially adapted to the 

 district with the view of raising the standard of poultry kept 

 by the ordinary farmer, and this is done by distributing either 

 eggs or chickens from these local centres. The method 

 adopted varies slightly in detail in different parts, but the 

 system in East Prussia may be given as an example. 



Small holders and others are selected, to whom a stock of 

 one cock and six hens is supplied free, on condition that eggs 

 for sitting not required for use on the holding are supplied to 



1 Die Massnahmen zur Forderung der Nutzgefliigelzucht in Deutschland. 

 Arbeiten der D. L. G. Heft 145. 



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