1909.] The Poultry Industry in Germany. 



2 ! 



The breeding stocks consisted of 12 cocks and 208 hens, with 

 some ducks and geese. Instruction is given from May to 

 November, the courses lasting from one to six weeks, and 

 the fee varying according to the period from 10s. to 20s. 

 Experiments are carried out in feeding and fattening, the 

 productive qualities of different breeds are tested, and various 

 machines and implements are tried. 



Another type of a Central Poultry Farm which may be 

 mentioned is the Poultry Breeding Institute at Crollwitz, 

 Halle a.S., which is not primarily educational, though courses 

 in feeding, killing, and dressing are held. The main object 

 is the distribution of eggs and birds with a view to raising 

 the level of the poultry industry in the Province of Saxony. 

 The establishment covers 15 acres, and the buildings were 

 erected in 1900 at a cost of ^3,000. Some 750 head of 

 poultry are kept, and about 12,000 eggs and 2,000 young 

 birds are distributed annually. Experiments are carried on, 

 and the Institute is open for inspection, about 800 persons 

 visiting it annually. 



The Poultry Breeding Institute at Erding, in Bavaria, is 

 similar to the above, but its experimental and educational 

 side is rather more developed. About 500 head of poultry 

 were kept, and 27,000 eggs were distributed in 1907. The 

 courses extended over a week or ten days. 



In addition to these large institutions there are over 300 

 model poultry farms and breeding stations, which exist partly 

 for purposes of instruction but chiefly as centres from which 

 the fowls required for the small "breeding centres" are 

 obtained. 



As in the case of the small breeding centres the actual cost 

 to the Agricultural Chamber is very small, the station being 

 a private enterprise carried on under conditions laid down 

 by the Chamber. For example, in the Province of Hesse- 

 Nassau, there were 19 stations managed on the following 

 lines. A stock of fowls is supplied in the first place by the 

 Chamber to a selected poultry farmer, who for his part 

 provides additional approved birds, while new blood is intro- 

 duced from time to time at the cost of the Chamber. The 

 holder undertakes a system of trap-nests so that the number 

 of eggs laid annually by each bird is recorded, and hens 



