400 



Norwegian Egg Production. 



General at Christiania, upon the production of eggs in Norway, 

 who states that poultry-keeping in Norway has made considerable 

 strides in the last year or two. There are no statistics prior to 

 1 89 1, when the number of fowls in the country was estimated at 

 796,563 ; but in 1900 this had risen to 1,636,543. Stavanger 

 district stands first in this respect, with an increase from 93,000 

 to 309,000 in the decade. The town of Stavanger is the great 

 egg centre ; but so far there has been little export. 



The increasing importance of the industry may be gathered 

 from a consideration of the fact that in 1890 there were 493 fowls 

 per thousand inhabitants, while in 1900 there were 987. Further- 

 more, the imports of eggs into Norway show the following drop 

 during the last five years : — 



1897 24,648 cwt. 



1898 15.364 



1899 11,468 ,, 



1900 4,244 „ 



1901 3>429 „ 



From information to hand concerning this year's produc- 

 tion, this importation may shortly be expected to be transformed 

 into an exportation. Between 1896 and 1900 the average yearly 

 export has been 29 cwt., and in 1901 it was 170 cwt. And as 

 Great Britain's consumption of imported eggs has risen steadily, 

 until it now amounts to nearly ^5,500,000, Norway hopes to be 

 able to capture some of the trade. But methods of sorting, 

 packing, numbering, &c, will have to be carefully studied. 



The Aftenpost — a Christiania journal — has lately contained a 

 few remarks on the progress made in poultry-farming in Norway 

 which may be accepted as substantially correct. 



In Levanger district the average price obtained by the 

 peasants for their eggs in 1901 was 78 ore per kilogram (about 

 4^d. per lb.). Between 1899 and 1901 the annual supply in 

 this district had risen from 62,000 to 112,000 eggs. 



Voerdalsoren sells chiefly to Christiania. The average price 

 in 1901 was 93 ore per score — just over a is. The value of 

 the eggs sold rose from ,£350 to ^940 between 1898 and 

 190 1. 



Orland likewise sells to Christiania ; but Christiansund, N., and 

 Trondhjem also take their share for hotels and tourist ships. 

 The average price last year was is. per score. The product : on 



