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GENERAL AGRICULTUEAL NOTES. [March 1895. 



Poultry Breeding in Australian. 



In a leaflet issued recently by the Department of Agriculture 

 of Victoria (Australia), entitled " Poultry Breeding and Manage- 

 ment for the English Market," it is stated that it has been 

 hitherto the practice to consider poultry-breeding a matter of 

 minor importance to farmers in the Colony, but the result of 

 inquiries and experiments conducted by the Department have 

 shown that the industry is one which can give good profits 

 and quick returns. By way of illustration, it is mentioned 

 that at the time when experimental shipments were made, 

 poultry was almost unsaleable at Melbourne, whereas the prices 

 realised in London were from 2s. 9d. to 4s. for chickens, and 

 3s. Sd. to 5 s. for young ducks. 



It is pointed out that the difference between the Colonial and 

 English seasons places Victoria in a position to be able to 

 supply the London market at a time when prices are at their 

 highest, so that when the Victorian poultry is ready for disposal 

 it can be landed ia an unlimited market and thus secure the 

 best possible prices. The trial shipments made to London in 

 the last season, showed that poultry from Victoria will command 

 a ready sale. Very short notice was given to breeders that the 

 Department of Agriculture intended to supervise the shipments 

 of dressed poultry, so that none of the birds sent were specially 

 -dressed or fattened, but consisted only of ordinary farm or 

 market poultry. 



Victoria is said to be exceptionally favoured by Nature with 

 a most suitable climate for breeding and rearing poultry, which 

 has hitherto been practically a neglected industry. Now that 

 poultry can be shipped to the World s markets in a perfect 

 state of preservation by means of the refrigerating chambers, 

 there will be, in all probability, a larger extension of poultry 

 farming in Victoria and other Australasian colonies. 



Detailed instructions are given in the leaflet as to the best 

 kinds of poultry to keep, the best modes of feeding, which tally 

 in most respects with those adopted by the Sussex poultry 

 rearers, as described in the December number of "The Journal of 

 the Board of Agriculture." A novel feature is the use of turkey 

 hens as incubators or hatching machines. These are said to be 

 the best sitters and can be made to sit at any time, without 

 being broody, by giving them a teaspoonful of port wine before 

 placing them on the nest. They will each cover 20 eggs, and 

 bring out three or four clutches before leaving the nest. The 

 chickens are removed to foster mothers or ordinary hens, which 

 have chickens of the same age, and a fresh sitting of eggs 

 supplied to the turkey on the nest. 



New Zealand Apples. 



According to the reports of the Government Pomologists, for 

 1893-4, submitted to the New Zealand Department of Agricul- 



