POULTRY REARING INIRELAND. _ Zi 

present scheme, which was adopted in 1893, a limited 
number of fowls (generally 22) of an approved breed is 
supplied to a farmer or cottager in each small district. He 
receives from the Board one penny for every egg which 
he distributes, and it is also his duty to obtain, in exchange, 
an equivalent number of eggs of the country breed. This 
system has now been some years in full operation, and in 
1899-1900 the Board paid no less than £400 for more than 
98,000 eggs, which were distributed. The results are appar- 
ent in the increased size of eggs in many districts, and when 
the new system of grading eggs for market according to size 
becomes more general the improvement effected will, it is 
hoped, be still more appreciated by the people. 
It has been found in the congested districts that the best 
laying fowls are not the pure breeds, but first crosses with 
them and the ordinary fowl of the country. As regards 
table breeds, however, the case is different, inasmuch as the 
crosses with the country fowl do not produce good results, 
and the finer birds hatched from the distributed eggs are 
consequently too often sent to market at the first opportunity. 
Notwithstanding this tendency, a good supply of table fowls 
has been maintained near Killarney, where there are two 
distributing centres ; and one exporter despatched 4,900 birds 
during the year from that locality. 
The varieties of fowls chiefly distributed during the year 
were Black Minorca, Leghorn, Faverolle, and Sussex, and 
the number of birds sent out amounted to 384 fowls, 578 Indian 
Runner ducks, 20 geese, and 5 turkeys, a total of 987, which 
cost £162. The popularity of Runner ducks is due to their 
good laying qualities and their immunity from fowl enteritis, 
a disease which is still very prevalent and very destructive. 
From careful records kept by some of the Board’s 
distributors, it has been ascertained that the laying average 
of the Indian Runner duck is 155 eggs for each bird, while 
the average for Minorca and Leghorn fowl is 150, and only 
138 for the other breeds named; Plymouth Rocks do not give 
nearly so good areturn. These records were obtained from 
stock kept under the average conditions which prevail in the 
Irish Congested Districts, where the poultry are exposed to 
