28 
THE AUSTRALIAN GARDENER. 
February, 1910 
“<5 Phe Poultry Yards 
os 
O#O) 
Poultry Farming on Small 
Holdings. 
[By H. V. Hawkins, Poultry Expert, in 
* Victorian Journal of Agriculture.’ 
The annual value of poultry products 
raised in Victoria in 1908 was estimated 
by the Government Statist at the excel- 
lent total of £1,547.000. This of course, 
includes not only the poultry and eggs 
sentto market, but also those consumed on 
“farms. These figures increased by £47,000 
over those for 1906, and were equal 
to more than one-half of the value of the 
aggregate output of the mining industry 
_ (£3,031,000) for 1908, But there is room 
for expansion. Poultry-raisers do little 
mor2 than supply the demand in the 
State. Indeed they are not able yet to 
fully meet the requirements for eggs. In 
1908, after deducting exports, there was 
_ a net importation into Victoria of 589,322 
dozen eggs, valued at £22,631, from the 
other States. But these figures are 
trifling when compared with those for 
New South Wales and Western Australia, 
_ In the same year, the former State’s net 
imports of eggs were no fewer than 
1,339,315 dozen valued at £56,713, and 
those of Western Australia, 1 129,709 
dozen, worth £55,345. The only States 
in the Commonwealth which are able to 
show a balance on the right side of the 
ledger in respect to the Inter-State egg 
trade is South Australia, which exported 
2,825,882 dozen, valued at £127,203, to 
the other States in 1908 ; and Queensland, 
which provided 261,185 dozen, worth 
£10,687. 
— The Industry in Denmark, — 
Since the advent of co-operative stores 
or collecting centres throughout Den- 
mark poultry breeding become 
wonderfully stimulated. In fifteen years 
the number of the fowls increased 150 
per cent, (7,962,132) ; turkeys by 80 per 
cent. (26,045) ; ducks 38 per cent. 
has 
. (145,513) ; and geese cecreased to 13 
per cent. (25,571). A reasonable estimate 
is that the total poultry crop is valued 
about £3,000,000 per annum, which is 
equal to £1 4s. per head of the pupulation. 
Not only have the numbers increased, but 
the eggs have advanced in value. 
The question then naturally arises: 
‘What has brought about Denmark’s 
success ? Firstly, co operation; secondly, 
the Government creating centres for 
breeding purposes, which there are 25. 
Before a farmer can receive a distinction 
of his farm being a created breeding centre 
he must show that his yearly income from 
poultry products is satisfactory, Al- 
though the subsidy is small (about £3 per 
annum), the government provides for him 
with his stud stock frea, and he is then 
under the supervision of the Poultry 
Expert, who is 
and advise. 
visit 
This scheme has worked 
remarkably well, so much so that a spirit 
of healthy rivalry has sprung up amomgst 
the farmers, who are privileged to select 
birds at 5s. each for these centres, which 
all have the trap nest in use. 
employed — to 
The egg exporters offer prizes each year 
for the best kept centres, which is a 
further inducement. 
The writer is firmly convinced that some 
such system would add a stimulas to the 
industry, and it would not be long before 
Victoria stood out prominently as a large 
exporter of eggs. 
— Egg Circles. — 
Should the Government accept the 
writers recmondation, i.e., that the time 
is ripe for the adoption of forming egg. 
collecting circles, as is done in Denmark 
and is quite recently done in South Auis- 
tralia, the egg trade will become gigantic 
In addition to applying our own markets, 
we should, I feel confident, shsre in the 
Home market, which pays to foreign 
nations close upon £8,000,000 per annum 
for eggs. 
— Buying Eggs by Weight. — 
Much has been said of buying and 
disposing of eggs by weight. As far as 
selling to the consumer is concerned, the 
present method is far from satisfactory. 
No incentive is given the breeder to 
build up a flock of layers averaging 21-oz 
eggs. At the time of writing, 1-072; eggs 
are fetching equal prices with those 3 of 
an ounce heavier. 
In Denmark, all eggs are brought from 
the farmers by weight, and sold by the 
dozen in standardize grades; some form 
the discrimination against small eggs is 
undoubtedly a part of the needed reform 
in buying eggs from the producer. This 
