The Hawaiian gazette., 1906-08-17
ADVICE FOR
POULTRYMEN
fFrom Wednesdays AdvertIser)

tFrom Wednesdays Advertiser)
Two practical addresses relative to
the care OF the ordinary backyard flock
of chickens and the breeding OF fancy
pigeons. were given at the regular
meeting OF the Hawaiian Poultry As
sociation last night. which, for the
firpt time In the history of the asso-
citation. was attended by ladies. The
first address, given by ]. ]. Greene,
dealt In a most practical way with the
difficulties encountered by the begin
ner in poultry-raising, the one who
keeps few fowls for unitarian pur-
poses. and not as fancier or breeder
of show birds, Mr.. Greene's remarks
having therefore, a widespread inter-
est.
Before the reading of the papers. the
president announced that the assem-
bly, room at the Bureau of Agriculture
and Forestry. where the meeting was
held. was available for the association
at any time should the members think
It desirable. By vote it was decided
to hold all the association meetings
there. The president also announced
that the preparation of the prize list
for the December show was about COM
pleted and would soon be presented to
the association for approval
Mr.. Greene was then called upon,
and spoke as follows:
j. ]. GREENE'S ADDRESS.
Mr.. President and Gentlemen of the
Association
At a recent meeting we were favored
with highly interesting and instruc-
tive paper by our former president,
Judge P. L. Weaver, on "Mendel's Law
of Breeding" which demonstrated the
exact methods of producing fixed types
in animals and plants
The application of these exact meth
ods to poultry has given us the many
breeds and their attendant varieties.
This having been accomplished for u.s.
we have but to choose one to our lik-
ing or fancy and continue its repro
duction for domestic uses, with the
added pleasure of observing the results
of our Judgment in mating the fowls
with the object of perpetuating and
improving, perhaps, their qualities for
egg production, table meat and
plumage Thus. some find themselves
fanciers despite the fact that to them,
heretofore, a hen and her egg were
none the better for having been pro-
ducd by high-priced ancestors with
fancy feathers.
Acknowledging that the first object
in poultry keeping is a practical one
abundance of eggs and quality of
flesh for the home table-there fol-
lows, in the minds of many, prefer
cnce for some particular breed, for the
special purpose in which that breed
seems to excel, either in practical
points, or in combination of the
practical with a fancy for attractive
plumage. shape and size. So, with
these extra qualities bred into the es
tablished breeds, we have but little eX-
cuse for harborng the mongrel fowl.
1t is this fact that makes the pure
bred fowl worth the higher price.
As it was by exact methods that we
We're given SO wide a choice of breeds.
so it must be by an equally exacting
observance OF certain fixed, though
simple, methods that we maintain them
in vigorous health and true to the type
fixed for them. This of course. means
careful and considerate attention TO
the fowls we select as breeders; for in
their selection lies the foundation of
success or failure in the seasons work
the more so because we are gener-
ally obliged to adapt them to more or
less artificial conditions; that is, in the
average back yard we must restrict
their range and pass to them every
thing they eat, with but little oppor-
tunity or them to exert themselves to
get it. They have only to pick it up
and swallow it. This necessitates
some watchfulness, lest they overfeed
and become too fat to lay, or even to
live, and is overcome by feeding their
grain in litter of anything clean that
will force them to scratch 1t out.
Fowls that have unlimited range over
areas that are part ploughed and part
grass covered where they find an
abundance Of insect life, seeds, grasses
and weeds. together with the exhilar-