Backyarders •
Very many country people, for the first time in their lives, have been induced to take an interest in poultry, and have had personal experience of the muddle, the harmful muddle, produced by the Government's efforts to cancel the evil results of the fodder shortage. However, most of those in the backyard class have found that the hens pay a handsome dividend. The subject of larger stocks on farms has been very practically investigated in the Bristol neighbourhood on both special and general farms Some of the results have been published and analysed by Dr. Orwin and the Oxford agricultural economists. I infer that if a rough average be taken a profit of about 5s. a bird is shown. A like inquiry might be made on behalf of the backyarders, who perhaps would show a profit four or five times target, though their hens suffer from want of grain; the Government porridge is chemically but not mechanically sufficient. The provision of new stock is a difficulty for those without incubators; and in this connexion it is worth notice that the Light Sussex breed are found to have a longer laying life than most others.
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