No. 105.] 97 



hope it will not turn out to him, as the roast chickens did to uSj a 

 mere abstraction. 



The Society's premiums offered for the greatest variety of fowls — 

 for the best pair of turkeys — for the best pair of ducks and the best 

 pair of geese constituted the second class. 



Before proceeding to a detail of the premiums awarded, your com- 

 mittee would beg leave to recommend that a diploma be given to 

 John Parris of Albany, for his fine display of pigeons, comprising ten 

 varieties of very superior specimens. No premium was offered for 

 this class of poultry, if poultry they may be called. 



They would also recommend that a diploma be given to Master 

 E. K. Johnson, of Rome, for the great variety of fowl exhibited by 

 him. Although he had not enough to sweep the premium, his spe- 

 cimens were very fine indeed, and the taste displayed in the arrange- 

 ment of his coops deserves encouragement. 



Your premium, $3, on turkeys they award to Luther Tucker, for his 

 splendid pair of "Native Americans" recently caught, and now 

 undergoing the salutary restraints of the naturalization law. 



Your premium, |3, on Ducks the committee award to George Bement 

 for his noble pair of Muscovies. 



The awarding of your premium for geese placed us in quite a di- 

 lemma. 



The offer of a premium on this class of animals opened an exceed- 

 ingly hroad field, and your committee were at a loss to determine 

 whether, in letter and in spirit, it did not give to us a greater scope 

 of action than any other committee had. 



The term " goose," when used in a generic sense comprises more 

 varieties and species than any other in the English language. The 

 world is full of geese, and the webfooted variety are not the only kind 

 that may be known by their gabbling, or for the peculiar faculty of 

 devouring all before them and poisoning all behind them. The do- 

 mestic goose, or goose proper, has been held in high esteem ever 

 since the spinsters of Old Rome fed them on the capitol hill, and the 

 careless freebooters, who meant to sack the city, stumbled over their 

 pen and set them to squawking by way of alarm at the intrusion. 



The deification which they obtained on account of this timely 

 clamor, from the people of that day, who in the plenitude of their 

 gratitude could show divine honors even to a goose, has given them 

 ■extra privileges which have been usurped and monopolized by their 

 brethren of a taller species. Whether the award of a premium to 

 the likeliest pair of this last class, would not ultimately lead to some 

 improvement, was a question which we were unable to solve. Not 

 wishing however to incur too much responsibility we concluded to 

 leave this to the various benevolent institutions that are now in full 

 blast among us, and ventured a bestowal of your bounty on the more 

 humble and useful varieties before us in the coops. 



After careful and serious deliberation we came to the conclusion 

 to award the premium of $3, to George Bement, for his pair of African 

 geese — one of which weighs 24 pounds on the hoof. 



Mr. President — The poultry committee — unlike many others in this 



[Senate, No. 105 ] 7 



