164 BuKEAU OF FaEMEES' INSTITUTES. 



HOW TO FIT FOWL FOR THE SHOW-ROOM. 



Address delivered by J. H. Drevenstedt at' the New York State Poultry Institute, Cortland, N. T. 



December 19, 1900. 



How to prepare birds for the show-room is a subject that is by 

 no means an easy one. It involves so many little details which, if 

 presented either here or elsewhere, would occupy much time and. 

 severe patience of the party of the first part — the lecturer — and 

 the party of the second part — the audience. Consequently, I 

 shall endeavor to make the subject as plain as possible within the 

 reasonable limitations that it admits of. The bird that wins a 

 prize in the show-room must be shown in good condition. It is 

 true that a bird of transcendent merit may win, even if it is put 

 in the pen minus the requisite toilet, but such instances are indeed 

 rare. This reminds me of a little experience I had in judging 

 cattle about 14 years ago. I found a Jersey heifer calf in the ring 

 that had all the marks of a finely bred one. I gave her the prize 

 over a lot of finely conditioned heifer calves, and the result was 

 that the men who spent their time in putting their stock in " apple 

 pie " order kicked. They could not see the point, viz., the fact 

 that intrinsic merit won over inferior merit, notwithstanding that 

 the latter had been hidden by magnificent handling and condition- 

 ing. A little serious talk over the respective merits of the winner 

 convinced the showmen that I was right in my judgment and they 

 admitted the value of the calf to be superior to that of those shown 

 by them. 



But this is an isolated case, and the same rule applies to 

 chickens. Condition and the perfect preparation and training 

 for the show-room will win many a prize for a bird which in in- 

 trinsic merit is several pegs removed from the birds that lose the 

 ribbons because their owners fail to grasp the opportunities before 

 them. A bird well shown is half the victory. 



To fit a bird for the show-room we must begin with the chicken 

 as soon as it has left the shell. From the cradle to the show-pen 

 is the motto of all good fanciers. Allow but a week of negligence 

 in feeding and care and the chances of its ultimate development 

 into a crack show specimen are impaired. 



The nursing of a child and its subsequent training as it grows 

 older, under the careful guidance of intelligent parents will bring 

 it to mature man or womanhood in perfect shape. Is there any 

 difference in chickens? No. It only takes less time to do it. A 

 chicken must be kept growing and growing all the time. It must 



