Ponltrij Shows. 83 



CHAPTER IX. 



rOULTKY SHOWS. 



A FEW years ago poultry shows were unknown. In 1846, 

 the first was held in the Gardens of the Zoological Society, 

 in the Regent's Park ; Mr. Baily being the sole judge. It 

 was a very fair beginning, but did not succeed, and it was 

 not till the Cochin-China breed was introduced into this 

 country, and the first Birmingham show was held, that 

 these exhibitions became successful. 



In 1849, ''the first poultry show that was ever held in 

 ' the good old town of Birmingham,' was beset with all the 

 untried difficulties of such a scheme, when without the 

 experiences of the present day, then altogether unavailable, 

 a few spirited individuals carried to a successful issue an 

 event that has now proved the foster-parent of the many 

 others of similar character that abound in almost every 

 principal town of the United Kingdom. It is quite essen- 

 tial, that I may be clearly understood, to preface my 

 narrative by assuring fanciers that in those former days 

 poultry amateurs were by no means as general as at the 

 present time ; few and far between were their locations ; 

 and though even then, among the few who felt interest in 

 fowls, emulation existed, generally speaking, the keeping 

 of poultry was regarded as ' a useless hobby,' ' a mere 

 individual caprice,' 'an idle whim from which no good 

 result could by possibility accrue' ; nay, sometimes it was 

 hinted, ' What a pity they have not something better to 

 employ them during leisure hours !' and they were styled 

 ' enthusiasts.' But have not the records of every age 

 proved that enthusiasts are invariably the pioneers of im- 

 })rovement? And time, too, substantiated the verity of 

 this rule in reference to our subject ; for, among other 

 proofs, it brought incontestable evidence that the raising of 



