FINAL PREPARATION FOR EXHIBITION. 



2ig 



bright, also only need sponging over ; but some- 

 times a tooth brush brings the colour out better. 

 After that most exhibitors apply something to 

 the red parts ; some using salad oil, others vine- 

 gar, or vinegar and water, others cocoanut oil 

 and turmeric. Vinegar is very apt to blister a 

 newly washed comb, and we see many at 

 every show thus disfigured ; moreover, though 

 it brightens at first, the comb is apt to go dark 

 ten or twelve hours later. Dilute vinegar is 

 safer, and suits some birds very well, but the 

 best thing for most is plain oil, applied by a bit 

 of soft sponge. Whatever it is should be wiped 

 off as dry as possible. A white lobe must on no 

 account be greased or scrubbed, but gently 

 gone over with a sponge, as gently dried 



Fig. S3,— Exhibition Hamper. 



thoroughly, and when dry puffed with oxide 

 of zinc, this too being carefully and softly 

 rubbed off again as far as possible ; the object 

 is to dry and soften the skin, not to stain 

 it, and white powder found on it would amount 

 to artificial colouring. Finally the fowl is looked 

 over, any broken or bent body feather removed, 

 and the whole bird groomed over with an Indian 

 silk handkerchief or, failing that, the bare hand. 

 A common handkerchief is useless, but even the 

 hand, and still more a good silk handkerchief, 

 perceptibly increases the polish or gloss of the 

 plumage, so much so that we have thought it 

 might pay to thus groom a bird every day. It 

 is then ready to be placed in the basket. We 

 always did this at night, when it was done 

 peacefully and quietly; and preferred night 

 trains where possible, as usually going through 

 more quickly, but the birds are easily fed, if 

 necessary, in the morning. For the last feed, 

 wheat steeped in hot water, in moderation, is as 



good as anything. The straw in the baskets, 

 for single birds, should be well bruised till 

 soft, put ii< deep, and so hollowed out, or deep- 

 ened in the centre, as to keep the bird there 

 and avoid danger to the tail. 



The basket or hamper for a single fowl is a 

 survival of the fittest, and is shown in Fig. 83. 

 The wicker is only a skeleton, lined with coarse 

 linen or calico, or any other cheap 

 Exhibition material can be used. For very 

 Hampers. severe climates thicker material, or 

 a double lining, will give more pro- 

 tection on a long journey. The cover should 

 always be hinged in the middle, and is fastened 

 down with string, or soft wire, or sometimes 

 (when not meant for sale) a strap and buckle. 

 Many exhibitors add in the lining a pocket for 

 the expected prize-card. For a large cockerel 

 the proper size is about twenty-two inches dia- 

 meter and twenty-si.x inches high, other birds in 

 proportion. Regular exhibitors largely employ 

 baskets r.:ade with several compartments, the 

 freight of which comes cheaper. In such cases 

 special care must be taken that each is placed 

 in the compartment under its proper label ; 

 every show, almost, presenting e.xamples of 

 mis-penning due to carelessness in this matter. 

 As a rule, the birds will not require any 

 special treatment after return from exhibition, 

 but should be taken from the basket and given a 

 moderate feed of soft food, also a 

 Treatment moderate drink, and then placed in 

 after the training pen for the night, or the 



Exhibition. i-est of the day and the night, feed- 

 ing again before night if necessary. 

 For every one should be most carefully looked 

 over before putting back in the run, lest any 

 complaint may have been contracted at the show ; 

 and if the owner happens to know that it has 

 been close to the pen of a diseased bird, a 

 quarantine of a few days may save much trouble. 

 This is only given as a caution, and not a scare, 

 for such mischief seldom follows. If the state 

 of the bowels warrants it, the sooner some 

 chopped green food is given the better, but here 

 judgment should be used, according to any 

 symptoms. Evident constipation and feverish- 

 ness maybe the better for 15 to 30 grains of 

 Epsom salts. If a bird seems quite done up, a 

 tablespoonful of port wine the last thing at night 

 will often give a good sleep and work wonders. 

 More can hardly be needed except after over- 

 showing ; but fine specimens are shown by some 

 people till they are regularly broken down, and 

 we have often been disgusted to see a once 

 magnificent cock who literally could not stand 

 in his pen. This kind of unbridled competition, 

 from merely sordid motives, is simply sickening, 



