THE BOOK OF POULTRY. 



and there is too much of it in certain circles. 

 If a bird comes home apparently done up, <\x on 

 tlie verge of such a breakdown, give it at once 

 one of Henson's cuca pellets, or a third of a 

 teaspoonful of the same chemist's fluid cuca, or 

 a teaspoonful of Hall's coca wine, and another in 

 the evening or after three hours. Cuca extract 

 is much used by cyclists, and (in reason) we know 

 it by experience to be a wonderful nerve restora- 

 tive ; but to go on with it, keeping up the strain 

 continuously, and trying to remedy the effects 

 by resort to drugs, means even worse ruin in the 

 end. The only real remedy is rest. 



After a crowded show, it is safer in winter to 

 shut birds up in a dry shed for a day before 

 allowing them out, to harden them a little 

 towards the open air. It should be needless to 

 repeat that a cockerel once taken away and 

 shown cannot be returned to his old companions 

 without a fight ; and such a fight under the 

 circumstances involves considerable danger of 

 apoplexy, the bird having been highly fed and 

 in exciting surroundings. We have personally 

 known three cases in which birds thus care- 

 lessly treated have dropped down dead, 

 almost before a blow had been really struck 

 on either side. 



Some exhibitors who reduce showing to a 

 regular business system, differ much as to the 

 manner in which they make it pay. To get any 

 remunerative sale at all for prize 

 Profit and Loss Stock, the owner must show him- 

 of self capable of taking fair rank in 



Exhibition. the exhibition ring; but it is 

 sufficient for this if honours are 

 consistently taken at the few great shows of the 

 year. Many of the more genuine amateurs 

 confine themselves to these, which do not over- 

 task their best breeding birds, and are quite 

 sufficient to keep up their reputation. Beginners 

 generally try first in easier competition, and 

 there are plenty of second class but still good 

 class shows, at which a few wins gradually get a 

 new name recognised. But there are a distinct 

 class who buy to exhibit, and exhibit the bought 

 stock constantly, reckoning to get their money 

 back out of birds before they have used them 

 up, and at the same time keep their names 

 before the public. The increase of these regular 

 circuit-goers during late years has very much 

 affected the poultry fancy and exhibition matters 

 generally. These men have vast experience, can 

 appraise their birds as well as any judge, and 

 rarely waste entry fees. Some of them act as 

 judges in turn, which at times provokes scandal. 

 A certain number of them make exhibiting itself 



pay well, often picking up first class birds 

 cheaply at out of the way shows, in their visits 

 to nearly all ; and to some extent arranging in 

 concert where they shall appear, and forming a 

 sort of inner circle of their own. 



The majority of skilled breeder-exhibitors 

 probably about make their prizes pay entry fees 

 and carriage. That more is almost impossible, 

 may be seen at once on comparing the average 

 sum given in prizes to a class, with the fees and 

 average freight charges added up of the entries 

 in that class. But it pays in countless other 

 ways — by promoting sales, by keeping up personal 

 connection, by constantly keeping the eye and 

 judgment in training, and by opening the way 

 to advantageous purchases and sales. Many of 

 the best sales are made personally at the shows. 

 The novice cannot hope at first to clear his 

 expenses. But he may reduce these by training 

 his own critical faculty, and sending only the 

 pick of his best birds, in good condition, till he 

 feels his feet and finds his place. Notwithstand- 

 ing what is said above as to the " inner circle " 

 and all the rest of it, the field is as open as ever 

 to real merit, and upon the whole this gets fair 

 play. If certain exhibitors do appear at times 

 to "sweep the deck "to an extent almost for- 

 bidding, it is to be remembered that they have 

 often bought their champions at very high prices 

 indeed, and thus make much of his market for 

 the breeding exhibitor, who would not like to 

 lose those high prices, which only winning enables 

 them to pay. It is quite a complicated system 

 now, and not free from evils ; but we still on 

 many occasions see the honours fall to pre- 

 viously unknown exhibitors with new birds. 



The exhibition value of birds bought mainly 

 for exhibition, depends on circumstances, as well 

 as upon the real quality. Some varieties have 

 a class of their own at every decent 

 Exhibition show, while others, even of the same 

 Value. major breed, will often have to go 



under " any other colour," into one 

 mixed class besides the leading one. There are 

 breeds, like Hamburghs, where all varieties often 

 compete together at the smaller shows. And 

 there are breeds — even old recognised breeds 

 like Spanish, Malays, Polish, or Scotch Greys — 

 which have now at most exhibitions no separate 

 class, but compete in that for "Any other 

 Variety." This great inequality in the chances 

 of a prize considerably affects the exhibition 

 value. It is useless to more than hint at 

 these points ; but the hints may serve to show 

 how much has to be considered and learnt before 

 investing heavily in this line of business. 



