476 EXHIBITING AND JUDGING 



showing methods of crating and marketing. In awarding pre- 

 miums the size, weight, shape, color, uniformity, texture, and 

 cleanliness are all taken into account. Such exhibits can be 

 made very instructive by showing improvements in grading and 

 marketing, and the higher prices thereby realized. 



Educational exhibits may be of two distinct kinds, — college 

 poultry shows and poultry extension exhibits. College shows are 

 run by the students themselves as a part of the course of instruc- 

 tion in poultry craft. These shows usually embrace all the tj^pes 

 of exhibits, and are purely for educational purposes, the students 

 forming from among their members the organization necessary 

 to run the show properly, outlining classes, erecting coops, and 

 staging the birds. It is generally the custom to let each student 

 make entries from the college flock, the order of selection and 

 entry being drawn by lot. In connection with such a show, there 

 is usually a competitive judging contest, in which the students 

 are given a certain class to judge by comparison, the successful 

 competitors winning cups or other premiums for their excellent 

 work. The information secured and the experience acquired 

 by such an exhibition do more to fix breed types in mind 

 and familiarize the student with the objects and methods of 

 running a show than weeks of study in the classroom would 

 accomplish. 



The second distinctive educational exhibit may be termed 

 " poultry extension exhibits at agricultural fairs and poultry 

 shows." Such exhibits are prepared by the poultry departments 

 of the State Agricultural Colleges, and are exhibited at all leading 

 fairs and shows in their respective States. They deal more with 

 methods than with the actual exhibition of birds, although the 

 latter is done to some extent. The housing and care of poultry is 

 taught by means of models and charts, also feeding, sanitation, 

 grading, sorting, and packing. 



The possibilities in such work are almost endless and the 

 results far-reaching, for they demonstrate to the farmer the 

 teachings of experimental work and offer to the colleges and experi- 

 ment stations an opportunity to keep in touch with the conditions 

 in different communities. This same kind of exhibit is often used 

 in connection with educational train work, where a part of a car 

 or a whole one is devoted to a travelling poultry exhibit, which is 

 a supplement to lectures given. Demonstrations in killing, pick- 

 ing, and packing are also given in connection with this educational 



