138 BREEDING AND EXHIBITION OK I'UIZE POULTl.Y. 



case, if they appear either feverish or " overdone," give each a 

 rather scanty meal of stale bread-crumbs soaked in warm ale ; let 

 them have two or three sips only of rather tepid water ; and then 

 administer a third of a tea-spoonful of Epsom salts to each bird. 

 This will probably be at night. Next day feed them on meal 

 only in moderation, see that they cannot drink to excess, and 

 give them half a cabbage-leaf each, or a large sod of grass, but 

 no other green food ; afterwards let them return to their usual 

 diet. It is in all cases safest not to let them have much grain, 

 and to put them on an allowance of water, for the day after 

 their return, 



If these recommendations be attended to, there will be little 

 injury from exhibition, and the same birds may be shown again 

 and again to a fair extent without suffering. We knew of 

 fowls which had won as many as fifty prizes; and, indeed, 

 first-class exhibition birds are almost always shown pretty fre- 

 quently. They want care and attentive examination after 

 each competition to see that they are not losing health ; if it 

 appears so, whatever other engagements may have been made, 

 let them have rest till completely recovered ; otherwise, property 

 worth scores of pounds may be sacrificed for "just one more 

 cup," to the owner's lasting regret. 



