INTRODUCTION 



his work, to show the unflinching courage and 

 honesty of the man. He began his career as a 

 judge of the poultry classes at agricultural shows 

 in the 'fifties, when the moral standard of 

 exhibitors was very different from that prevailing 

 now. " Improving " birds, to use the misnomer 

 in vogue, was rife ; and these doings were tacitly 

 ignored by the judges of those days. The honest 

 exhibitor who refrained from " improving " on 

 nature, had no chance ; and Tegetmeier made it 

 his aim to bring about a better state of affairs. 



He had an uphill task before him ; dishonest 

 exhibitors were of course his enemies from the 

 outset, and he obtained small assistance, at first, 

 from the officials, who feared empty benches as 

 a result of his methods. But Tegetmeier was 

 never to be moved by discouragement or open 

 hostility ; he never shirked a fight, and he carried 

 it on single-handed until he won. He was bound 

 to win, and he knew it as well as his opponents : 

 his principles courted the light of day, whereas 

 their practices shunned it. He made good use 

 of the power his position on the Field gave him 

 in these matters, and helped to make the great 

 reputation of that journal, as well as his own. 



His practical good sense and exhaustive 

 knowledge of poultry made him an invaluable 

 colleague when there was work to be done in 

 this department, as I had reason to know when 

 I was engaged in promoting shows of table 



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