46 



$5. Gratuity, to A. L. Griffin, Lawrence, for best poul- 

 try appliances. 



J. H. Tenney, Virgil Dow, James O. Parker — Com- 

 mittee. 



Your committee on poultrj^, entered upon their 

 duties at the Fair recentl}' held at Haverhill with a 

 great deal of distrust as to their qualifications to satisfac- 

 torily discharge the trust reposed in them. They were 

 plain, practical farmers, and not poultry experts or fanciers ; 

 and from a plain, practical farmer's standpoint they only 

 could judge of the poultry exhibit. To them the fowl that 

 would lay the largest number of eggs, or the chicks 

 that would make the finest market poultry and bring the 

 highest price, would be the ones to be commended, rather 

 than those whose combs, or wattles, or hackle feathers, or 

 particular markings were exactly up to the standard of 

 those who pose as infallible authority on poultry matters. 

 While by no means ignoring the " points " which are 

 regarded as necessary to make a fowl worthy to receive a 

 first premium, still they considered that size, shape, fine- 

 ness of bone and flesh, and a general appearance of healthi- 

 ness, were of more than equal value. " With malice 

 toward none and charity toward all " breeds of fowl, they 

 endeavored to fulfil their duties honestly and impartially- 

 The exhibit was very large and of unusual merit, and the 

 committee soon perceived that it would be less difficult 

 to decide what ought to be awarded premiums than what 

 must be passed by. The exhibits of E. R. Perkins of 

 Salem, L. W. Hawkes of Saugus, and A. L. Griffin of 

 Lawrence, were large and of great excellence, and they 

 are to be commended for the perfection to which they 

 have bred their fowls. The noble geese and beautiful 

 ducks exhibited by Mr. Hawkes, attracted much notice 

 from the visitors and deservedly so. Of several varieties 

 he exhibited two coops each of equal merit, so far as th& 



