SOME EXHIBITION EVILS. 133 



LESSON XVI 



Some Elementary floral Science For Exhibitors. 



THE novice in exbibiting fowls fliult^, when he ventures into the show room, certain 

 conflicts between the rules of exhibitions, »s he reads them, and some common 

 practices of exhibitors. 

 Thus the rules almost invariably say that specimens, except Games, which may 

 have the combs dubbed, must be exhibited in their natural condition, but it is the universal 

 practice among exhibitors to improve in various ways on the "natural" condition and 

 appearance of the fowl. As to the legitimacy or illegitimacy of these practices, opinions may 

 differ. All grades of opinion are found, from severe condemnation of even the most harmless 

 and apparent forms of "grooming," to apology for or justification of practices which need 

 only to be descril>ed to be recognized as wrong. 



It is in the list of practices intermediate between these extremes that the things are found 

 which cause the most concern to exhibitors who wish at the same time to be hoiie.-t and fair, 

 and to take advantage of every permissible method of improving a bird's chances of winning. 

 To the beginner in the exhibition room some of the practices which seem to the older 

 exhibitor' necessary and right appear to be of a very heinous nature. AS he becomes more 

 familiar with the conditions which occasion these practices, and learns to know the men he at 

 first condemned for practicing them, he Is very likely to considerably modify his views about 

 both the men and the practices, even though he may not be able fully to approve them, or to 

 join in them with a conscience entirely clear. 



■ In this lesson I have no purpose or wish to persuade anyone to adopt a course with reference 

 to these matters which he cannot justify to himself and his own conscience. I shall merely 

 present certain facts In the relutions in which tbey are commonly considered by experienced 

 breeders and exhibitors, with the arguments by which the practices generally regarded as 

 legitimate are justified, indicate the common attitude with regard to them, and occasionally 

 give a personal opinion when it seems appropriate. 



Some of the Evils of Exhibitions. 



The o-reat evils in poultry exhibitions as they discover themselves to the novice are: — 



1.— The faking of birds; that is, treating them in some matter to circumvent a rule or 



gain an unfair advantage of a competitor. 

 2.— The borrowing of birds for exhibition. 

 3.— The collusion of exhibitors and judges. 



What is Faking? 



In the above classification of show room evils I have given a brief and comprehensive 

 definition of a common term which means many different things to many different people. 

 Strictly and literally interpreted, the rules, as promulgated by most showSj do prohibit 



■ practices which it may be said are followed by experienced exhibitors without exception, for 

 it would be utter folly for an exhibitor competing with experienced exhibitors in strong com- 

 petition not to do theseithings. < His chances of winning without -them w«uid be so rare that 



