550 POULTRY CULTURE 



prizes and no entry fees have been charged. With a httle effort 

 directed especially in that direction egg competitions among ex- 

 hibitors of live poultry might be developed in any small show. 

 Something, too, may be done with dressed poultry through cooper- 

 ation with poultrymen dressing considerable quantities of it, or 

 with nonproducing local dealers. In either case the exhibits would 

 come in as noncompetitive displays, on practically the same footing 

 as displays of incubators, brooders, and poultry supplies. Under 

 existing conditions this seems the best way to treat this class of 

 produce in most small shows. 



Combination shows. Combining exhibits of other stock with 

 poultry shows to attract larger attendance is the rule in all large 

 shows and many small ones. Pigeons, pet stock, cats, and some- 

 times dogs are exhibited with poultry. A cat department will attract 

 more people who would not otherwise attend the show than any of 

 the others mentioned. Pigeons and pet stock are usually a loss to 

 the management, but the departments are maintained to add to the 

 variety, on the same principle that exhibits of nonpopular kinds of 

 poultry are specially solicited. There is a growing feeling in regard 

 to all these side shows that, with popular development of the exhibi- 

 tion possibilities of poultry, they might well be dispensed with. 



Mercantile exhibits. Displays of poultry supplies have become 

 a very important feature in all the larger poultry shows, are often 

 found in small shows, and are everywhere one of the most popular 

 features of a show. Incubators hatching and little chicks or duck- 

 lings in brooders interest all classes of visitors, and an extended 

 array of poultry appliances and supplies will hold the attention of 

 many poultry keepers long after they have tired of looking at the 

 birds. These displays are usually made by local dealers, and by 

 inventors of appliances who wish to exploit a particular article. 



Suggestions for improving appearance of regular displays. The 

 most marked feature of poultry shows is sameness in the method of 

 displaying exhibits. The breaking up of the display of an exhibitor 

 to bring together specimens which are to compete in the same class 

 makes impossible any general effort to beautify the displays by 

 appropriate setting or decoration, or to give any special character 

 to an exhibit. A few exhibitors decorate their coops, especially 

 coops of birds winning important prizes after 'the awards are up, 



