Benefits and Advantages Derivable from Shows. 
103 
To "Fanciers" can be credited the fact of pure-bred birds being more generally kept, by this means 
offering great inducement towards the improvement of the common stock of Poultry, and the 
keeping of a more or less better class of Fowls induces the ordinary Poultry-keeper to give them more care 
and attention, with the natural result that they are rendered much more profitable. There is no doubt that 
" Fanciers" prevent the deterioration^ and often extinction^ of the very breeds which the practical producer 
derives the greatest profit from. Of course, there are some breeds that are now bred solely for ornament, 
and not for utility purposes, and others are made weakly and worthless by too fine or in-breeding, or by 
pampering and over-showing, but these breeds are severely let alone by the Practical Poultry Farmer, who 
selects for his purpose those which possess the qualities desired. 
Poultry Exhibitions are of great value to the Poultry industry of any country, even where only pure 
breeds are exhibited, and, like Agricultural Societies, should, in our opinion, receive State aid. This would 
do a vast amount of good, and, after all, would but place the Poultry Societies in the position they should 
occupy by right. 
The expenses attached to holding a Poultry Show of any magnitude are considerable, but the advantages 
thus afforded the community at large are proportionately great, and this should be appreciated and recom- 
pensed in some manner by the Government of each Colony. The benefits attached to Poultry Shows 
would be increased to an enormous extent if more encouragement were given to UTILITY exhibits, if liberal 
prizes were offered for Fowls, Ducks, Geese, and Turkeys, for their table qualities oiilv, regardless of the 
purity of the breed, also on various given crosses, both alive and dressed, and on collections and varieties of 
eggs, etc. The Poultry Exhibitions then would be of much more value to Practical Poultry-keepers, and of 
greater interest generally to all classes. But the Market Poultry Breeders do not, as a rule, contribute owing 
to lack of inducement, and, on the other hand, decline to purchase pure-bred birds for the improvement 
of their stock, apparently begrudging the " Fancier " the result of his time, energy, and labour. There are, 
of course, exceptions to the rule, but very rare. Occasionally a Poultry Farmer, realising the possibility and 
almost certainty of improving the nett returns on his stock by a judicious purchase of a bird or birds to that 
end, will step out of the beaten track and speculate in a good specimen or two, but the action is too 
spasmodic and uncertain to be of much benefit, and is distinctly traceable to the fact that little or no 
encouragement is offered by the Poultry Societies for him to do so. 
This, undoubtedly, is the principal reason that " Fanciers " support Shows in the interest of Fancy Stock 
alone. The Poultry Societies may be partly to blame for not offering greater inducements to the other 
important branches — those of egg-production and Table Poultry — and were this done in combination, the 
result would lead to a decided financial success. The various Colonial Governments have a duty to perform, 
by appreciating at their true value the Exhibitions of Poultry, and assisting to advance the cultivation of 
Poultry as an edible product by the aid of public money, doing by this means that which the Fanciers have 
done for themselves, but have not done for embryo market Poultry-keepers — that is, to provide valuable object 
lessons that can be easily learned, and which would be of marked benefit to the community. At the time of 
holding these Exhibitions, men of practical experience in Poultry raising for market and export could be 
secured to lecture on mating, breeding, fattening, killing, dressing, and shipping Poultry, thus guiding the 
Farmers as to the best means of turning Poultry breeding, even on a small scale, into a profitable under- 
taking, and this would materially assist in fostering and encouraging a much-neglected and yet valuable 
industry. 
In connection with Poultry Shows and their management, one name is prominent — that of the 
ubiquitous Hon. Secretary of the N.S.W. P., P., C. and D. Society, A. J. Gray, Esq. Fanciers in all sections 
are deeply indebted to this gentleman for the long term of service he has devoted to the guidance 
and furtherance of Poultry matters. Mr. Gray first became a member of the N.S.W. Columbarian Club, 
which held private monthly Pigeon Shows in 1875, he at that time being one of the most successful 
exhibitors of Pigeons. In 1878 it was decided to extend the operations of the N.S.W. Columbarian Society 
