196 
The Australasian Book of Poultry. 
must be your starting point ; but if you want the surest backing in the world, to achieve j'our object, feed 
your chicks with a regular supply of bone meal from the time they are lo (ten) days old. Let the meal be 
coarse and clean, with no sign of offal or dirt, rather coarser than oatmeal is the right grade : but on no 
account use bone dust. This latter is frequently half offal, or decomposed matter, which in the form of dust 
cannot be detected, and will do a deal more harm than good, by causing continual scouring. For this reason 
rather use meal too coarse than too fine. Feed the bone meal every alternate day, in the proportion of a 
single handful to an ordinary dipper measure of pollard or other soft food, mixing the lot thoroughly while dry, 
so that the bone may be evenly distributed throughout the pollard, adding the hot water afterwards. Since by 
continually experimenting I found the right quality and quantity of bone meal necessary, both others and 
myself have received great assistance from this source, not only by developing big and strong bone in the 
chickens, but by helping to keep the adult birds in good and regular health. 
" When judging Rocks, and having close competition, always make it a rule to handle all birds that 
have a chance of scoring. In common with all table Fowls good handling qualities should count for much 
in Rock classes, besides getting a bird right in the hand often reveals many deficiencies which the eye 
cannot possibly detect, such as, off-coloured feathers adroitly hidden, extensive plucking of same, faked tails, 
white flights, broken breast-bones, and any artificial improvements. Poultry Judges should not take for 
granted everything they can see as natural, as a matter of course, or be ready to take too much on trust, but 
should go about their work seriously, and with a due sense of the responsibility of their ofifice, remembering 
that on their judgment hinges the fate, of perhaps a whole year's patient effort, of many a conscientious 
breeder, and that, if they rush hastily and carelessly through their classes, they may cause exhibitors who 
are honestly striving towards improvement to turn the whole thing up in disgust, while they encourage those 
who may own only medium quality birds, but are clever SJiowmen, to remain in the rut of mediocrity. 
Judge so that before leaving a class you know every main point, good or bad, of every bird that has a chance 
in the running, and be thoroughly decided in your own mind of the why and wherefore of your decisions, 
and the position assigned to every exhibit. Never accept an appointment unless certain of being able to give 
to your classes the full attention they deserve, and never on any account let anyone hustle you, when judging, 
into any attempt at record-breaking. There are record-breakers enough and to spare in nearly all callings, 
but they are not required as Poultry Judges, as all who attempt such a style generally distribute the prize 
cards on the lottery system. Follow a systematic course, and, if your memory is not of a retentive nature, keep 
a note-book and jot down the reasons for your decisions. Remember that you are placed in your position 
not only as an adjudicator, but also as an educator, to show breeders where they are going wrong, and 
also to teach beginners what an ideal bird of the breed should be, and where the deficiencies lie in their 
specimens. Following this line, and believing that the first principle and main object of Shows is to educate 
the public, I have for years endeavoured to let all and sundry see the reasons for my decisions, by jotting down 
on the number card of each pen the main points in which each bird excels or is deficient, so that ' he who 
runs may read,' and thereby learn and understand. In this matter I have, with but one single exception, 
always received the hearty co-operation and assistance of every Society and Club for which I have had the 
honour to act, the Committees welcoming the idea as the furthering and carr)'ing out of one of the purposes 
for which Shows exist. The single exception lo which I allude, where a Committee objected to the reasons 
for my decisions being publicly given, is perhaps hardly to be wondered at, as it was in connection with that 
Club, which for years has been noted for its conservative and effete notions with regard to the Poultrj' 
section, and which, rather than encourage Poultry breeders, has elected to 'go to the dogs' for consolation 
and support. 
" To Critics, Pressmen, and fellow Judges, I take this opportunity of tendering a small bit of advice on 
a matter that has often struck me very forcibly as most incongruous when reading or hearing criticisms on 
Judges' decisions, when those very criticisms have been made, perhaps, two or three days subsequent to the 
Judging day. Most critics seem to forget that all birds are not constituted alike, and that a bird which, when 
Judged, was as fresh as paint and in perfect condition may not stand the confinement of the Show pen well, 
