570 
The Plymouth Meeting. 
out of every ten pure-bred chickens successfully reared only one is suitable 
for a ' Fancier's ' exhibition, -whilst the remainder are exclusively and admir- 
ablv adapted for the market and the table. From March to July in each 
vear most of our market towns are very inadequately supplied with good 
"chickens and ducklings. 
<; It must be most gratifying to the promoters and -well-wishers of this 
department, to notice what a centre of attraction the Poultry tent was to the 
visitors during the week. The appreciation of the information and instruc- 
tion to be gained here by an agricultural community is bound to lead to the 
extended cultivation and value of commercial poultry, and encourage miny 
who have the accommodation to supply our home markets more plentifully, 
and assist in retaining in this country some of the millions annually paid to 
the foreigner for poultry and eggs." 
In order to prevent the Poultry Department of the Show 
from becoming a mere contest amongst fanciers, the Judges are 
each year distinctly- instructed to give greater consideration to 
" high condition, quality, purity of race, and weight," than to 
" mere beauty of plumage without these distinctions." The 
Judges report that they were careful to keep this instruction 
in view J and some remarks of Mr. Cresswell on the general 
question are worthy of reproduction : — 
" The great increase in the number of entries of many breeds of poultry, 
and the still more striking improvement in the quality of the exhibits, is, 
I am sure, largely due to the change in the management of the Show. 
The adoption of the usual Show pens, and of the entry of single birds, 
has brought to the Show the choicest specimens of many of the most 
skilful breeders and fanciers. I do not mean that from the point of 
view of the R.A.S.E. (nor in my own judgment) fancy points and fancy 
characteristics should have great weight ; but it is a well-known fact that 
the pioneers of improvement in the breeding of poidtry, as in that of other live 
stock, have always been those who brought to their occupation the enthusiasm 
of fanciers. "While, therefore, I think that useful qualities should first of all 
be considered, I am equally convinced that those who as fanciers keep up 
and improve pure and distinctive breeds of poultry should not be dis- 
couraged." 
Viewing the Live Stock generally, Mr. T. H. Miller, Senior 
Steward of this department of the Show, who now retires 
after officiating as Steward of Live Stock at the last four 
Meetings, points out that only in the Horse Classes was there 
any deficiency in numbers. In Cattle, Sheep, and Pigs the 
entries compare most favourably with the entries of the seven 
preceding years (see Table, page 542), excluding Windsor, and 
are far in excess of the averages of those years. The entries of 
Poultry were more than four-fifths of the numbers at "Windsor. 
Comparing the two Meetings of 1890 and 1865, Mr. Miller notes 
that whilst the entries of Live Stock have more than doubled, 
and the money given in prizes has been increased by 62 per 
cent., the attendance has only increased by about 1 1 per cent. 
