Report of the Steward of Dairying and Poultry at Nottinghant. 645 
" fancier," any more than the farmer who hreeds ordinary horses, cattle, 
sheep, &c., has, in exhibiting in our Agricultural Show Yards in competition 
with enthusiastic admii-ers. But these commercial breeders are glad to avail 
themselves of the opportunity of attending important exhibitions of stock, 
where they can choose a variety and select a strain from which they can 
procure animals to improve their stock at home. There is no douht that 
hundreds of farmers have seen the prize poultry exhibited at the " Royal " 
of recent years who would never think of entering a Fancier "s Show pure 
and simple, and I have little doubt that many such have beeu influenced 
thereby to study their own interests in looking more particularly after the 
welfare of their poultry at home. 
I think it most essential that poultr}- should be one of the branches re- 
presented by the Royal Society. The benefit to the country may be gradual 
and unseen for a time, but ultimately I feel convinced it will stimulate 
farmers — more than any other Show can do — to take a greater interest in 
domestic poultry. 
The improvement and cultivation of all well-bred stock will he sure and 
permanent if the example and copy-head is shown to go by. I am greatly 
in favour of pure-bred animals and poultry. In all their various strains I 
would strongly advocate and encourage their purity. One or two classes of 
non-pedigreed animals in each department is ample crossing to encourage. 
In the poultry exhibition, a class for Table Poultry is all the crossing that 
should receive countenance from headquarters. 
I feel convinced that if the Poultry department of the Royal Show was 
more economically managed and better arranged, it would become one of the 
most interesting and successful exhibitions of the year. I have no doubt 
that Messrs. Spratt could have comfortably arranged live or six hundred pens 
of poultry in the shed of this year, in quite as favourable a position for 
Judges and visitors as the present management, where 350 pens occupy the 
entire space. 
Other improvements in the right direction would be to extend the classi- 
fication, to divide the sexes, and make the classes for single birds. Another 
point of the first importance is to arrange the whole of each class on the same 
line or level : whether it be on the top or bottom tier of pens is immaterial, 
so long as each class is at the same elevation. 
I strongly approve of keeping the names of the Judges a profound secret. 
There is much more to be said in favour of the Council's established rule in 
this particular than against it. That practical Judges are always elected is 
sulficient for exhibitors to depend on and know. 
Brahmns and CocJiins were fairly represented at the Show. They are 
useful varieties to encourage, they add size and frame to commercial poultry, 
and produce good winter layers. 
Dorkings, our popular English tahle fowl, were large classes, which con- 
tained some of the best specimens of the breed. 
The good qualities of the La/if/sJuuis are being appreciated by the country ; 
they were represented here by 27 pens, mostly uniform and typical birds. They 
are large, long-breasted, fleshy table birds, and combine good laying properties. 
They deserve all the patronage accorded them. 
Plymouth Rocks, as here, generally muster well at all Shows. They are 
now well estabhshed, and are essentially a commercial fowl, very hardy, 
mature early, useful table birds, and good layers. In all, 24 pens were ex- 
hibited, the chickens being specially good. 
Scotch Greys do not muster well out of Scotland, but they are certainly 
deserving of encouragement and cultivation. They are suited for any climate, 
are handsome and graceful fowls, with good table and laying qualifications. 
The prizes in this class all went to birds direct from Scotland. 
