I he Illustrated Book of Poultry . 
1 1 6 
aspect. By thus keeping a high standard of artificial points, below which a bird is comparatively 
valueless, conventionally perfect specimens will always be few ; and we insure a large number of 
biids which in these particulars are below par, but which possess all the economic merits of the 
vanety to which they belong, and which are available for purely commercial purposes at a very 
model ate price. That celebrated breeders are often glad to dispose of such extra stock at only a 
few shillings over the price of ordinary fowls is notorious ; and as the hiring of a good ram at a 
high price is directly remunerative in the increased fleece and mutton produced, so the effect in the 
case of poultry is equally capable of being calculated, and has been clearly shown in the preceding 
pages, from a purely utilitarian point of view. 
It may, however, be asked, If in the fancier’s hands these breeds have lost some of the 
original economic value they had, how then ? The answer to this is very simple, and consists in 
the fact that however much these qualities have diminished, they usually reappear in all their 
original perfection in the first cross ; and as farmers or market-breeders usually employ such 
first crosses, which are better for nearly all purposes, every practical end is still secured. 
Even crossing two strains of the same great race usually has the same effect, and though it will 
influence plumage in a way the fancier does not desire, that does not matter to the food-producer. 
The latter thus obtains from the fancier fowls with all the capabilities of their race, and it is 
Jus business to further develop their economic qualities, in the way already indicated. The 
mere change from a fancier’s yard to the healthy, fresh, free range of a farm, usually works marvels 
in restoring the -primitive hardiness and fecundity of a race, and a farmer who buys with any 
judgment is very little troubled by these alleged, and some of them even real, evils. 
Lastly, however, there is, as already implied, some measure of truth in Sir Henry Thompson’s 
tirade, in so far that some of our standards are decidedly injudicious. Here again, however, the 
ultimate conclusion fundamentally differs, since he pronounces “ no compromise possible,” while it 
is obvious that certain definite changes in judging could easily enough be embodied in a standard, 
provided there be mutual consent. It has always been stated in this work that the standards 
for judging in subsequent pages do not in many points embody our own ideas of what judging 
should be, but represent judging as it actually has been and is. We do believe that certain 
points have been pushed to extremes. To reproduce words penned by ourselves before the 
strictures we are now considering : “ for instance, taking .the Creve, which is a crested fowl : the 
English tendency is to demand a crest as large as possible, and give that point far the greatest 
weight in judging. The French, on the other hand, while they look for a typical crest, are satisfied 
with that, and lay more stress upon a fine and well-shaped body. Of two fowls in competition, 
therefore, in France the finest fowl would win (i.e., so far as judging went by the fowls at all at 
a show : practically, as already explained, it is the country breeders make the breeds in France); 
in England, the finest crest on perhaps a much less fine fowl.” It hardly needs pointing out which 
is the sensible method ; but it is equally obvious that, so far from “compromise” being impossible, 
all desired could easily be embodied in a standard. In this case we should only have to deduct 
some of the points allotted for crest, and increase those allowed for size and symmetry, and 
the reform would be effected. There need be no upset of the system, and the best crest would 
still count more points than an inferior one ; but the judging would be altered in a certain 
definite direction. We hold this to be desirable ; but one evil of wholesale tirades is that they 
obscure and prevent what, if clearly pointed out, would be perfectly practicable reforms. Such 
reforms in judging, in the shape of greater stress upon the more useful points of many fowls, 
we certainly would urge upon all concerned. 
