200 
THE POULTRY BOOK, 
poultry. Prizes have rarely been offered for fowls simply as table poultry. It is 
therefore with much pleasure that we call attention to the following account of the 
show of fat poultry at Paris, which was instituted by the Minister of Agriculture, and 
held in December, 1864, in the salons in the Palais de V Industrie at Paris. The 
exhibition was a great success ; there were more than five hundred contributors, 
and between two and three thousand specimens of poultry, including fowls, turkeys, 
geese, and ducks, all killed, and ready for ^ cooking. Nineteen departments 
were represented. The arrangements were admirable ; sloping tables were placed 
around, and double stands of the same kind in the centre of each room. These 
were covered with blue paper, upon which the poultry was laid out with ample 
space on all sides, the various lots, each consisting of four specimens, being sepa- 
rated by fillets of wood, painted red, so that every article exhibited could be seen 
perfectly. On the walls were neatly-painted devices, containing the names of the 
classes and localities in which they were produced. The first day was devoted to 
making the necessary arrangements ; the second, till one o’clock, to the decisions 
of the jury, after which the public were admitted at a charge of half a franc ; and 
the third to the exhibition and sale of the articles. The jury was composed of Count 
Leopold le Hon, president, representative in the Corps Legislatif of the district 
La Bresse (in Burgundy), famous for its poultry ; two inspectors-general of agri- 
culture ; four farmers, and four dealers in poultry. The sum of 4,000 francs was 
devoted to prizes, besides medals in gold, silver, and bronze. The grand prize 
consisted of a large gold medal and 1,000 francs. The awards were marked by 
means of oval cast-iron tablets, painted blue, with the raised letters picked out in 
gold colour. The fowls were divided into five classes — birds of the races of La 
Bresse, of La Fleche, of Houdan, of Normandy (better known in England as 
Crevecoeurs), and all other varieties. Medals and prizes in money were given in 
all the classes, both for capons and poulardes. The Bresse fowls were by far 
the most numerous, 600 lots being exhibited against 200 Houdans, 200 Normans, 
or Crevecoeurs, and 150 La Eleche. Gold, silver, and a number of bronze 
medals and honourable mentions were awarded in each class, and the grand pria; 
d'honneur was awarded to M. Gorgondet, of Treffort, in the department of the 
Aix, for four pullets of the race of La Bresse. The other classes consisted of 
turkeys, ducks, geese, pigeons, Guinea fowls, and other poultry. The fowls of La 
Bresse were not so remarkable for size as for smallness of bone and plumpness ; 
the manner in which they are prepared for market is quite artistic. Some of 
the geese were very good — truly gigantic ; but the turkeys would not have borne 
comparison with those of Leadenhall market. The sale was very brisk, and the 
names of almost every celebrated gastronomic establishment in Paris were to be 
seen on tickets in all directions. Forty and fifty francs were asked and easily 
obtained for prize geese and turkeys ; and fowls that had obtained medals were 
marked in the morning after the exhibition as high, if not higher, than thirty- six 
francs each. 
The proceedings did not terminate with the award of the prizes ; for at the 
