Maucii 18. 
COUNTRY GENTLEMAN’S COMPANION. 
-15;) 
"STT 
POULTRY SHOWS. 
Anerlei’. July 15th, l 6 th, 17th, and 18th. 
Bristol. June 25th and 26 th. See. Robert Hillhouse Bush, Litheld I 
House, Clifton, Bristol. Entries close 26 th of May. j 
Essex. At Colchester, 8th, Qth, and 10th of January, 185/- Secs, i 
G. E. Attwood, and W. A. Warwick. j 
Newcastle, Northumberland, and Durham. .4t Newcastle, 
March 26th and 27 th, Sec. Mr. W. Trotter, South Accomb, near 
Newcastle. ! 
Norwich. June 20th. (Norfolk Agricultural, for Subscribers only.) \ 
Sec. Mr. E. C. Bailey, Little Oxford Street, Norwich. Entries close : 
May 31st. j 
Nottinghamshire. At Southwell, December 17 th and 18th, 1856. | 
See. Richard Hawksley, jun. Entries close November 19 th. 
Wiiarfd.ale. April 18th, at Otley. Sec. Mr. T. Metcalfe, Otley. 
Windsor Poultry Exhibition. At Windsor, -llh, 5th, and 6 th of 
June. Sees. Thos. Chamberlain, and Henry Thompson. Entries 
will close May lOth. 
N.B .—Secretaries vtill oblige us by sending early copies of their lists. 
THE OBJECTIONABLE RESULTS OF HOLDING 
POULTRY SHOWS SIMUL'J’ANEOUSLY. 
It is now ascertained, beyond the possibility of doubt, 
that the Poultry Exhibitions of the year 185(1 v. di very far 
exceed, both in numbers and importance, tliu.se of the season 
just closed. At itresent, the announcemenls actually placed 
before tlio piihlic are necessarily limited ; but not a few prize 1 
lists have already been placed in our hands for general 
supervision, and we were not a little surprised to find that, ^ 
in a variety of instances, the time chosen for holding them 
was precisely the same. This, no doubt, has arisen, in the 
cases alluded to, from the fact that the date was fixed in re¬ 
ference to their own. localitj', without the slightest thought 
of any interference whatever with the interests of similar 
societies, be they rivals or otherwise. However inadvertently 
selected, the result and natural tendency remains unchanged, ! 
and invariably (though in different degrees) to the disad- 1 
vantage of both societies. i 
Our attention has been directed to this objectionable 
arrangement by the collision of interests that must even¬ 
tually ensue in every case where these plans are pertina¬ 
ciously adhered to, and which might be just as easily 
avoided, by a mutual ‘’understanding ” among the commit¬ 
tees of management of our various leading poultry exhibi¬ 
tions. The circumstance is so very recent, that, no doubt, 
it occurs to the mind of most of our readers, that even in 
December last, the holding of the Great London (Jattle 
Show, in Laker Street, and the one for the Midland Coun¬ 
ties, in Bingley Hall, Birmingham, on the .self-same days, 
was highly detrimental to the pecuniary interests of both 
societies. That Birmingham passed through the trying or¬ 
deal with the least comparative suffering. The Times, and not 
a few other newspapers of that date, bore most concurrent 
testimony ; and we, ourselves, have not a doubt “/Ac Toiillry 
department" of the Bingley Hall exhibition was the feature 
that caused the scales “to draw” more especially in its ^ 
favour, by giving it the advantage in the “ long pull.” We 
have not the slightest desire of party spirit, but, on the con¬ 
trary, our only wish is to see all such societies thriving and 
prosperous; and, as public monitors, to give timely hints of 
any mistakes that require supervision, or forewarn of unex¬ 
pected evils that might most probably ensue. We are, there¬ 
fore, most liappy in being able to say, no such collision of 
interests will tigain be permitted to arise (from their respec¬ 
tive meetings on the same days) between the two colossal 
societies we have just alluded to; but rather, by the mutual 
arrangements of their respective councils, the interests of 
either will be alike consulted, and every visitor, desirous of 
so doing, be thus enabled to enjoy the pleasure of attending 
both exhibitions. A'ery great credit is due to all the jiarties j 
for the good feeling they have thus manifested, and the ex- , 
tremely good policy of so doing must be evident to every i 
one who at all reflects on the powerful influence “mutual j 
accommodation” will have on the future interests of their 
respective societies. 
This naturally leads onwards to the investigation whether 
it is probable similar misarrangements are in contemplation 
elsewhere. The first of this character that has, as yet, this 
season come to our knowledge, takes place at the commence¬ 
ment of next June—the Bath and AVest of England Agri¬ 
cultural Society, and.the Windsor Exhibition committees, 
lioth holding their meetings on the same days. Although it 
is probable “second consideration” may yet lead to some 
different plan being adopted—by one party or the other— 
to the very considerable and nllimate benefit of both, it may 
not be here amiss to very briefly point out a few prominent 
disadvantages that cannot in any way be avoided, if their 
present arrangements are pertinaciously adhered to on each 
side. 
All must agree (who have paid the slightest consideration 
whatever to the subject) that the real and absolute interest 
of any exhibition must be totally idcji'ifu d with the qnality 
and UNUSUAL perfection of the speciu.Liio entered for com¬ 
petition, whether they are animals, poultry, or agricultural 
produce. If the rivalry is great, and the competition closely 
disputed for the future ownership of the pi’emiums, the 
attendance of visitors will be proporlionably increased; whilst 
even a “passing report,” that any named show will be a 
perfect “ Bridgeuorth Election,” tends not only to render it 
less locally interesting, but also has an influence on the 
receipts, that none but those who have ah eady suffered from 
it can sufficienlly appreciate. To all exhibitions (instituted 
for the improvement of the various kinds of live stock) 
numbers of spectators are attracted, in the ho]ie of availing 
themselves of so favourable an opportunity of seeing the 
most noted breeds placed side by side, and indulging in 
close comparison of their respective peculiarities or in¬ 
dividual pro-eminence, if they are descended from the same 
strain. In the latter case, of course, almost everything 
depends on unremitted care, and well-advised supeiin- 
tendance. Hence it is, that those exhibitions generally 
prove most attractive, and, consequently,most profitable, where 
the hope of improving their own stock by judicious “ crosses ” 
(or infusion of “fresh blood”) is held out to visitors ; and 
the sales effected will, therefore, always bear the strictest 
comparison with the quality of the stock that may have 
competed. It is equally well attested, by the exp.erience of 
almost every committee, that their cash accounts have been 
influenced far more by the entrance monies of those who 
have travelled some distance to visit the exhibition, than by 
the attendance of parties living in the immediate neighbour¬ 
hood. This proves to demonstration, that “ to restrict the 
competition to the county" in which the show takes pilace, is 
not by any means advisable or lucrative ; in short, it is con¬ 
clusive, that the more diverse the origin of the stock, and 
the more uncertain the chances of success in prize-winning, 
the greater will be the emulation evinced by competitors to 
secure the premiums, and, therefore, it is most advisable to 
permit “entries” from any part of the United Kingdom. 
AA''e have, in the foregoing remarks, embraced every kind 
of agricultural stock, as all are equally influenced by the 
peculiar circumstances we have mentioned, but will now 
confine ourselves more particularly to poultry, and especially 
in connection with the Bath and AVindsor Exhibitions. 
Happening, as we stated, on the same days, all the best of 
our exhibition birds will be divided. Some exhibitors 
possessing ///•a/-c/o.s-.s' fowls, and emulous rather of distinction 
than pecuniary gain, will court more than avoid competition ; 
whilst the “ faint-hearted ” will closely canvass the pro¬ 
babilities of “ ichich show offers the better chance of success ” 
for their ////t-Wor poultry ; or, again, a mercenary proprietor, 
who is determined to “ make sui'e,” may purposely enter 
where success is certain, from his di'eaded competitors being 
all engaged in more praiseworthy and honourable rivalry 
elsewhere. Nor docs this division of intei’ests rest ex¬ 
clusively with the birds themselves; the public attention 
tending to widely varying channels, each society (as the 
natural consequence) must suffer seriously in its receipts, 
whilst the importance of the present exhibition being 
materially decreased, wdll as infallibly spread a baneful 
influence over future meetings. 
As being a private affair, resting exclusively between the 
committee and the gentlemen wdio may be engaged, wo will 
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