April 28. 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
07 
i 
I 
paper to such practical hints as may probably be most use¬ 
ful to a society already agreed to be established in any given 
place. 
It is almost superfluous to occupy space in pointing out 
the advantage to such a society of a fair start; and every 
one who has assisted in the formation or management of an 
association, with whatever object, will agree that it is much 
more easy to frame good rules in the outset, than to abro¬ 
gate bad ones, when discovered to be so ; especially if they 
have been the means of giving an advantage, however un¬ 
fair, to some one or more, who thus become interested in 
upholding them, and impute equally interested motives to 
those who only desire to amend for the benefit of all. There¬ 
fore, let the rules be well considered at first, and, as it is 
easier to add than to rescind, a rule of doubtful utility were 
better omitted. In fact, the fewer the rules the fewer the 
disputes; and the best set of regulations are those which 
simply go to secure to all “ a clear stage and no favour.” 
All beyond that is surplusage, or worse. 
Throughout the whole system of formation and manage¬ 
ment, the legitimate object of such societies should be kept 
steadily in view. That object is, not to enable amateurs, 
and still less dealers, to obtain outrageous prices for parti¬ 
cular specimens, but to improve the breed of fowls gene¬ 
rally, and to afford alike to the gentleman, the farmer, and 
the cottager, the means of ascertaining what peculiar variety 
best suits his purpose, and to bring it within his reach at a 
price not unreasonable, but which shall, nevertheless, be 
remunerative to the breeder. A gentleman, for instance, 
whose family—or a farmer, or cottager, whose customers— 
require a constant supply of new-laid eggs, but whose pre¬ 
mises do not afford facilities for rearing a number of 
chickens, will select those varieties which produce the 
greatest number of eggs without the hens desiring to sit; 
while, on the other hand, he who has no demand for eggs, 
but whose sheltered situation is adapted to the protection 
of chickens, which the neighbouring railway enables him to 
dispatch to Leadenhall market, will look for a variety of 
which the adults are good nurses, and the chicks are easily 
reared and attain the earliest maturity. 
Keeping these leading principles in view, the society will, 
of course, promote the culture and dissemination of the best 
and most useful of poultry; at the same time that, as a 
secondary consideration, it does not lose sight of beauty 
either of form or plumage. 
It is too obvious to require proof that these objects can 
only be attained by adhering, above everything, to purity of 
blood; for a contrary course would simply lead us back to 
the indescribable mass of mongrelism by which our poultry 
yards are already tenanted. 
In offering prizes, a society will do well to keep steadily 
before it these three points, viz., 
1. Purity of blood. 
2. Beauty and uniformity of plumage. 
3. Size. 
In the term “ purity of blood,” it is intended to include 
all those peculiarities and characteristics—whether of form, 
shape, or feathers—which denote high breeding and perfect 
distinctness of race; in short, all that is usually understood 
to be included in the term “ thorough-bred.” 
“ Beauty and uniformity of plumage ” are to be taken as 
meaning, not a favourite or particular colour, but brightness 
and freshness of feathers, denoting cleanliness and health, 
and that the birds shown together, should, moreover, match 
each other, as everyone with a correct eye would wish his 
flock, whatever they may be, to present themselves to his 
view. And as a great good pig is better than a little good 
pig, so “ size ” is a desideratum also in other animals used 
for the food of man. 
For the reasons already stated, all prizes for cross-bred 
birds, except, perhaps, in the case of dead poultry, are to be 
deprecated; the business of these societies being to keep 
the types of the purest races separate and distinct. And I 
in order to render competition fair and equal, each variety, 
and in many cases, each sub-variety, must compete only with 
its fellows. This, undoubtedly, increases the number of 
premiums, but it enhances the interest of the show, affords 
opportunities of comparison, keeps the races distinct, and 
produces the shillings at the door. 
The time during which the specimens are detained at the 
shows, has been a fruitful source of discussion—not to say 
dispute. To bring valuable birds to a considerable distance 
from their walks, and confine them for days in narrow pens, 
in a polluted atmosphere, and with unaccustomed food, must 
necessarily lie somewhat injurious to them; and it is de¬ 
sirable, on all accounts, to mitigate these evils as much as 
possible. At the same time, the expenses to which a society 
is necessarily exposed, in providing, and not unfrequently 
erecting, a building suitable for a poultry show, claim the 
consideration of the exhibitors. It is for the society (which 
consists chiefly of exhibitors) to do its best to hit the golden 
mean, and in attempting to assist in this, we would suggest | 
a little concession on both sides. Amateurs ought not to 
be asked to subject valuable specimens to almost certain ! 
injury ; nor ought a society to incur expense without a pro 
liability of being reimbursed. That the time occupied by 
some of the larger exhibitors, is unfairly great, no one, we 
conceive, can deny; and it is certain, moreover, that many 
amateurs refuse, on this account, to show. 
It has been suggested, as a fair compromise, that all birds, 
whose homes are within fifty miles of the show, should be 
there on (say) the Monday evening, while those having a 
greater distance to travel, should be allowed until the fol- 
I lowing morning ; that they should be judged on the Tuesday, 
I and shown on the Wednesday, Thursday, and until mid-day 
on Friday, so that they could again reach their own roosts | 
by Saturday evening, at the latest. No society ought to 
expect or to ask for more than this, while a day less would 
even be more in accordance with reason. 
While at the show, the utmost cleanliness and attention 
should be insisted upon; a plentiful supply of food, fresh, | 
sweet, and varied, and of the purest water, and the best j 
ventilation the place can afford, should be provided; and if 
disease in any shape should appear, the patient should at 
once be removed. The pens should be sufficiently capacious 
to afford a good view of the birds, without crowding them, 
and should be so arranged, as to be free from draughts, and 
to place all of one kind upon the same level. 
It was a common remark at a recent exhibition, that the 
Cochins in one row were bigger than all the rest; but this 
arose from their being placed higher up than the others, 
and with a whitewashed-wall behind them. This is men¬ 
tioned as an instance of the unfairness (of course unin¬ 
tentional) of placing different specimens of the same variety 
in different situations. 
Policemen, or other respectable persons, who can be 
relied upon to combine firmness with civility, should be 
stationed so as to prevent interference with the birds ; and 
all eggs should be publicly broken. 
The subject of sales is so mixed up with that of exhibi¬ 
tions, that it is necessary to advert to it. In whatever point 
of view it may be looked at, it is by no means without its 
difficulties. The most equitable plan, perhaps, would be, 
to permit those who do not desire to sell, to say so at once, 
instead of resorting to the subterfuge of a “ prohibitory 
price.” Others might be allowed to name a price; but at 
that price they should be compelled to sell, and prohibited 
from buying in. The new system of sales by auction is 
altogether objectionable, as securing the birds to him who 
possesses the longest purse, or, rather, perhaps the least 
prudence, while the owners can bid them up as he pleases. 
The subject of dealers acting as judges has been so often 
discussed, that it is needless to say more upon it, than that 
I entirely agree with your correspondent, “ N.” 
Where the classes are numerous, it is strongly recom¬ 
mended that more than one set of judges be appointed. 
Such an arrangement would save much time, and it admits 
of the additional advantage, that the services of those best 
acquainted with each variety might be made available. 
Many societies allow labouring men to exhibit gratuitously, 
and a pleasing idea was suggested by an amateur of standing 
at a recent local show, namely, that of offering a pair of 
good birds as a separate cottager’s prize, and of thus putting 
it in the power of a thrifty cottager to become possessed of i 
specimens for stock superior to those which his means 
might enable him to purchase. 
Another suggestion, not unworthy of consideration, is, that 
at the Christmas shows, prizes should be offered for the 
best specimens of dead poultry, by which means it would be 
ascertained, in some degree, at least, which is the best breed 
