o 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER 
April 3. 
gentlemen by whom those usually thankless offices 
have been discharged. 
Let us first turn to the place to he selected for the 
Exhibition, on which so much of its success must 
invariably depend. Space, light, and ventilation, are 
here the main essentials to he attained; advantages, 
indeed, seldom combined to their fullest extent in any 
building not specially designed for the purpose. The 
nearest approximation however, to what is required, is 
usually found in the market-houses or corn-exchanges 
of our large towns, where Poultry Societies find their 
most appropriate head-quarters. Bingley Hall, we 
believe, is the only instance of a building erected solely 
for Exhibitions of this description, and its last addition 
has the requisite permanent fittings for poultry, inde¬ 
pendent of all other purposes. It would, no doubt, 
require an area of operations, and a list of subscribers 
hardly to be looked for in other localities, to expect a 
similar outlay, but the building in question is an 
excellent model, either for the erection of a suitable 
place for a Poultry Show, or the provision of an Ex¬ 
hibition-room for general purposes. 
Tents are not to be relied upon in our most uncertain 
climate. Wind and rain soon penetrate even the best; 
and in such a case, the drenched and draggled plumage 
of the birds prohibit any just estimate of their com¬ 
parative merit on the part of either Judges or spectators. 
The cold winds that prevail, even at Midsummer, are 
among the most adverse influences to which a fowl in 
such a situation can be exposed. On these accounts, 
therefore, however unobjectionable in fine, warm weather, 
exhibitors are justly apprehensive of Poultry Shows 
held under canvass. 
We now come to the prize-list; and here the same 
argument applies that we employed in the former case. 
The locality that is likely to afford the best place for the 
Exhibition is also to be regarded as that from which 
good receipts are most likely to be derived. Prizes are 
commonly too small in their amount, and this must ever 
be where the competition of neigbouring Societies 
divides the public support. Exhibitors, as a body, it is 
true, are not open to the charge of seeking the mere 
pounds, shillings, and pence of the awards; for the 
credit and the ultimate increased value of their birds, 
when successful, are the motives which, undoubtedly, 
influence them as a body; but at the same time, they 
have a good right to expect greater liberality than is 
usually accorded to them. The Birmingham list of the 
present year is a safe guide to the classification to be 
adopted where every well-defined distinction of class 
is recognised and invited. We wish that other Societies 
might be enabled to carry out the same principle in their 
financial allotments. 
In the arrangement of pens, the want of room in 
almost every case, Bingley Hall not even excepted, 
compels a double row of pens one after the other. 
This is clearly objectionable, not merely as throwing 
the one underneath into comparative obscurity, but 
also as elevating the upper tier beyond the height most 
convenient for inspection. Portable pens, to serve also 
as those in which the birds are to be exhibited, have 
been suggested; but all such that we have either seen 
or heard of certainly fail to combine the requisite 
qualities of security during the journey, and of the 
subsequent favourable display of the birds. We might 
add, indeed, that unless their size is inconveniently 
increased, they are usually by no means comfortable 
abodes for the usual period of confinement. The 
Bingley Hall pattern, in all that appertains to the pen 
audits fittings, can hardly be improved upon; while 
, the attention that is there given to the feeding depart¬ 
ment, sets a good lesson to be beneficially followed in 
the instance of other Societies. Quality, not quantity, 
it should be remembered, is required at our Poultry 
Shows; and, apart from other considerations, every 
object would be gained if the number of pens were 
J reduced by one half, by which a single row of pens in 
full sight would be submitted to the public; while an 
increased rate of entry would swell the receipts of the 
Society, and keep mediocrity at home. 
No more arduous task awaits the Committee, and 
none on which the success or failure of a Show more 
immediately depends, than the appointment of Judges. 
We have seen arbitrations as blameless where the duty 
lias been confined to one person, as where two or more 
have been entrusted with it; and it is mainly in cou- 
| sideration for the individual that we advise the respon- 
j sibility of the office being placed on more shoulders 
than one. The number of Judges necessarily depends 
on the number of pens; and taking the average com. 
parative quality of the specimens, and the time allotted 
for the Judge’s work, every 300 pens should have the 
attention of one set of Judges where a moiety of the 
day only is set apart for them; while 500 may be 
carefully inspected by the same number in a whole day. 
The winter months, in which the greater number of our 
meetings are held, giving less daylight, allowance may 
be made for the difference when summer shows are 
being considered, for candle-light arbitrations should be 
wholly prohibited. There is no censure to which Com. 
mittees and Managers are more commonly open than 
the assignment of too short a period for the satisfactory 
discharge of the Judge’s duties. 
Whatever the number of Judges, let them be wholly 
unconnected with the neighbourhood; and while they 
are occupied at their work, let no one beyond those 
whose presence is absolutely necessary be present. 
Under no circumstances should an Exhibitor be in the 
room either then, or at any time after the birds have 
been received, and before the public are admitted. The 
Committee should reserve to themselves the power of 
officially calling upon the Judges to explain to them, 
though not necessarily for publication, any point in their 
decisiou which may seem to require such explanation. 
Such requests to be made in writing, and within a 
certain time, say twelve hours, from the opening of the 
Exhibition. 
Misunderstanding has sometimes arisen regarding 
the remuneration of the Judges. Reimbursement of 
all their expenses is clearly the basis on which their 
