•Ph  RURAL  NEW-YORKER 
Poultry  Production  Exhibit 
THE  first  New  York  State  poultry  production 
show,  at  Ithaca,  was  a  great  success.  This  was 
the  first  show  of  its  kind,  as  far  as  anyone  present 
knew,  which  has  been  held  in  the  United  States,  if 
not  in  the  world.  There  were  between  1.200  and 
1,300  Separate  entries. 
The  object  of  the  show  was:  (1 )  To  demonstrate 
the  comparative  quality  of  poultry  produced  in  the 
various  counties  of  New  York  State  when  judged  for 
egg  production,  meat  production,  quality  of  eggs  and 
breed  and  variety  characteristics,  by  holding  a  prize 
competition  of  production-bred  poultry  and  eggs. 
(2)  To  train  poultrymen  in  the  knowledge  and  skill 
of  selecting  and  judging  poultry  for  production, 
purity  of  breeding,  and  selection  of  eggs  for  hatch¬ 
ing  and  for  market,  by  making  an  educational  de¬ 
monstration  of  the  judging  of  all  classes  in  the 
presence  of  the  exhibitors,  who  will  have  full  oppor¬ 
tunity  of  hearing  the  reasons  for  the  placing  of  all 
awards.  (3)  To  assist  in  the  distribution  of  pro¬ 
duction-bred  poultry  and  high  quality  eggs  through¬ 
out  the  country  by  bringing  to  the  attention  of  poul¬ 
try  breeders  in  this  and  other  States  the  best  quality 
of  poultry  and  eggs,  the  most  successful  poultry- 
breeding  farms  and  the  most  progressive  poultry¬ 
breeding  center  bv  conducting  a  sale  at  public  auc¬ 
tion  of  such  poultry  and  eggs  as  exhibitors  may  de¬ 
sire  to  offer.  (4)  To 
bring  together  for  the 
purpose  of  education, 
organization  and  busi¬ 
ness  the  most  progres¬ 
sive  poultrymen  and 
poultrywomen  of  the 
State. 
As  the  affair  was  a 
co-operative  project,  the 
State  College  furnished 
the  buildings,  equip¬ 
ment,  judges,  lecturers, 
caretakers,  feed  and  the 
general  publicity  and 
premium  list.  The 
county  units  co-oper¬ 
ated  in  guaranteeing 
entries  for  the  show. 
In  order  to  award 
prizes  a  scheme  was 
worked  out  whereby  a 
fee  of  25  cents  was 
charged  for  the  entry  of 
each  bird  or  for  the 
dozen  of  eggs  entered  in 
the  various  classes,  and 
the  prizes  were  50  per 
cent  of  the  total  entry 
fee  for  the  first  prize, 
30  per  cent  for  the  sec¬ 
ond  prize  and  20  per 
cent  for  the  third  prize. 
First,  second,  third, 
fourth  and  fifth  prize 
ribbons  were  awarded 
and  special  sweep- 
stake  and  inter-county  competition  prizes  were 
given. 
Previous  to  the  show  the  department  sent  out  to 
each  prospective  exhibitor  helpful  suggestions  for  the 
presentation  of  their  birds  or  eggs.  These  directions 
were  not  confusing,  as  are  the  average  technical 
points  that  are  followed  at  a  strictly  “show  bird’*  ex¬ 
hibit.  The  points  considered  were  those  that  progres¬ 
sive  poultrymen  look  to  in  selection  of  any  particular 
breed  of  birds  for  egg  production.  These  suggestions 
made  a  great  impression  on  the  exhibitors  who  had 
production  in  mind,  but  had  overlooked  many  of 
the  points  which  the  production  judge  always  looks 
Here  are  a  few  of  the  high  points  in  the  items 
for. 
which  the  department  indicated  to  the  exhibitors: 
(3)  Select  birds  that  possess  strong  vitality,  as 
shown  by  their  size,  shape  of  head,  size  and  color 
of  comb,  body  type,  condition  of  plumage,  color  pig¬ 
mentation  of  shanks  and  skin,  the  expression  of  their 
eyes,  and  by  their  actions.  (2)  That  possess  the 
true  egg-laying  characteristics — a  strong,  masculine 
head  in  the  case  of  the  male,  and  a  clean-cut.  strong 
effeminate  head  in  the  case  of  the  female;  each  sex 
having  a  smooth  textured,  warm,  bright  colored 
comb,  wattles  and  face;  round,  open,  prominent, 
bright,  expressive  eyes  which  challenge  you ;  wide 
flat  backs,  the  width  carried  well  back  from  the  hips 
to  the  tail ;  wide  between  the  pelvic  hones  in  the 
case  of  the  female,  and  moderately  so  in  the  case 
of  the  male;  deep  abdominal  capacity  as  measured 
from  the  hips  to  the  center  and  rear  of  the  keel;  a 
moderately  long  keel,  parallel  to  or  sloxdug  away 
from  the  back  in  the  case  of  the  female,  and  in  the 
case  of  the  male  a  deep  abdomen,  as  measured  from 
back  to  keel,  less  pronounced,  however,  than  with 
the  female.  Large  heart  and  lung  girth,  as  measured 
by  the  width  of  the  body  back  of  the  wings  and  car¬ 
ried  well  back  over  the  loins  to  the  hips.  The  essen¬ 
tial  differences  in  body  type  of  the  high  male  and 
high  female  are  the  greater  relative  capacity  of  the 
forepart  of  the  male  (as  measured  by  the  width  of 
shoulder  and  depth  from  shoulder  to  front  of  keel) 
and  the  greater  relative  capacity  of  the  rear  part  of 
the  body  of  the  female  (as  measured  by  the  width 
of  the  back  and  the  depth  from  the  hips  to  the  rear 
of  the  keel).  (3)  That  show  by  their  late  molting 
and  the  soft  pliability  of  the  skin  and  abdomen  that 
they  are  late-laying,  high-producing  hens.  (4)  That 
are  reasonably  true  to  prominent  breed  and  variety 
characteristics,  particularly  as  regards  color  of  plu¬ 
mage.  kind  of  comb,  color  of  eye.  skin  and  shanks 
(except  as  changed  by  their  production,  and  that 
are  normal  in  weight  for  the  size  of  the  bird.  (5) 
Freedom  from  deformities  and  defects,  such  as 
crooked  keel  in  the  male,  roach-back,  hump-back, 
wry  tail  (carried  to  one  side),  squirrel  tail  (carried 
forward  over  the  back  at  an  angle  of  more  than  90 
degrees),  lopped  comb  in  the  case  of  males,  purple 
comb;  side  sprigs  and  deep  folds  or  thumb  marks  on 
the  comb  of  the  males ;  stubs  between  the  toes  or  on 
air  cell  the  better.  The  albumen  should  be  firm,  and 
not  watery,  and  the  yolk  light  in  color  and  carried 
in  the  center  of  the  egg.  All  eggs  should  be  care¬ 
fully  candled  before  shipping  and  one  or  two  extras 
sent  for  replacement  in  case  of  breakage.  Eggs 
wrapped  in  excelsior,  laid  flat,  packed  in  a  basket, 
with  plenty  of  excelsior  on  top  and  bottom,  will 
carry  most  satisfactorily. 
The  auction  feature  of  next  year  will  be  greatly 
improved.  The  co-operation  this  year  was  almost 
overwhelming.  E-  A  F> 
F 
The  Auction  at  the  Poultry  Production  IJ,rhihit.  Fig. 
the  shanks  of  the  smooth-shanked  breeds  and  varie¬ 
ties:  pronounced  red  in  the  ear  lobes  of  white  ear- 
lobed  breeds;  pronounced  white  in  red  ear-lobed 
breeds,  or  serious  white  in  the  face  of  old  birds,  and 
the  same  defects  to  a  less  extent  in  young  birds: 
brassy  plumage  in  the  white  breeds  and  distinctly 
foreign  color  in  any  bird.  (6)  That  they  are  free 
from  scaly  leg.  body  lice,  and  are  not  suffering  from 
disease  or  injuries. 
Strive  to  secure  uniformity  in  size  and  quality  of 
the  birds  to  be  shown  in  pairs  and  in  pens.  Birds 
should  be  shown  in  their  natural  condition  in  order 
that  they  may  be  judged  accurately.  This  means 
that  they  should  be  reasonably  clean,  naturally,  and 
that  they  need  not  be  washed.  They  should  not  bo 
bleached,  scoured,  plucked  or  “dolled  up"  in  any 
other  manner.  They  will  be  judged  primarily  for 
their  true  inside  quality  more  than  for  their  super¬ 
ficial  made-up  outside  quality.  The  production 
value  of  the  birds  will  be  the  main  consideration  in 
judging,  although  essential  breed  characteristics  will 
be  given  proper  attention. 
In  the  egg  class  the  following  suggestions  were 
given:  Naturally  clean  and  uniform  in  size,  shape 
and  color.  The  size  should  be  between  24  and  28 
ounces  for  all  breeds,  except  Bantams  and  Minoreas. 
which  may  weigh  less  or  more,  respectively.  All 
shells  should  be  strong,  free  from  wrinkles,  rough 
places,  thin  spots  or  checks.  The  eggs  should  be 
typical  egg-sliape  for  the  breed  and  variety.  White 
eggs  should  be  white.  Brown  eggs  should  be  dark 
or  light,  but  should  be  uniform.  The  smaller  the 
Charges  for  Milk  Testing 
1.  A  creamery  man  wishes  me  to  test  every  15  days 
composite  samples  for  fat  in  Babcock  tester,  he  to  take 
the  samples,  I  to  supply  tester  and  materials.  Tester 
has  eight  bottles,  each  saihple  to  be  tested  double  and 
averaged.  My  tester  is  a  hand  tester.  What  is  average 
charge  for  this  work  per  sample,  single  and  double?  2. 
What  is  average  charge  for  complete  test — fat,  specific 
gravity,  solids  not  fat,  total  solids,  acidity,  preserva¬ 
tives.  sediment,  flavor,  taste,  but  no  bacterial  count?  3. 
What  is  average  price  for  bacterial  count  by  direct 
microscopic  examination?  Of  course  I  do  not  mean 
what  will  an  experiment  station  charge,  but  what  will 
private  enterprise  charge?  c.  n. 
Westwood,  N.  J. 
tACTICALI.Y  all  creamery  milk  tests  are  run 
in  duplicate.  The  present  price  for  doing  such 
work  in  private  laboratories  is  25  cents  a  sam¬ 
ple  (duplicate)  for  the  fat  determination  only. 
2.  Where  complete 
analyses  are  made  there 
is  a  variation  in  prices 
charged.  These  charges 
range  from  $1.50  to 
$2.50.  When  the  latter 
price  is  charged  the 
tests  include  bacterial 
count.  The  lower  figure 
might  well  cover  these 
tests  if  the  bacterial 
count  is  excepted. 
3.  The  direct  micro¬ 
scopical  method  for  de¬ 
termining  bacteria  has 
not  been  used  as  much 
in  private  laboratories 
as  has  the  standard 
plate  method.  This  was 
because  the  plate  rou¬ 
tine  can  be  learned  by 
a  novice  much  more 
readily.  It  requires  a 
person  of  considerable 
technique  and  accurate 
interpretation  to  handle 
the  microscopic  method. 
For  this  reason  the 
price  for  such  work 
might  well  be  the  same 
as  for  any  bacterial 
counts,  even  though  we 
know  the  microscopic 
method  is  quicker  and 
less  expensive,  so  far  as 
equipment  goes.  The 
charge  of  $2.50  for  com¬ 
plete  analysis,  including  the  bacterial  count,  whether 
by  one  method  or  another,  might  well  be  stated  as 
an  average  price.  We  cannot  advise  what  the  charge 
for  the  microscopic  count  alone  is  in  commercial 
laboratories.  j.  w.  b. 
Glucose  for  Automobile  Radiators 
HE  following  is  taken  from  a  report  of  the 
Pennsylvania  State  Board  of  Agriculture.  We 
have  not  tried  glucose.  It  is  a  sweet,  and  surely  a 
frozen  radiator  makes  a  sour  spirit.  We  print  the 
matter  as  a  suggestion : 
A  substitute  for  denatured  alcohol  to  prevent  water 
from  freezing  in  automobile  radiators  has  been  found 
by  Dr.  (’.  II.  La  wall,  chief  chemist  for  the  Bureau  of 
Foods  of  the  Pennsylvania  Department  of  Agriculture. 
Tests  conducted  over  a  period  of  four  years  have  demon¬ 
strated  that  the  substitute  is  much  more  economical 
and  equally  as  efficient  as  alcohol  or  other  anti-freeze 
agent. 
The  substitute  is  ordinary  glucose,  a  simple  sugar 
made  from  starch  and  largely  used  by  confectioners  and 
bakers.  Glucose  is  about  half  as  sweet  as  sugar,  and 
is  much  less  expensive.  It  comes  in  the  form  of  a  color¬ 
less  liquid. 
The  investigations  conducted  by  I)r.  Lawell  show 
that  in  proportions  of  1  lb.  of  glucose  (l1/,  pts. )  to  a 
gallon  of  water,  the  mixture  in  the  radiator  will  not 
freeze  until  a  temperature  of  five  degrees  above  zero  is 
reached.  At  10  degrees  above  zero  the  mixture  becomes 
slushy,  but  does  not  freeze  and  does  not  interfere  in 
any  particular  with  the  circulation  of  the  water. 
The  glucose  will  not  evaporate,  as  will  alcohol,  and 
providing  there  are  no  leaks  in  the  radiator,  one  mix¬ 
ture  of  water  and  glucose  will  last  for  months.  An¬ 
other  point  in  favor  of  the  glucose  is  the  fact  that  it 
does  not  have  any  ill  effects  on  the  radiator  or  on  the 
rubber  connections.  The  glucose  may  be  purchased 
for  from  five  to  10  cents  a  pound.  For  an  ordinary 
Ford  car  3  lbs.  are  required,  larger  cars  requiring  more. 
