The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1871-09-01

more attention on the part Of com.
mittees and others having special charge
Of this matter, than is usually bestowed
upon 1t. We are too much in the habit
Of following the old plan of offering
prizes only for pairs or trios of fowls of
different varieties considered worthy of
a separate class, and altogether ignoring
the interests of large number of
breeders and exhibitors.
Let us take the case of the exhibitors
first. How many are they who may
have single birds fit for exhibition, in
! every respect perfect beauties, but who
find it difficult, if not impossible, to
match pair of the same breed, with
any hope of success of taking prize
more especially if the stock from which
they have to make their selection Is
limited in numbers and if this be the
case, in respect Of pairs, how much
more so as to trios. One may have a
cock bird, as near perfection as possible !;
another a hen, a perfect beauty, both
superior specimens when taken singly (;
but if placed together in a pen, owing
to dissimilarity in shades of color, off
ference of markings, &c, would leave
little or no chance of prize in any
thing like close competition, or where
good Judging would be practiced.
Then, too, there are many breeders
who may be DESTROYS of procuring a
single cock or hen bird to cross with
his own stock, and who attend exhibi.
tions for the purpose OF procuring such,
yet, are unable to do so unless they
purchase the entire pen, at a considera-
BILE cost, which, in many instances, they
l.
these are reasons sufficiently good and
forcible to cause a departure from the
usual course now pursued in chasing
exhibition fowls, and the establishing
of classes for single birds, even if they
were none others. which there are, and
very substantial ones too, as we shall
presently see.
The Birmingham Poultry Exhibition
is admitted by all to be the leading
poultry show of England and what is
the course pursued by the committee Of
management in this respect? why in
stead of offering for pairs and trios, as
we and many others do, their classes are
all divided, so as to admit of single
birds only. In all the larger and most
prominent breeds of fowls there are
separate classes for cocks over one year
old. Cockerels, Hens, and Pullets and
where it is found necessary to combine
two classes in one, as is done in some
breeds, such as Humburghs, Polish and
so forth, it is confined to hens and
pullets and not by placing cocks and
hens in the same pen.
II may be urged, and with some
show of success, that this arrangement
largely increases the labors of the Com
mittee. and necessitates increas ed ac-
commodation, without returning a pc
cuniary equivalent. With this view of
the case we entirely disagree. We
know of no exhibition held last year
(but two) at which the exhibition
coops were not supplied by the exhibi-
tors themselves; and this remark APP
pliesto all poultry exhibitions held in
Canada and the United States-the en-
ceptions mentioned are those of the
Provincial Exhibitions held in Ontario
and Quebec. Continuing the same ar
rangement in future, the cost of fur
nishing coops for additional entries
would have to be borne by the exhibi-
tors themselves, while the other ques
ton of increased accommodation, only
would have to be met by the respective
COnlulllttts SuICiy uoe NcIy ullH
cult one to surmount by any poultry so
ciety
The next question, and perhaps the
most important one to consider is. the
prize list which, by the proposed ar
rangement, would be considerably in
creased. Let it be remembered, how
ever, that by having separate classes ioi
single fowls, much larger sum would
be realized from entry fees than is now
being received. Neither would it be
necessary to offer so large a sum for first
and second prizes for single birds, as is
now done for pairs and threes. In thi.
way, we think the prize list would be
almost equally balanced.
The next point to be determined is
which of the varieties should be allotted
separate classes. and which should not
this must be governed by the sup
port each class has received a
former exhibitions, and this supper
made the standard for succeeding priz,
lists.
When decided tendency to fallin,
off in the entries OF any particular elias,
takes place, il should then be strucl
out of the list and numbered with tn,
Anv Variety class while on the othei
hand. any breed of fowls previousl,
shown only in the Any Variety class
indicating by the number of entrie
made in the latter class that the breed
was becoming popular, and the entries
sufficient to warrant the increased out
Law in prizes, that variety should be al
loted a separate catalogue ofprizes. II
this way have many OF our Asiatic va
canoe to be the most prominent classe
at our leading English shows. We re
fer more particularly to Brahmas ant
Cochins while others again have los
prestige-take for instance the Malays
Polish, etc. There is no surer indca
ton of the worth and merits of a fow
than the estimation in which it is hell
by the public; and no surer index