The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-11-11
the CENTENNIAL HENS.
An Exhibition Of Poultry that was not
Great National Success.


PHILADELPHIA, Nov. 0.-Tho exhibition
of poultry at the Centennial grounds is now
over, and must say that in view Of its national
and international character IL was a nzze. The
number Of feathered tribes there exhibited has
fallen far short OF some OF our state exhibit
tlons. | took pains to count all the chickens,
turkeys, and geese on exhibition the last day OF
the show, and found the sum total to be Log,
exclusive OF the pigeons, which made quite
respectable show OF themselves.
The varieties were divided as follows Brah-
mas, 20s, Of which 100 were light and ~ dark.
This class ranged from fair to good-some very
large and nne specimens. CochIns werelUt ~
numerous, 1T6 Of all coors divided thus: Part
ridge Cochins, 70, and most all first class birds |;
white Cochins, 81, also good birds black Co.
chins 20, Of medium quality. and buff Cochins,
20, which were all scraggy and poor except two
or three pairs, which were really good. Plymouth
Rocks, which are an American fowl, were large
ly represented, having 81 birds, some OF which
were large and good, and the French fowl was
also well represented by 100 specimens-73 Hou-
dams, Ii La Fleche, and IL Creveceurs. These
fowl do not seem to stand so high in favor as
they did years ago. The old American Dom
iniques were also represented, having 45 birds,
looking very much as they did twenty years ago
Black Spanish had 40 specimens, some very fine
and all good. Tue LeRhorns turned out In
larger numbers than any other variety excent
Drahmas, having aO3-whte Leahorns, 10;
brown LeRhorns, 81, and black Leghorns, II.
Some OF this class were good birds. and many
were good for nothing but the pot and very lit
tie good for even that purpose. The Hamburg
pencilled and silver pencilled predOminating,
aud we have never seen finer lot Of both IN one
exhibition. There were also few very fine
black Hambutgs, and a few silver spanglod, but
this variety We did not consider good.
Game fowl were well represented. Thanks 20
our Canadian neignbOrs, we nd 1856 birds Of
almost every known variety-bIdck reds, brown
reds, ginger reds, duck wings, aud a host Of
others TOO numerous 10 mention. But | cannot
pass this variety without notice OF species Of
game very little known IN this country. 1 refer
to Malay game. There were about twenty
birds Of this variety, and more vlilainous
lot never have seen anywhere. hope, how
ever, that the owner will not feel insulted by
tbis remark, IA believe the nearer perfection
this variety Is bred, tue more yilainOus Is its
spect
the only specimens notable In this variety were
few very handsome aud ilne white-crested
black POiands. The bantains were runglv
represented, having vi birds, ll3 Of which were
| game. rose COMB wbi,e, ID rose comb black,
and a white booted. what have snid in re-
gard to the game fowl may be applied To the
Dantams, anu / will add that both were good,
mucn above the average.
mere were lUo uucks, Ruuen, Aylsbury,
CaYuga ana Pekin, none Of which were above
average in quality There were only twenty
geese, some oil hem iarge, but no better maj
we have seen at our country fairs. There were
| nfty-scven turkeys, black. white, bronze, and
wild. The only feature worthy Of notice IN tnls
class was pair exhibited as wild turkeys. nut
| which seemed to nave been tanned by the intro
| ducuon Of bronze tdrkey goUbler to wild
| turkey hens. In the ornamental class thers
were fourteen pneasants, golden and silver, aud
| those were really handsome. There were ten
gulnsa fowl, very poor specimens, aud three
yea fowl.
The pigeon department was the best ever seen
IN THIS or any olher country. Mr.. bdrlingame
there were $1,000 worth Of pigeons In his charge
| at the snow, the prices ranging frOm <,O1 per
| pair down.
| The question naturally arises. why was the
| poultry show failure, and To W. ON does the
| blame belong ! have underworld to solve this
| Problem, and after exhaustive inquiry, justice
| demands that tue Centennial CoLtuis,tOn
| sAouid shoulder the blame. arrive al this CON
| clusiOn, not from tue statements OF parties VINO
| wish to Mud fault with tue gentlemen, but from
| their own acts. In the first place. they issued a
| notice to tue poultry faDCiefs and breeders OF
| this country and England. with conditions which
| no lancer could consistently comply with. Con
| s,quently,the majority decided not to exhibit.
| Ia tue second place. they did not make any ar
| rauRement for the trans purtution OF stock, ana
| THIS fact alone would have been sufficient to
| have Kept exhIoitols ut distance from COMING.
We had an opportunity OF seeing tue result Of
| THIS negligence IN some of the Canadian game
fowl, that were IN 50 Dad a condition when they
reacned neie that they could not be put On ex-
hiUitiOn. some OF tue exhibitors from the
south west Informed me that when their cxhiolt
Wa received here their fowls were de "a IN the
cops. he whole difficulty might be summed
up IN one snort sentence: hat the mon in
charge were perfectly ignorant Of their duties
III the affair, ana that they were too digniued to
allow their subOruinates to perform tue work
| which thry themse YES knew nothing about.
The impression was forced ON me that the
| Centennial Poultry Show was a badly MANAGED
business, ana that Siitiug Il al would have
made ~ least as good judge IN the Art Gallery
rs the gentlemen VINO naI charge made main
a