The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-02-06

1t Will Excel All Its Predecessors
in the Number of Birds Exhibited
as Well as Having Some New
Features Which Have Not Here
tOfOre Been Exploited - Egg
Competition Introduced.
Everything is In readiness at Market
hall for the opening of the annual show
of the Minnesota State Poultry asso-
citation today. Tier after tier of neat
coops filed with prize fowls Of every
conceivable breed stretch the length
of the hail. arranged with aisles be-
tween so that spectators may COM
fortably view the feathered aristoc-
racy, where everywhere is the busy
cackling of hens and noisy crow of
roosters, strutting about with that air
of Importance attaching to the 400 Of
any species. From indications yes
terday, the chicken show this year bids
fair to outrival all other exhibitions by
the Minnesota association. Birds are
here from a dozen different states,
tempted by the generous premium list
| of the association, to compete for hon
ors with the splendid stock of Mime
sofa breeders whose fame as chicken
raiSerS is known wherever fancierS OF
high bred fowl gather.
The main hall is entirely given over
to the chickens, turkeys, geese and
ducks. while the large number of pi-
geons entered in this class will be quar-
tered in the smaller hall back of the
stage. Early yesterday morning the
birds began to arrive by express, and
the managers of the show were busy
getting the breeds grouped together
and arranging the coOpS. Never be-
fore has there been such large list of
entries. 1t is estimated that fully 900
fowls will be on exhibition when the
doors are thrown open today. From
the Winona chicken show there ar
rived yesterday. carload of coopS
which were quickly transferred to the
hall and put in place. The demand
for space has been such that late yes
terday it was found necessary to be-
gin placing the coops in double teirs,
but this arrangement will In no way
prove an inconvenience to visitors at
the show, as the upper tiers are suf-
ficiently low for the birds to be easily
seen.
No doubt the pigeon display will
prove one of the most interesting fea-
lures of the show. There are nearly
1000 entries in this competition, most
all of which were properly installed In
the coops yesterday. Every variety Of
pigeon is to be seen. There are some
pretty specimens of the strong, wiry
homing breed with their long tapering
bodies and strong. large wings, while
the more familiar fantail is much in
evidence. These birds are of almost
every color, from the spotless white
feathered beauty to the dull brown
tumbler, the pigeon acrobatic freak
An innovation to be introduced at
this years show is an egg competition,
for which some of the entries arrived
yesterday. There are classes for the
largest eggs, white and brown, the
heaviest eggs, small eggs and the most
symmetrically shaped eggs, so that
breeders who raise particularly laying
stock will have new interest in the
show, while the public will be able to
learn the best kind of eggs to look for
on the market for the table
The Judges will be Messrs. Butter
field, Holden and Conary, who have
officiated at chicken shows all over the
country, and Mr. Butterfeld has judg-
ed birds in London, so that breeders
fortunate enough to receive high scores
will have the satisfaction of knowing
what their markings Indicate The
doors will be open at 10 o'clock this
morning, and throughout the week the
show will be open every day from this
hour until 10 in the evening.