Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1901-01-31
POULTRY EXHIBITIONS.
what They Teach and How They
Advance the Industry.


Advance the Industry.
The purpose Of poultry exhibitions
Is to educate those interested in blood
ed fowls, and apart from educating
their chief concern is to let the people
who are interested know where and
Of whom they may find excellent stock.
The exhibition is an open advertise
ment, and every lover of standard bred
fowls should aid in making it sue
cess. The poultry exhibition awakens
enthusiasm. Not taste nor skill nor
knowledge can be a substitute for en-
thusiasm, earnestneSs and zeal. The
earnest men and women are so few in
the world that their very earnestness
Is badge of their nobility. The zeal
Gus and earnest work of our leading
fanciers has made the breeding Of
fancy or standard bred fowls a noble
vocation and one of the leading indus
tries, if not the leading industry, of the
United States.
1t Is not easy to produce an ideal
specimen, and true fancier feels
keenly the loss of his best birds, yet
there are many ignorant or ineXperi-
enced people who seem to think we
should be willing to part with such
specimens for almost n song to give
them something to win with in big
show. Such birds cannot be purchased
at a price within the limited figure of
q good breeding bird If the fancier
knows his business and the bird has
blood back of him that will reproduce
itself. | am just beginning to realize
how much | have lost by helping Gus
toners to win who did not understand
the value of blooded bird.
The zeal. earnestness and enthusiasm
Of q breeder may stir another co make
the most use of the blood obtained,
while q premium won in a big show
| may induce another to understand the
value of one, but find it is often the
case that the premiums offered at our
poultry shows will stir one to ambition
and enthusiasm as nothing else can.
For some fanciers the charm lies in
heraldng to the world the simple sum
of money there is in the premium won.
The true fancier finds poetry and song
In the measure that brings his special
and favorite to a point reaching near
to perfection and near to his own ideal.
The honor of having attained nearly
perfection by his own handiwork Is
the premium he is seeking. and he
wants the world to know it. because
he believes the world will be better by
knowing it. The exhibits of pure breeds
In their most typical form can but win
the hearts of the visitors. many of
whom will become fanciers if for no
other reason than the pleasure Of hav-
ing them in their own homes.
There are many who are timid in re-
gard to putting birds on exhibition lest
| their entries should be found not what
Is desirable In all respects. Tc such
let us kindly suggest the possibility of
your birds being better than you may
| think. Again, they may be more defec-
| tive than you are aware, and how are
you to find out their qualities unless
| you show them in good companyI Bring
| your birds and ascertain their compar-
| ative worth. 1t is well to remember
| there is always somebody who has just
as fine as yours and maybe better
None of us have the best" There
i should be no jealousy in these matters
rather a spirit of emulation to rival
the best and still do better should pre-
vail. Our shows should be for the en-
couragement and protection of the
standard bred, the bird that is to sup
plant the mongrels, even by those who
do not care to become fanciers and
showmen, but by common poulterers.
So in order ito be up to date" it is es-
sential that every one who is breeding
feathers attends some exhibition. Take
the children and let them see what
study and care will produce In the
feathered realms.-Mrs. Ella Thomas
| In Reliable Poultry Journal.