Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1904-12-20
Notes from Maine Poultry Show,


Notes from Maine Poultry Show.
The fourth annual show of the Maine
State Poultry and Pet Stock Association
was held in Portland, Dec. SO.
As an observer of men, l find there
exists in the minds of many the errone-
Gus idea that poultry shows are fake,
of no real value, but rather a. amuse-
ment. and the idea also exists that cross
bred or mongrel fowls will lay better
than pure breeds.
To my mind, poultry show is the
final competitive test of the results or
the combined knowledge, experience
and skill of man, as applied to the care
of the fowl and chick. All the advance
and improvements in the fowls of to-day,
and their egg laying capacity as well as
their fine feathers, has been brought
about only by patient perseverance and
applied knowledge. 1t has not hap
pened.
Ii is a law of nature that any form OF
life will revert to common level unless
raised above and kept there by stimulat-
ing influences. Therefore, the need OF
competition in the poultry industry
high ideal to try for and the struggles to
reach it. Otherwise, many more than
at present would be well content to go
on in the same old way, not seeking to
improve their flockS.
There is no rest in nature, no standing
still. The plant is either growing,
ripening into old age, or dscaying. SO
also with animal life, and with man.
We see families that once were promi-
nent, degenerating in few generations
into ignorance and vice, and on the other
hand we see families grow out of and rise
above obscurity, and individuals rise to
places of eminence.
With the poultry industry it is the
same. The expert, with very common
fowls, will in a few years develop a
strain of fowls of superior qualities and
powers, and the man who has not taken
the trouble to learn, and whose knowl-
edge of poultry consists of the fact that
an egg will generally hatch, if kept un'
der a hen three weeks, may by single
mating or in a single season destroy all
the expert has gained.
A poultry association is usually made
up of men more or less expert in that
field, and their show may be school
for any who care to learn.
have seen people walk through the
aisles of a poultry show, very much as
they would file past the remains OF an
acquaintance. Such people see the ex
hibits, yet "having eyes, they see not
and "having ears, they hear not, FOL
their vision does not penetrate, and they
do not talk, or learn, from those interest
ed in poultry, whose knowledge is oil
value. There is always something tC
learn, and the exchange of ideas is much
quicker and less expensive than years OF
experiments.
/ can say emphatically that this show
was a success, both financially and in
the number and quality of the exhibits.
In the line of supplies there were mum
Der of exhibits. Several kinds of patent
roofing felts and papers were on exhi,
bition. Kendall i Whitney had gooC
display of poultry feeds and appliances
Joseph Breck & Sons of Boston had
similar display. Hollis, Park Il Pollard
of Boston had very attractive display
and Harmon & Harris of Portland had {
display of goods including everything
for poultry" of which they may bt
Justly proud. Several kinds of greer
The annual business meeting, which
had the pleasure of attending, brought
together a company OF men, who were
wide awake and alert for the interests o.
the poultry industry. A few changes
were made in the selection OF officers
and those chosen we trust will manag,
the affairs of the association in the same
able manner that they have been con
Quoted the past year.
While the list of premiums awarded is
long, and would be of but little loca
interest, it may be well, as showing thu
extent of the exhibit, to mention the
number of birds on exhibition in merel.
a few of the many breeds represented
Barred Plymouth Rocks, l23; White
Plymouth Rocks, so; Buff Plymouth
Rocks, 80; White Wyandottes, so; Singl,
Comb Rhode Island Reds, 92; Rose Coml
Rhode Island Reds, 80; besides large
numbers in many other strains.
Highland Pigeon Lofts, WoodfordS
had a large exhibit of pigeons and wol
number of prizes. W. III. Baker, Ran
dolph, had several homers on exhibition
and took prizes. One of his birds iiev
from Philadelphia, Pa, to Randolph
Me-, a distance of ass miles, in hours
Is minutes, making speed of littl,
less than a mile minute. Mr.. Bake
took several prizes on his fine exhibits
Riverton Pigeon Lofts took severa
prizes. B. G. Dickinson, Haverhill
Mass, had his usual large exhibits o
pigeons, and took prizes. Mr.. Dickin
son is probably the largest breeder o.
pigeons in New England, and we fail to
do him justice, because our knowledge
of pigeons is very limited.
1.-THE Farms" at Old Orchard, ha(
three fine exhibits of Mammoth Bronze
Turkeys not competing for prizes. Thu
males in two of these pens weighed 81
and Al pounds. At Tho Farms" they
have six acre lot fenced in with the
widest poultry wire, including some
woodland, thus afording the natura
surroundings. They have no trouble
with cholera, and the fence has thus fal
kept the foxes out. This method seems
we'll worth considering.
Mr.. Edward Z. Ling of Portland, un
like most people, tries to prevent his
hens from laying in winter and claim!
that he gets more fertile eggs in thu
spring in consequence. 1t would seen
as il he should have no trouble abou
the winter laying.
ELI c. WADswoRTH.