The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1905-08-09
SoNE QUEER COMPETITIONS
.,op,E HAVE DIFFERENT WAYS
ro ANIUSE THEMSELVES.
Growing in Devon, Lark-Singing
undderstield, Flowing, Smoking
and Battleship Building.

ST SiIVertOn, III D0'oN'
..s,tlv have cock Growing COMPETE
w. The owners of the birds take
w. 70 the village school room and
'- ..5on Growing one against another.
.1o last competition there were few
Il ,ba cockerels requiring encourage
-. il, fact. the difficulty was to get
. to stop at all. The winner sue
s..7ad in growing 81 times in II min
For some time before the cock
ewing competition begins the birds
". fed in a special manner peculiar
% Zach owner; the secret of the art of
s,.7ing is very closely guarded. For
ab,nt three weeks prior to the compe-
4.;or the food is carefully dOsed, and
mo3a as stimulating and exciting
=, nossibJe. When the bird is sent
~ tho show a time-keeper with a
.bn,rometer stands in front of it dur
iro the growing contest; he marks the
rrrber Of crows and the variation of
notes in a given time, which is gener-
a1Iy fifteen minutes
Paris has just had a cock Growing
.orn4+ition, open to the whole world.
The birds in the Paris competition are
5ro,cht bv their owners in darkened
boves. As each competitors turn
comes the cock is suddenly taken out
in to the light of day and placed on a
n1arform. The bird imagines that he
there to be heard in supposed
dawn and begins to crow vigorously.
At the same moment a special time
niece is started. The utterer of the
greatest number of cock-a-doodle-
docs in a quarter of an hour is the
one which is proclaimed champion
cna1ticleer.
At Huddersfeld they have an assO-
CATION for the promotion of lark sing
inc. The association has now been in
existence for about twenty years, and
last wear 3l3 birds were entered for the
various competitions. At each ''sing"
a5olt fifteen birds are entered. These
contests, together with lark breeding,
form very attractive hobby to many
people in Huddersfeld and the sur
bounding villages.
The manner in which such competi-
tons are managed is very interesting.
z As a rule, the birds are kept for a
considerable time in the dark, and
& when the competitors turn" comes
4 he IS brought in his darkened cage
before a mirror. Light is thrown up
on the mirror and when he sees his
own reflection he takes it to be rival.
After about half minute in which to
scan the enemy" his cage is taken IN
front Of the window. AS soon as this
takes place he bursts into song,
Z spreading his wings and singing for
considerable time. Still, he is remark
Nao-y sensitive while singing; the least
thing, such as taking out pocket
handkerchief, may put an end to his
lay. The bird also abhOrs noise, so
absolute quiet must be maintained IN
order to give him fair play. Last year
hree birds sang for about ten minutes
without cessation, thus gaining the
championship.
Flowing contests are quite common
N the country. The man who was best
Known as the champion plOwman won
soout $4,000 in prizes. This was
JIM Baker of Ipswich. Being a
ynrl1ty man he amassed comfOrta BILE
competency as a result of his success
u these competitions.
y novel competition was recently
started by a Newfoundland feet dur
ns nShing. This was a competition to
0eV "lo could eat the largest quantity
" sailed cod. The winner in this case
was seized with a terrible thirst; he
OFaned off a decanter and fell uncon-
s'OoS on the deck. The contest
''0'ed fatal, Inflammation of the
g,uach being produced.
Inc members of the Hoxton Consti-
1''onaL Club have taken part in a
,0'7I prolonged smoking competition.
e' envy of the members were each
lPPIIeQ with an eight. of an ounce of
1os TOBACCO. The object of the com
.'''ion was to decide who could keep
pc going the longest, no second
s"'Ins being allowed. The winner,
I'd" named Sanderson, succeeded
A'eplng his pipe going for one
ana ten minutes, and so was
''''almed the victor amid loud