Martinsburg statesman-democrat. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1906-1921, 1913-09-19
POULTRY SHOWS
Chicken Rsisers Can Clean Valuable
Knowledge BY Surveying the
Exhibits

fruits Of their labor by creating and
growing not only the poultry for its
utility value but from a beauty stand
point as Well The great majority who
raise poultry in his country do SO
with one idea thar chicken Is a
chicken. and with the production Of
the egg ana the finished produc, for
{ the table the work with poultry ends.
I But 10 those who not only breed with
the aim OF eggs and meat, but com
bine the beauty To a certain extent
as we'll there is source of enjoy
meut not given to these whose aim is
utility alone.
For many years the cry Of the
{ farmer and the so-oalled utility
/ breeder has been that the so-called
fancy birds. or birds bred TO conform
/ with standard qualities. lacked uiil-
/ ity value and often vigor. To some
extent in the past, and perhaps to a
/ large extent with some breeders,
/ there was some foundation for this
/ thought but in later years for tne
fancier has brought up the utility
qualities with the fancy. until now
; it is not impossible to combine the
4 two TO a very great extent II can
/ be readily seen that the poultry
keeper. If 50 inclined. can by little
careful breeding and the purchase Of
STANDARDIZED stock or chicks, or
Matching eggs. enjoy the pleasure Of
competing for honors al the poultry
/ exhibits.
1t really costs no more to raise and
keep fowls that conform to the
standard than to keep fowls OF all
sizes. or even of one breed, with no
thought of shape and feather Feath-
ers surely do not make afowl non
producer, and shape surely not II
carried on IN a safe and sane manner.
/ The fowl with good plumage and
shape can be every bit as good an
egg producer as her sister with the
plumage all eolors Of the rainbow or
a shape with angles. The trap nest
has proven this So the poultry rails
err who takes some pride in his flock,
be It large or small, is sure to i'm.
prove ii in every way by aiming to
combine shape and feathers and of
course. always aiming for vigor
Exhibitions at Fairs.
Fall fairs where the competition Is
not as a rule SO keen and beginner
in exhibiting meets beginner is the
first place to start the show educa-
ton. II the new exhibitor will as
sumo the attitude of meekness and
willingness to learn, asking the Judge
who made the awards, the points not
understood, the knowledge to be
gained as an exhibitor of poultry will
be gleaned in a rapid manaer, but II
one assumes a know-ital manner
knowledge will come slow
The legitimate conditioning Of
birds for showing is not hard, and af
ter exhibiting at several shows will
not seem so hard The preparation
of white fowls is perhaps the hardest
due to the proper way they must be
washed and dried. The day for the
bleaehed birds is fast passing away.
There is no need Of artificial meth
DDS. Birds naturally white can be
bred and shown and win The exhibit
tor Of a bleached bird only fools him
self and. OF course, the public also,
and is not legitimate, and is taking
pure and simple. One can go in
many yards Of the leading breeders
of white fowls and see birds that are
white in their natural state, the
White Orpington breeders being per
haps the only ones with still a hard
fight before them to keep good color,
especially the males But II will
come, and by breeding not bleach
= ing as 1t has come to White Wyan.
! dottes, the White Plymouth Rocks
and White Leghorns. II took some
! Is or 20 years to accomplish this
and the new Orpingtons must take
} time as wen, but the end can be ac-
: compllshed SO the proper policy OF
! the beginner is to everlastingly fight
for true merit in his fowls and breed
} from birds that are white. providing
they have the shape Of the variety
Washing White Bids.
r In washing white birds some blue
, ing Is permissible. The same as In
4 washing white clothes. The blueing
: does not alter the natural color Of
T. the birds. II simply sets the color
I B,ueing would not take the brasslRgs
+ out Of any bird Therefore II is moi
t taking, for # simply sets the natura