Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1913-09-20
POULTRY SHOWS
Chicken Ralsers Can Clean Valuable
Knowledge BY Surveying tire
Exhibits

fruits of their labor BY creating and
growing not only the poultry for its
utility value but from beauty stand
point ais well. The great majority who
raise poultry IN shis country do so
with one idea-~that chicken is a
chicken, and with the production Of
the esq and the finished produce for
the table the work with poultry ends
But to those who nor only breed with
the aim Of eggs and meat, but com.
bine the beauty to a certain extent
as we'll, there is a source Of enjoy
ment not given to those whose aim Is
utility alone.
For many years the cry Of the
farmer and the so-called utility
breeder has been that the so-called
fancy birds. or birds bred TO conform
with standard qualities. lacked util.
ity value, and often yigor. 10 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
two to very great extent II can
be readily seen that the poultry
keeper, II so inclined, can by a little
careful breeding and the purchase of
STANDARDIZED stock or chicks, or
Matching eggs. enjoy the pleasure of
competing for honors at 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 a fowl non
producer, and shape surely not, if
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
pmmage all colors of the rainbow or
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 Inn
prove it in every way by aiming to
combine shape and feathers and, of
course. always aiming for vigor
Exhibitions at Fairs.
Fab 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. If 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 CLEANED in rapid manner, but il
one assumes a know-it-all manner,
knowledge will come slow.
The legitimate conditioning OF
birds for showing is not hard, and at.
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
bleached birds is fast passing away
There Is no need of artificial meth
DDS. Birds naturally white can be
bred and shown and win. The exhibi.
tor of 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 hard
fight before them to keep good color,
especially the males. But it 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 Orplngtons must take
time as well, but the end can be ac-
complished. So the proper policy Of
the beginner II to eyerlastingly 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,
In washing white birds some blue
ing is permissible, The same as in
washing white clothes. The blueing
does not alter the natural color OF
the birds It simply sets the color
B,ueing would not take the Dressings
out Of any bird Therefore ii is not
taking, for It simply sets the natural
color. or course, If too much bluelng
d used the birds would assume