The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-12-13
Big sums ARE SPENT
FOR POULTRY SHOWS
Cost Of Management.Each Year
Is Between Four and Five
Million Dollars.
EXHIBITS ARE CROWDED
ny REESE v. HICKS.


held in tho United States and Canada
nearly 1900 shows devoted exclusively
10 poultry. This number does not in
cludo practically as many more poultry
shows held In connection with agrlcul.
tural fairs or other similar exhibits
These poultry shows run In size from the
mammoth exhibits In New York. Boston.
Chicago, St Louis and other large cities.
where rs many as 5000 head are dis
| played yearly down to the small local
shows with not more than 500 head
aud sometimes az few az 200.
1t has been estimated that the aver
| age number of birds entered at the l,5OO
exclusive poultry shows Is 1000 birds. In
| Guiding the fairs. which usually do not
! run quite as l0rgc IN the number of
! entries except n few prominent State
| and county fairs. It II conservative 10
state that there are annually exhibited
over COCOON head of uoltry in the
| United states and Canada.
While IL Is very difficult to estimate
the average attendance at the many poul-
try shows held annually as no accurate
statistics have ever been collected, yet
4, can be safely said that not less
than 5000, 900 people are Interested spe'-
tators at poultry exhibitions in this
country and Canada.
From 81 600. 900 to So, O00. 900 are usu.
ally spent annually in managing ana
conducting these shows. preparing. han.
ding and assembling the BIRDS ana iof
premium money as prizes. AZ "A majority
OF the poultry shows charge from 20
TO 80 cents admission. with an attendance
Of > OOO, 900 the public therefore pays an
puallv between ~ ,s00e00 and 100000
fo- ,he privilege OF seeing poultry en-
hhits.
The question naturally arises as 20 the
heveht 81 these shows to the PUBIC az
well as 20 the exhibitor
The general public and the eNhihto'
must get SOM adequate return otn''
than -he qualification Of their "urios y
In seeing y pretty bird and the satstac-
ton Of winning prizes.
The first and most important work o.
poultry show ~ that OF stirring ny IN
creased 'ntcres, IN poultry productions in
its var, JUS branches The sight Of nun
drsds OF nicely groomed and uniformly
displayed birds is In Itself enough 20
arouse the desire for ownership IN I'VE
chance visitor who s'rays inside poultry
show room for the purpose Of satisfying
an die curiosity.
The fac. that the birds are attractive
and entertaining naturally leads The
average man or woman 20 study tn"!r
points of beauty az well as utility. This
! leads 20 a stirring UP NJ the visitor OF
back 20 the SOIL feeling. Poultry naturally
of agricultural instincts The late Homer
Davenport. tho noted cartoonst. who was
! q lover of animal life IN every fonm. With
3 bird l,vc especially promin, NJ, once stated
hat he could walk down Wall street. Ne"
York city. and that 80 per cent. OF 'he
business men whom he sht accoSt would
tel him that some day they expected 20
own 4 farm and keep chickens. This
. Illustrates the almost universal desire OF
mankind 10 raise poultry In some man
uer
Wien IN. wealthy business men on ,he
3 richest street IN the world look forward
= the day when they will he IN touch
with The SOL through 'h~ enchanting hen.
Ii' il not 10 he wondered at that men IN
tho humber walks OF life, who want to
economic IN th-i, household expenses.
saouid also have their interest in raising
c'i'k'rS aroused ny attending poultry
shows
\ visitor AZ wei. managed poultry
show mot only ddm!res the beauty OF IN"
ni~d- displtSed but he often comes n
personal contact wiz tn. owner o. "N-
nibitor of these fowls. II IL an accept q
statement that the average poultry raise
- always glad 10 spread tn" gospel Of
good poultry. tin reby giving ,i.lpfui infor-
, NATION and his own experience with va
ruus breeds methods and any other det.til
that tn" beg nnsr il usually ~ anxious 10
obtain 10 start him along the right path.
. v tn average poultry raiser simply bulb
bl-s over with enthusiasm and strong
. opinions in favor Of the indusiry, 50 mucn
80 that he l. frequently called poultry
crank. the seeker after light usually goes
away from a poultry show after taking
with such a poultry raiser carrying much
Of the enthusiasm that the other fellow
demonSf rated.
The first impression OF poultry show
, is, of course, lasting on the novice, hence
II IL best that the beginner attend "A