Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1915-10-23

the legs carefully oiled and rubbed
with sweet oil; and a little vaseline
rubbed on the comb and wattles. will
be about all that will be necessary.
Birds reserved for exhibition should
now be placed in different quarters.
and the sexes separated to avoid
breaking of feathers. Any broken
or off-colored feathers can be ,plucked.
and If done at once the possibility Is
that they will grow out properly in
time for the show. False or off-coI-
ored feathers are not necessarily a
sign of impurity. In many cases they
are caused by a bruise or injury to
the feather when growing.
Another important matter to at
tend to 1t to examine the bird care
fully to ascertain if there is any YER
min present. A thorough dusting with
reliable insect powder (such as q
coal tar producO is good precaution,
even If no vermin are seen. Lice are
sly and often hard to detect so that
the dusting will be advisable.
l do not think that it is just the
right thing to wash birds. If every
exhibitor would exercise great care
to keep his fowls clean, and then en-
ter them in their natural condition, it
would give better satisfaction all
around. If I We're poultry Judge and
found two birds equal in quality, the
one naturally white and the other
washed, / should surely give the
award to the former.
How TO Wash the Fowls
But where good birds show dirt on
their plumage, washing is the only al
Tentative. For this purpose CASTLE or
other white soap and warm water
are used. The work must be done in
warm room, so the bird may not
catch cold, and after it is through
with the operation the fowl should
be placed in roomy coop near a good
fire, in a temperature of about so or
80 degrees. In a few hours the bird
will start to plume itself and be per-
fectly dry.
In washing the fowl. two tubs are
filled half full with water Just hot
enough for the hand to feel comfort
able in 1t. Make lather and with a
sponge rub the feathers thoroughly,
rubbing with and not against the
feathers. Every part must receive
attention. care being taken to remove
every particle of dirt.
The bird is then placed in the sec
ond tub, and the plumage is rinsed
with sponge saturated with water,
to remove the suds. Too great care
cannot be taken in this particular, as
soap allowed to remain on the plum
age will make the lather blotchy, and
the feathers will not take the blueing
water evenly.
A final rinsing is then given in a
tub of clean, cold water, to which a
little liquid blueing has been added.
Too much blueing must not be used,
as it will show next to the quills in
the web of the feathers, and the Judge
is apt to give the award to a more
careful exhibitor.
After rinsing the bird thoroughly in
this blueing water, squeeze the water
out of the plumage, and dry the
feathers with towels. Then place the
bird in a coop, which should have
the top and sizes covered with muslin,
the front Slated, and the floor Uttered
with straw. This washing process is
followed by attention to the comb,
wattles and legs.
The Standard of Perfection must be
used as the guide in the selection OF
exhibition fowls, and special note must
, be made of the disqualifying clauses.
Much Encouragement has been
, evinced through carelessness on the
part of the exhibitor. 1t requires grit
and pluck to be a successful exhibitor
The man who cannot stand up in the
face of defeat is not a good sport.