The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-10-24
Success in Exhibitions De- pends Largely Upon the Conditioning of Birds. Extra Care Well Worth While
Directions Given for Wash ing the Fowls and for Training Them to Present a Good Appearance
Ny MIcHATL K BOYER

Poultry Editor of the Farm Journal
 Copyright, 1915)
 This is the time to begin preparing fowls for exhibitions at the winter shows. Only by competing with other fanciers can the amateur gauge the worth of his stock, and when he does compete he cannot take too much pains with the conditioning of the birds. In this article Mir. Boyer tells how to give the fowls the extra care that often will enable him 10 secure the prize which otherwise would not have been won
 Exhibit at the winter shows. if you feel that your fowls are of high quality. Do not be afraid of defeat. it is only by exhibiting your birds in competition with those of other fanciers that you will be able to learn definitely where they are weak and study how to improve them. Frequently amateurs who have never exhibited before carry away high honors in some of the largest exhibitions, but generally 1t Is good rule for the novice to exhibit first at the smaller winter shows. Then when he has had experience in exhibiting and has learned to know his breed thoroughly, he will be safe in sending his choicest specimens to the larger shows.
 The successful exhibitor does not wait until the time of the show before he selects his birds. From chiekhood up he is constantly watching them. They are properly sheltered and cared for, md no labor Is saved that will give them good, healthy development. The growth is steady. There must be vigor and stam- ina to grow healthy stock
 AS the birds grow. culling must be done repeatedly Take out of the flock chicks that have crooked spine, crooked breast bone, missing rump, wry tail, crossed heak, defective feathering or any other disqualification Keep only the best those that give promise of haking a good showing under the standard rules. This will give room for the selected ones, and there will be no danger of over crowdng.
 Conditioning Is Most Important
 The main thing in showing is to have the fowls in the proper condition when in the showroom. They must be made as gentle as possible so that they may be handled properly and not be fright ened while in the cages Many good bird has lost prize for no other reason than that it was wild and excitable in the cage, and would not pose or stand
 For two weeks before the exhibition the birds should be placed in cage so that they may learn to be quiet ana not startled when anyone approaches them. The value of this fact is Illustrated by Judge J. H. Drevenstedt, in the book Poultry Secrets" MT. Drevenstedt says a prominent exhibitor at the New York show had imported fine Black Red Game cockerel from England. took II from the steamer direct, and placed it in cage; another exhibitor had bird of the same variety in cage close by. When the judge poked his stick into kI~ tla Ex,r iah q. the latter would try to fly the coop. In other words. 1t would not pose nor stand while being examined. The Amer ican-bred bird, when touched by the judging stick, knew its business and showed it's training by posing nicely, and won the prize. Yet the foreign cockerel was intrinsically by far the better bird; 1t simply was not in proper condition to show It's superior points when the judge came around.
 Therefore it will be seen that 1t is t.me well spent to tame and train the birds. 
 lively weak into strong hands. This switching of owners has improved the technical position of the market and what contracts have been disposed of Is po- tential buying power, as those who sold out are bulls at heart and will replace them when the market shows more snap.
 The ginning report should be about what the National Ginners indicated and, as said yesterday, the mere figures Of the number of bales ginned means less than what the percentage of the total crop they represent. The National Ginncrs say 1t Is 5S.4 per cent and my opinion is they will be found to be about the correct figures though how the spectators will regard them is another question.
 No change of opinion, look for higher prices next week.