Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1915-01-09
Copyright. 1914


every possible advantage TO exhibit
feathers or too large markings of
ut poultry shows and go after the
prizes. If he wins, so much the bet
ter, but even If lie loses, he gains
much knowledge by attending the
shows, seeing the exhibits and dis
cussing poultry with the leading men
i'm the business.
Also. he gets inspiration to try
to- land IA prize the next time and by
so striving raises the standard of his
own flock. One of the main rewards
of the prize winner is the opportunity
to get higher prices for his stock and
to advertise the same for their super
iority. Altogether, il is an interesting
and profitable game.
The primary object, of course, for
iany breeder, large or small, to eN-
hibit at poultry shows is to win prizes.
Too often the small breeder does
not have the confidence in his own
stock that it possesses the merit to
win a prize. Often this want of con-
fidence is misplaced, and frequently
it is all too true that the birds ac-
tually do lack merit.
If he makes a winning and obtains
even a yellow or q white ribbon-the
emblem of third and fourth places
he mas some tangible reward for his
trounle and pains in exhibiting. The
ribbon itself has small intrinsic value,
but the fact that a poultry judge has
carefully examined the bird on which
the award was placed and found that
ii comes near enough up in standard
requirements to be worthy of a prem
lium shows that the bird actually has
merit This award of merit is not
only pleasing to the exhibitor, but
also has a financial value. 1t makes
4 f1, hi fa oil lNf
chicks and stock at prices above the
commercial market value of eggs and
stock. without this award of merit
he would probably sell his stock at
what poultry is worth per pound. Gnd
eggs at the open market price per
dozen.
Often the exhibitor who wins is so
elated by his winning that he is not
in the right frame of mind to care
fully take to heart the lesson that he
should learn in connection herewith,
and the exhibitor who does not win
frequently gets the most valuable as
set Of all. The loss of the coveted
ribbon puts the loser in a brown study
to see just why he lost out. This study
shows him the weak points of his
flock, and while he goes home sadder,
yet he is wiser for the coming years
work.
The most important value to the
small breeder is the opportunity to
compare his birds side by side with
those bred and raised by others. He
lis thus enabled to see whether he is
making progress or slipping back.
Ofttimes, a visit to a neighbor's flock
in the yards fails to bring out the
comparison between his neighbor's
and his own flock, but when the birds
are placed side by side in the show
room there is no escaping the COM
parison-whether- favorable or unfa-
Vorable.
If he is fortunate enough to win the
blue ribbon, this blue ribbon winner,
selected by judge who is an expert,
stands for the nearest ideal to the
standard. On the other hand, If he
does not win first place he has the
privilege of seeing the ideal bird, one
that is nearer ideal than his own, and
can thus compare and study the su-
periority and find out wherein his own
bird is lacking.
He learns, too that the perfect bird
is yet to be obtained. Frequently the
small breeder is afraid to make an
exhibit because ne sees in every one
of his own birds a defect. Sometimes
Just because of slightly off-color in
legs, a defective feather, or that the
birds are not quite full in shape or
plumage-he draws the conclusion
that these imperfections will keep
him frcm winning. He fails to realize
that other breeders have the same diff
ficulties to contend with, and that his
own birds are possibly better than