The Washington times., 1917-01-18
.BAND.CAUSES FUROR
,ATPOULTRY EXHIBIT
Boy Scout Organization De-
lights Feathered Principals at
Opening Night of Show.


hfty-three pieces blared out the notes
OF popular march, while cocks crew
and hens cackled and pigeons ran
up and down their cages as IL try
ing to keep time with the music,
while farmers and their wives walk
ed gravely up and down the long
rows OF chicken cages and surveyed
the occupants with jealous eyes, the
second session of the National
Capital Poultry and Pigeon Associa-
tion poultry show began last night.
Do chickens like music?
Before the band started playing
all was contentment among the
fowls. Big roosters and little roost-
ers, thin hens and fat hens, walked
gravely up and down in their small
coops, showing themselves on to their
best advantage.
Band Causes Furor.
With the first notes every chicken
paused In her task OF showing on.
1t sounded as IL every rooster thought
is was o'clock in the morning and
he was on the back fence in the barn
yard: It sounded as II each hen
thought she had laid an egg and was
the fact to the world in
the usual manner. DignIfied roosters
lost their dignity, and ran madly up
and down through the cackling hens.
When the music stopped the chick
ems didn't. They kept on for some
time afterward, and when they did
cease. they kept one bright eye cock
ed toward the direction of the band,
determined not to be surprised a sec
ond time.
To a layman, one who knows chick
ems only as chickens, the poultry show
Is a revelation, and there's a new sur
prise at every coop.
Rare Varieties.
The White Crested Black Polish
probably attract as much attention as
any of the birds at the show. These
huge fowls, coal black except for the
plume, are not seen often.
They are comparatively rare in the
United States, and are very valuable
birds.
The Bufr Laced Polish. another Of
he variety, gives the visitor another
shock. These birds, speckled gray
and white, have small heads, which
ire covered with plumes hanging
Town over the race.
The Black Minorcas, beautifully
and black as jet, are
,aid to be particularly fine layers
While not SO well known in the East,
hey are popular among the Western
poultry. raisers.
Many Poultry Fans.
It was amusing to watch the diff
'erent poultry enthusiasts as they
Itood by the cages. One young man
tood before the coop of orpingtons
or fully half an hour. waiting for the
ooster to crow.
The majority Of the visitors were |
evidently farmers. Many of them, |
large and unmistakable spots |
" mud on their trousers, were walk |
ng demonstrations of the fact that |
armers will come miles to city, |
,ver muddy roads and behind a slow !
lorse. just to get good look at first |
lass chickens.
Pertinent Preparedness.
Over the end of the room in which |
pigeons were kept. was strung a huge |
,anner. 1t proclaimed in letters three |
eet high that America should pre-
when the visitor expected |
o see SOME plan for compulsory mill |
ary training in the United States
le was surprised to read that hon. |
ng pigeons are nearly indispensable |
n time OF war.
Government Exhibit.
Uncle Sam was right on hand with
ONE Exhibits, too. Model chicken
Iouses, complete in every detail. down
o the tiny spring which shuts the
rap-door leading into the poultry
ard, gave the visitor a chance to
ee scientific chicken raising meth
ds, which the Government has been
earning. There were also large poul-
ry yards with patent nests which
hut in the unsuspecting hen and
onfine her until she lays an egg.
New kinds of chicken feed and
emedies were also on exhibition, and
very farmer and poultry raiser who
.ft that show last night did so with
he feeling that he knew lots more
bout poultry than before coming.
More than half the prizes have
cen already awarded. The remainder
Iill be made before Saturday.