l'I(.K<)\N AND A LI, ABOUT THEM. 



When lu- t<>!< I me of the many nice families who used them 

 entirely in their bath rooms I felt that I had found the correct 

 tiling. 



Well, it worked beautifully for two nights. I had about 

 twenty liens in the lower loft and as many cocks above, and 

 it was lovely to go out just before bed time and see that nice 

 bright little stov<? working on full time and diffusing a good 

 warmth. Of course the extra heat rose and warmed the up- 

 per loft. 



But on the morning after the third night, I found the stove 

 out and both lofts full of the most nasty black smoke I ever 

 Miu'Hed. The plumage of every hen was ruined, and the 

 cocks were not much better and the lofts felt like ice boxes. 

 I never got those birds clean till after moult next fall. I gave 

 the stove away and since that day have never tried artificial 

 heat and I never will. I can say truly that in forty-five years 

 I have never lost a bird by freezing. 



Pigeons are very waim blooded and while their plumage is 

 not like that of the duck or goose, it is still what Nature gave 

 them and Nature is a good mother. Who has not seen common 

 pigeons roosting in cracked boxes (on North walls) covered 

 with snow and ice. and yet living for years hardy and con- 

 tented. 



We all know that our finely bred birds are not as strong as 

 the common breed, yet there is also a big difference between 

 a little old rickety box covered with snow, with hardly a ray 

 of sunshine in the winter, and a nice tight loft. There is 

 also a difference between the scanty forage of the street 

 picked up by the common bird, and the splendid and health- 

 ful food ^iven regularly to his finer brother. 



