48 AMERICAN SQUAB CULTURE 



of an industry to the detriment of those who are following it in 

 a commercial way. The men that raise fancy Carneaux, proba- 

 bly combined, do not own two thousand birds; yet they dictate 

 the policy of the future of this breed over thousands throughout 

 the United States who probably own half a million birds. It 

 is a case of the tail wagging the dog, and the strangest part of it 

 all is that these fancy breeders, are chiefly responsible for the 

 present conditions, are not satisfied with the status of affairs, 

 and complain about their customers demanding show birds for 

 squab producing purposes. 



Almost every day I receive letters from people \\'ho want 

 Carneaux for squab breeding purposes, and yet they describe 

 and expect what is now classed as show birds. They must not 

 have any white or blue feathers. I am not alone in this position, 

 as almost everyone that sells a few Carneaux is up against the 

 same proposition. Now what is responsible for this condition? 

 Nothing more than the fact that the prevailing color of Car- 

 neaux is red and white or yellow and white, and that birds 

 of this color have been legislated against by the fancier's stand- 

 ard until the public in general has been educated to the belief 

 that the Carneau that has white feathers on its body is no good. 



Now, I have a plan that I believe will remedy conditions, and 

 be a big boost for the Carneaux, both as a utility and a show 

 bird. The success of all shows depends upon their financial 

 success. Most pigeon shows today are run at a loss, because 

 the general public is not sufficiently interested to make the gate 

 receipts large enough to offset the expense of holding the show. 

 Even when pigeon shows are held in connection with poultry 

 shows, the pigeon end of it is not much of a success from a 

 financial standpoint. Poultry breeders do not meet with this 

 difficulty, for the reason that the fancy end of the business has 

 not run away with the utility end, and in all poultry shows 

 there are more birds entered in the utility classes than in the 

 fancy classes. The people who enter Plymouth Rocks receive 

 a double benefit. They gain a certain amount of publicity, and 

 learn what constitutes first-class birds in their variety. In ad- 

 dition thereto they enjoy the sport of competing equally as well 

 as the fancy. 



Now, my plan, in short, is to bring about a similar condition 

 with pigeons, and I am interested in the Carneau, and as I 



