88 AMERICAN SQUAB CULTURE 



round and smooth, of a light yellow color, and always very hard, 

 and can be used shortly after taken from the vine. Pigeons de- 

 light in eating them, and bring their squabs along in fine condi- 

 tion. They are grown the same as the ordinary garden pea. 

 They can be grown anywhere the garden peas are grown and 

 even in colder climate than the garden peas will stand. 

 What is known as Cow^ peas or blackeyed peas is also a splendid 

 pigeon food and often are much cheaper than Canada peas. 



Rice 



There are over 160 varieties of rice. It is an excellent food 

 for pigeons, to be fed with wheat. It is raised principally in 

 the southern states, where rice can be purchased at a reasonable 

 price. A great deal of it can be used for feed, especially where 

 lots can be bought that have a little chaff in, and not suitable 

 for table use. Pigeons do not take to it at once but after a few 

 meals take to it more readily. 



Oats 



Oats are very nourishing and preferable even to peas. The 

 price is the main drawback in using them, but when they can 

 be secured at a reasonable price, they should be fed as nothing 

 will bring along squabs as rapidly as hulled oats. Oats that 

 are not hulled should never be fed. 



Barley 



Those that do use it with hulls on do so merely because it is 

 cheap, but cheap foods should not play a part in squab raising, 

 as it means cheap squabs. 



Buckwheat 



Buckwheat, either the dark brown, or gray, is used by many 

 squab raisers, but it should not be fed in large quantities, and 

 not much of it in summer, as it is very heating. Mix it with 

 wheat, as if mixed with corn, both grains being very heating 

 will be found to give bad results. It is a good, hard grain and is 

 excellent to mix with white wheat or new red wheat, when the 

 old wheat happens to be scarce. 



