172 ^ AMERICAN SQUAB CULTURE 



If there are any pigeon shows to he held near-hy, I would rec- 

 ommend that you enter some of your hirds in the classes that 

 you are most likely to win in, and be present at the shows if 

 possible, where you will meet people interested in the business, 

 and thereby gain a certain amount of publicity. After the show 

 you can use your winnings for advertising purposes, but I would 

 caution you against placing too much importance on shows, and 

 expecting tou great or immediate results. 



In selecting and raising the birds you expect to sell for breed- 

 ing stock, it would be well to raise only a few more pairs than 

 you expect to need for your own plant the first year, then 

 increase your stock as you are able to dispose of same, which 

 you will be able to do as you get better established and learn 

 more about the sale of breeding stock. 



Most every ^quab breeder has a few pairs of mated birds that 

 he can spare without decreasing his breeding stock materially. 

 It is a good plan, therefore, to carry a small ad. in the pigeon 

 papers for the purpose of disposing of surplus breeders. But if 

 you meet with material success along this line, it does not 

 follow that you can go into the breeding business and immedi- 

 ately start to make money, for, as previously stated, the sale of 

 breeding stock is a distinct line, and one that cannot be jumped 

 Into on short notice with any degree of success. 



RAISING PIGEONS TO A STANDARD 



Regardless of the nature of the business engaged in or to be 

 midertaken, in order to attain success in any degree, it is nec- 

 essary for one to familiarize himself thoroughly with the details 

 and possibilities of that business and to establish an ideal con- 

 dition towards w^hich to work. The squab industry is no ex- 

 ception to this rule, and it is at all times necessary to work to- 

 wards advancement in all branches of the industry and es- 

 pecially so to the improvement of one's breeding stock. 



An ideal condition can never be attained. Each successful 

 and enthusiastic breeder will raise the standard of perfection 

 and his ideal as he advances. A perfect squab plant supplied 

 with a perfect stock of birds that will produce a maximum num- 

 ber of perfect squabs yearly, therefore, can never be realized, 

 but we can and should at all times strive for a higher grade of 



