174 AMERICAN SQUAB CULTURE 



squabs must be of good average size, of a grade that will satisfy 

 the buyer, and the amount of expense for feed and other neces- 

 sities must be in keeping with the production. Then we must 

 decide on certain points of improvement, such as light meated 

 squabs, large breasted, well-matured and fat squabs at the proper 

 selling age, and a uniformity in these qualities. To attain such 

 a condition and results, we should improve the standard of our 

 breeding stock, by first learning the size and shape and types 

 old birds should possess, and then by eliminating fjom our 

 breeding stock the poorest type birds, and those that are farther 

 from the desired standard. 



A flock of breeders can be improved mateiially, and bred up 

 toward a standard by the method of elimination. To do this, 

 as previously stated, one must have a fair knowledge of what 

 constitutes a good breeder and the standard of perfection de- 

 sired. He should have as perfect a check as possible on what 

 each pair of his breeders is doing. Then he should discard or 

 elimiuate his slowest producers, the birds of the poorest types 

 and shapes, thoee that are the smallest and also the overgrown 

 and oversize birds. This methoel of elimination, however, should 

 be gradual and considerable care and attention should be 

 given to the eiuestion of results; that is to say, it is not always 

 advisable to cull out the undersized, ill-shaped bird in preference 

 to a better type one, for the reason that the poorest looking bird 

 might be producing the best squabs and the largest number of 

 squabs. As a rule, this will not be found to be the case, and 

 by a slow method of elimination, now and then discarding an 

 inferior bird, be it large or small, and replacing it with one 

 superior in size, type nearer the ideal standard, one will be 

 surprised at the progress he will make, and how, in a compara- 

 tively short time, he will improve the average quality of his 

 entire stock. 



Taking the Carneau or White King Pigeon as an example, 

 bens that weigh less than 18 ounces shoulel be eliminated as 

 fast as they can be replaced with better birds, and cocks that 

 \Neigh less than 20 ounces should be eliminated. Personally, 

 I favor hens that weigh from 18 to 20 oimces and cocks that 

 weigh from 20 to 22 ounces. 



^'oii will notice that CarneMiix slaiid with Iheir bodies at an 

 angle of about 45 degrees. They have full rounded breasts, and 



