184 AMERICAN SQUAB CULTURE 



packed in ice or sliipped in refrigerating car or boat. Express 

 companies allow one-third off in weight for ice. There are 

 special air-tight receptacles, but the average shipper uses merely 

 a large candy bucket, or box, packing therein a layer of squabs 

 and then a layer of ice. If the distance is very great, however, 

 it is better not to have the ice come in direct contact with the 

 squabs. Very few buyers will accept birds with their feathers 

 on. However, some prefer to receive them that way, and will 

 pay about as much per dozen for them. If a customer of this 

 kind can be secured, it is much easier to ship with the feathers 

 on than to pick them. 



When squabs are shipped alive, they must not travel very far. 

 They should be gathered from the nest after feeding in the 

 afternoon and be received before noon the next day. In this way, 

 they start with their crops filled, and do not lose any weight in 

 transit. A cool, dark crate or box should be provided to ship in, 

 and not over a dozen birds put in a compartment, otherwise 

 they will crowd on top of each other and smother. Squabs that 

 are received alive should be killed immediately, as they will lose 

 weight if not. You no doubt, understand that squabs do not 

 know how to drink or feed themselves; hence, they cannot be 

 held over without considerable loss, and after a couple of days 

 they would deteriorate in quality as well as weight. 



SHIPPING SQUABS A LONG DISTANCE 



(Written by A California Breeder.) 



"California breeders readily could secure prices that would 

 be worth while if they would only organize an association. They 

 should get together and then stick. In this state we have all 

 kinds of associations, orange, chicken, egg, berry, rhubarb, ap- 

 ple, raisin, etc. All are successful and are the means of living 

 prices, and profits go to the producer, not to the commission 

 man. They stick together and sell through their associations, 

 only, and by doing so they are successful. But the squab breeder 

 seems unable to get the habit and then keep it. 



"We organized about two years ago. We were then very 

 green at the business. Handling squabs on a large scale was 

 something new. We had to learn. This learning cost money, 

 but we kept on. About six months ago we decided to incorpo- 

 rate, and things seemed to be started on the right road. We 



