The Feather's Practical Pigeon Book 



parents with tendency to- breed to extremes in any par- 

 ticular points. This keeping of pedigree and aiming at 

 all times towards perfection, is one step towards build- 

 ing up a strain. 



After selecting the variety or varieties you want to 

 keep, study well the required standard of these kinds 

 and then proceed, if necessary, with one property at a 

 time, perfecting it as far as you can and then take up an- 

 other, harmonizing all as far as possible, and not per- 

 fecting one or two peculiarities, to the neglect of others. 

 For instance, if in Carriers, do hot try to perfect their 

 wattling and forget length, of beak, length of neck, and 

 carriage. If in Pouters, do not perfect length and feath- 

 ering of leg, to the exclusion of size of crop and length 

 of feather. And so through all the different varieties, 

 endeavor to equalize all properties for which the variety 

 is distinguished, and so make a pleasing whole. Time 

 and patience are required for all this, but it will be time 

 and patience well expended, for in the end you will have 

 created a family whose offspring are almost certain of 

 being suitable for exhibition, a feature that determines 

 the quality of any kind of stock. To say they are fit to 

 exhibit means they are of quality to compare with the 

 best. Reaching this period you arc then ready to reap 

 your harvest of "gold", as birds with such a reputation 

 never lack for customers or a market. 



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