36 THE PIGEON BOOK 



The period at which fanciers must mate their stock 

 depends to a^reat extent on the variety. It also depends 

 on the situation of the loft and its environment. In a 

 brick loft in the south a start can be made earlier than 

 in a vpooden loft in the north. 



Dragons and the hardy varieties can be well mated in 

 the middle of February, but some of the toy varieties 

 are best left later. 



If you want to gain success in the early shows the 

 breeding should be terminated as early as possible and 

 the stock separated in order to help the moult. Breeding 

 retards the moult. 



Generally speaking, the best plan is to mate up in 

 February and to separate the sexes early in July. This 

 of course refers to the show varieties that are kept for 

 exhibition purposes only. Different treatment is neces- 

 sary in the case of the sporting varieties, but I shall refer 

 to that in the special chapter devoted to pigeon-racing. 



I cannot too strongly warn the fancier who wishes to 

 succeed against the foolish policy of keeping more birds 

 than his loft will accommodate comfortably. Success is 

 only possible by keeping a watchful eye on each and 

 every pair of birds. 



Whilst the birds are breeding a faint smell permeates 

 the loft. Use carbolic freely in odd corners. Under the 

 sawdust in the nest-pans I always well sprinkle the pan 

 with this disinfectant, and from the time the birds start 

 sitting until the time the youngsters are old enough to 

 leave the nest I use Keating 's powder freely, as it keeps 

 down the insects — fleas and lice — that worry pigeons at 

 this period of the year. 



