69 

 LENGTH OF BREEDING PERIOD. 



Pigeons will breed regularly ' for seven or eight years, 

 so it is to the interest of the breeder to keep only the best 

 in his lofts. The good breeder watches what kind of squabs 

 each pair produces and keeps selecting the best from time 

 to time until he has a loft full which may be depended upon. 

 don't overcrowd. 



Don't overcrowd your lofts. It is better to waste a little 

 room than to have too many birds together. Give each fifty 

 pairs a room eight by ten feet and a fly at least ten by 

 twenty-four feet. 



SQUAB HOMERS. 



Health and vigor are the foundations on which success 

 must be built. The well-bred squab Homer carries its head 

 erect, its plumage is smooth and sleek, and its neck carries 

 the colors of the rainbow. When it stands still,, it seems 

 on wires and when you go into your loft in the morning and 

 look over the flock the bird which does not in turn give you 

 a looking over is not fit for a breeder. The eye is the index 

 of health in pigeons. If the eye is dull or the bird sits 

 winking in a listless manner, there is something wrong about 

 it. Sickly birds shun society and mope in dark corners. 

 The droppings should be noticed. If the birds are healthy, 

 there should be a fair proportion of pure white in them, 

 and they should be rather firm. The squab Homer in health 

 is a beautiful bird, alive every moment and noticing keenly 

 everything that passes. 



INCREASING PRICES. 



Squabs have constantly increased in price in the larger 

 markets for several years, and hundreds of new towns have 



