SYSTEMATIC AND ACCURATE RECORD KEEPING 73 



sold thriu for and Nxhat his profit was bui he cannot tell you 

 vh.ich birds made the profit and \\hicli ones helped to keep him 

 from making more. He will tell you he does not want those 

 which helped to retluce his profits but lie cannot help himself 

 because he does not know what birds tliey are. Had he kept 

 accurate records he would know immediately the true facts 

 in the case. It is the breeder who watches tliese details that 

 succeeds. Efficiency counts here as well as elsewhere. Give 

 the hard workers a chance. Get rid of your drones and build 

 yovu' liock up to a liigh standard — higher than your neighbor 

 and your stock will make a name for you. 



■ The time i.s not far distant when the wise buyer will ask for 

 a record of every pair of birds he buys and if you do not keep 

 records you will lose many a sale. One important move has 

 already been made in that direction and I for one, earnestly 

 hope to see it become more general. It will gradually eliminate 

 or at least go a long \\ay to help eliminate the crooked men in 

 the business. 



Aside from the breeding record as regards the number of 

 squabs produced we may look upon our records in another 

 light. Let us go into our youngster pen and pick out a certain ■ 

 bird. We notice the leg band and upon turning to our record 

 we soon find out what pair it came from. We compare this 

 bird with the parents. Here, my dear reader, is where you get 

 an unmistakable answer to what has the pair produced. Then 

 see the result — a living thing produced from two living things 

 you mated together to produce. Have you attained your goal? 

 What was the result of your mating? You have a living reply. 

 You now know definitely that this pair did or did not produce 

 a certain type, that they did or did not produce a desired color, 

 that they did or did not produce your long wished for size, 

 feather or bone. What proves all of this to you? There is but 

 one answer and that is "Systematic and Accurate Record Keep- 

 ing." Do not be content with comparing one youngster with its 

 parents. Turn to your valuable records once more and get the 

 leg band number of another or several more youngsters from 



