82 PROFITABLE I'IGEON BREEDING 



PHACTICES 



Ju.st as then' are certain principles of loreeding so arc 

 tliere certain practices. These practices arc for tlie pur- 

 pose of making \ise of tlie principles ^\•llich have good effects up- 

 on the hreeding of our' hirds and for the elimination of the bad 

 effects of the others. Kno^^■ing or midcrstanding the various 

 principles we should use such practice in hreeding our birds that 

 will enalile us to produce sviperior specimens. In otlier chapters 

 I have touched upon certain branches of breeding sejiarately and 

 have devoted a \\'hole chajitcr to cacli of these branches because 

 of their importance. 



VIGOR: In the practice of l)reeding pigeons, as in breeding 

 poultry, dogs or whate^■er (dse we might \nidertake, there is one 

 thing that I might call jjaramount. It is VIGOR. I firmly be- 

 lieve that all of m>- readers will agree that it is essential be- 

 cause we must have strength and vigor in the bird so that it can 

 respond to om* experiments. Diseased hirds cannot and will 

 not produce as they should, they have not the bodily strengtii 

 to do so. Therefore \\e cannot use them or, I might say, we 

 should not use them at any time. The health of the birds should 

 be kept intact, nothing should he done to impair their bodily 

 strength and on the other hand everything possible should be 

 done to build it ui). Tlie more vigor a bird has the more pliabb; 

 he is, tliat is he will resjjond licttcr and (juickcr to severs 

 breeding tests, he will [jroduce more and better offspring pro- 

 vided, of course, he is properly mated. Do not allow yourself 

 to go color mail or ty|)e ciazy to obtain color or type and sac- 

 rifice the vigor of yoin- birds. Do not use a bird that shows 

 excellent type bnl which at the same time shows little or no 

 "pej)" just foi' the sake of hopinu to ri'prodiice that t>pe in a 

 youngster hei-aiise the chances ai'c that you will g(>t a young- 

 ster of less stamina or \igor and with not as nuich type as his 

 sire or dam. Make \ igor your first consideration and then 

 breed for- t> pc, color, cere, etc., and you will find these easier 

 to obtain. 



BUILDING UP A STRAIN: By a strain is meant a more or 



