FOOD AND DRINK 47 



due to the very careful attention given all grain pur- 

 chased, and the care taken to see that it is kept in bins 

 secure from any possibility of being damaged. Much 

 is also due to the invariable rule of feeding promptly 

 at the appointed meal time. No engagement is per- 

 mitted to interfere with punctuality in feeding. 



Even with the best of stock shipments, squabs could 

 not possibly run uniform as to size of the individual 

 birds unless they received most careful attention. It is 

 a pleasure to the commission man, as well as to the 

 breeder, to have squabs uniform. It adds much 

 to the profit. 



Our shipments frequently contain squabs averaging 

 8 pounds to the dozen, and very often a majority are 

 heavier than this. In speaking of squabs the dressed 

 weight is meant, except where specified. Sometime 

 ago we weighed squabs before and after dressing and 

 found that live birds, weighing 20 ounces apiece or 

 40 ounces to the pair, when bled and dressed, ready 

 for market, weighed 17 ounces each, or 34 ounces to 

 the pair, showing a loss of 6 ounces to a pair of 

 birds. The loss on squabs weighing less would, of 

 course, be in proportion. 



These uniform results are due, as already indicated, 

 to great care in the selection of purest grains, to per- 

 sistent adherence to a steady ration, irrespective of its 

 cost, and to taking great care that birds have a 

 generous supply at each feeding. 



What others are doing. — We have had an oppor- 

 tunity to note what some other breeders who are not 

 careful in these particulars are getting in the way of 

 results. Some uniformly feed either a small quantity 

 of one grain when it advances in price, or leave it out 

 of the ration altogether ; the result is always shown in 



