38 National Standard Squab Book. 
as big or as small as you choose and in which the grain will drop down as 
it is eaten. ; 
We illustrate one form of self-feeder with which we have had experi- 
ence. It is a kind that rests on a post in a flying pen. We do uot recom- 
wend this, however, for general use. We have had many customers who 
built it and tried it on our recommendation write back to us that the pig- 
eons did not seem to like it. It depends on the flock a good deal. Some flocks 
take to it naturally on the principle of following the leader, but the aver- 
age tlock of pigeons fight shy of it. Its construction is quite a trouble, often 
necessitating the calling in of a carpenter. And one cannot be built short 
of an expense of $3 to $5. Altogether it is not one of the essentials, and ex- 
pericnece has taught us that it is best to recommend only the fundamental 
devices. If you wish to build one, however, go ahead. We show the per- 
spective view as well as the plan, elevation and cross section. If you 
have a,self feeder, either in the squab house or outside on a ‘post, as pic- 
tured, you may go away for a few days and have a sure feeling that your 
pigeons will not starve while you are away. 
We will try to present the matter of feed as clearly and fully as it seems 
to us to be possible. A woman in Santa Cruz, California, said she would 
like to raise squabs, and would begin by ordering her feed of us, exactly 
as we recommended, to be sent to her by freight from Boston via the 
Southern Pacific. A man in Cleveland ordered a quantity of red wheat 
and cracked corn to be sent by freight from us, when there were thou- 
sands of bushels of both staples in elevators in his city, in fact most of 
the Boston supply had passed through his city. We did not like to run 
the chance of losing the order for breeding stock either of the woman in 
Santa Cruz or of the gentleman in Cleveland, but we wrote to both that 
they ought not to go into the squab raising business if they were to be de- 
pendent on us for grain, that it was too far to send and that if they 
would look around home they could get what they wanted. 
Here in New England we feed to pigeons red wheat, cracked corn, 
hemp-seed, Canada peas, kaffir corn and buckwheat. Sometimes whole 
corn is used, but this is a poor food for a flock of breeders, for if the big 
kernels get into the crops of the squabs it will choke and plug them up 
with a case of indigestion. 
All the time people write to us and say they never heard of red wheat. 
More write and say they don't know what kaffir corn is. Others are puz- 
zled Wy hempseed, they have never seen any. That is surprising to us 
here in New England, but no dowbt we would be just as surprised if we 
were in our customers’ places. 
Let us see if we cannot Jevel up the whole country on this question of 
feed for pigeons. As a rule, we say, feed the grain which is nearest you. 
This country has its corn belt, its wheat belt, its section where millet is 
raised. Buckwheat is plentiful in another section. For your leading 
grain, your staple, select that grain which you can get cheapest and 
easiest. The point to remember is to feed a variety of grains. Keep this 
