336 



APPENDIX G 



TELEPHONE SQUAB SALES $6-$9 A 

 DOZEN, by R. E. Sons. Having read all the 

 books relating to pigeons and carefully thought 

 over the matter, I decided to try as an experi- 

 ment forty-eight pairs of Plymouth Rock 

 Homers and to see for myself if I had any 

 demand for squabs. When they arrived I 

 was well pleased with their looks and was better 

 pleased when I saw them getting busy ten 

 days after their arrival. Then when my first 

 squabs hatched I commenced to look for ways 

 and means to sell. 



The markets were selling them at forty 

 cents each so I decided to try fifty cents each. 

 I inserted a small advertisement in the local 

 paper but could trace no business there. I 

 then wrote several prominent people and 

 received two answers, each with orders too 

 large for me to f:lL I then started in to call 

 the wealthy ladies by telephone, asking them 

 if they would like some fresh killed squabs, 

 as I had so many for sale, and by this means 

 I sold my first birds. This I continued, 

 always calling new people, and when I de- 

 livered my squabs I always placed my card 

 on the package and requested the cook to 

 keep the card in a conspicuous place, and 

 when she wanted fresh killed squabs to call 

 me by telephone. 



Soon orders were coming in far beyond my 

 supply. I theh ordered fifty pairs more Homer 

 breeders from the Plymouth Rock Squab 

 Company. As soon as they were working 

 and I was able to market their squabs I found 

 I could not meet the demand. I ordered 

 again fifty pairs more, but even then I could 

 only meet about half the orders. 



My plant has always been open to inspec- 

 tion and I tamed my first pen so that they 

 would come and eat hempseed out of the hand. 

 This was a great success for many wealthy 

 people stopped to see how squabs were raised 

 and I found I sold quite a lot simply because 

 they would eat out of the hand. These I 

 sold for pet squabs. I weaned them when they 

 were four weeks old and received from nine 

 to twelve dollars a dozen. I refused all offers 

 for the old birds. 



Some of the wealthy people thought that 

 fifty cents was too high as the markets had 

 by this time cut their prices to thirty and 

 thirty-five cents each, but I explained how I 



E lucked and chilled the birds, which were only 

 iUed upon order, and that if they would try 

 a small order, they would be convinced. 

 Some would place an order for one and two 

 and in nine cases out of ten they would try to 

 get my squabs, and if I was sold out then go 

 to the market. 



All this summer I have received fifty cents 

 each for killed squabs four weeks old, seventy 

 five cents for live squabs five weeks old and 

 one dollar for six weeks old, weaned and trained 

 to eat and care for themselves. I have not 

 at any time had any squabs ready to kill that 

 I have not had an order on my books to fill. 

 In fact, I have not had a chance to eat one 

 myself. I have four more units about half 

 completed which I will fill with Homers as 



I believe they turn out squabs that are just 

 right for the home market. 



For canker, I put three drops of squab-fe-nol 

 in one-half a glass of water for a wash, using 

 a small swab. I then powder the throat 

 with half Venetian red and 4ialf burnt alum, 

 and find that this mixture works quickly, 

 effecting the desired cure. 



Here is a record to date (March, 1910) of 

 the three pairs of Extra Homers bought of 

 you last March, 1909. It is a record you can 

 be proud of. I will swear that it is correct, 

 as I have them banded and keep a book to 

 record them. Pair No. 1 hatched April 1 

 (1909) 2 squabs; May 12. 2; June IS, 2; July 

 21, 2; August 24, 1; September, none; October 



4, 2; November 14, 2; January 8 (1910), 1; 

 February 20, 2. Total, 16 sq;uabs in 10 

 months. At present date (March 20) building 

 another nest. Pair No. 2 hatched April 5 

 (1909), 1 squab; May IS, 2; June 24, L; July 

 28, 2; August, none; September 1, 1; October 



5, 2; November, none; December 1, 2; January 

 26 (1910). 1 ; March ^, 2. Total 14 squabs in 

 10 months. At present (March 20), sitting 

 on two eggs. Pair No. 3 hatched April 15 

 (1909), 2 squabs; May 27. 2; June, none; July 

 15, 2; August 28, 2; September, none; October 

 11, 2; November, none; December 11, 2; 

 January (1910), none; February 6, 2. Total, 

 ] 4_ squabs in 10 months. From these three 

 pairs I have now twelve working pairs of birds 

 that I have yet to see the equal of in California. 

 I hope this record may be of some use to you, 

 and it will be if you are as proud of it as I am, 

 I never had raised a pigeon in my life until I 

 received your birds. You gave me a fair 

 and square deal both on my Extra Homers 

 and Cameaux. I follow your Manual from A 

 to Z. The results speak for themselves. — 

 Fred M. Parkison, California. 



I have adopted a way for holding my nest 

 material which you can print if you wish. On 

 the wire partitions between units, at the bot- 

 toms I put a thirty-inch width of the wire, 

 fasten this at bottom and ends, fill from the 

 top with stems, straw, etc. This makes a 

 clean pocket for keeping the nest material in 

 the pens, and it also makes a good break from 

 wind caused by the flying of the birds. Don't 

 cut wire to make this. Use a regular made 

 width, then you have the edges in shape. — 

 W. E. Blakslee, New York. 



I am very proud of my flock of Plymouth 

 Rock Homers, From the twenty-four pairs I 

 bought a year ago, I now have two hundred 

 and eighty-eight birds, all beauties. My 

 neighbors and every one who sees them say 

 they are lovely. — Mary R. Forbes, New York. 



I have four hundred working Homers. 

 They are producing seven pairs of large squabs 

 to each pair of breeders a year. Half of these 

 breeders are too young to do their best. I 

 hope to enlarge my plant in the near future — 

 D. D. Powell, California. 



