APPENDIX G 



365 



GOOD SQUABS SHOULD 

 BE SHIPPED RIGHT, by B. 

 F. Babcock. Shipment of Sep- 

 tember 23. 1909. 

 t dozen 10-poundsquabs. .$2.13 

 dozen 9-pound squabs. . 7.00 

 4 dozen 8-pound squabs . . 1.40 



$1053 



The above is a statement of 

 a shipment of Plymouth Rock 

 Homer squabs that I have made 

 lately to a New York commis- 

 sion merchant and shows the 

 actual cash received by me. 

 The following is a copy of part 

 of the letter received from the 

 commission merchant, under 

 shipment of October 14: 



We received from you this 

 week a shipment of squabs for 

 which we are enclosing check 

 and account sales. Your birds 

 were very fine and hope that 

 you will continue to send us 

 your output." 



In making the above two ship- 

 ments no pick of birds was made, 

 taking the birds of killable age 

 from each pen. But in the fol- 

 lowing matters I was particular 

 (and it is the only way to be a 

 successful shipper) : 



A clean box, clean paper, 

 clean ice, clean birds, clean 

 mouths, and clean feet, and to 

 make the shipment more at- 

 tractive when the box is opened, 

 is to wrap the heads in tissue 

 paper. No one will ever regret 

 following the above particulars. 

 I have a nice printed card which 

 is tacked on the lid of the box. 



ENORMOUS DEMAND 

 NOW IN CALIFORNIA, by 

 William J, Reid. I have made 

 a canvass of the local market 

 conditions and find the following 

 state of affairs: Several commis- 

 sion men inform me that they 

 cannot supply the demand, par- 

 ticularly during the last year; 

 that small, common squabs, "rejects," weigh- 

 ing six and seven pounds, find ready sale at 

 $3.50 and $4.00 a dozen; that Homers are very 

 scarce, those that can be obtained being easily 

 disposed of at $4.50 and $5.50 a dozen, alive. 

 From these figures the commission men deduct 

 eight per cent for handling. In Oakland, I 

 bought a pair of dressed Homer squabs , 

 medium sized, for which I paid $1.30. Broiled, 

 they were enjoyed very much by Mrs. Reid 

 and myself. The marketman stated that he 

 can handle all the choice Homers brought to 

 him, at good prices, according to weight; 

 would pay $4.50 and $5.50 a dozen. At the 

 California Market (retail) the poultryman told 

 me he would pay $4.50 a dozen for all the 



A PIGEON AND TWO BUNCHES OF SQUABS. 



Homer squabs I could bring him, regardless 

 of weight. All the dealers agree that this is 

 not a temporary condition , but that the demand 

 is increasing faster than the supply, and it 

 seems to me that the forthcoming World's 

 Fair will not hurt the business. 



A year and a half ago I purchased from the 

 Plymouth Rock Squab Co. eight pairs of 

 Cameaux. I now (June, 1911) have over 

 three hundred of all ages, of which some eighty 

 pairs are mated. — Percy A. Bath, Ontario. 



The difference between success and failure 

 in the squab business is the difference between 

 work and hot air. 



