APPENDIX G 



391 



PEA VINES ARE BEST NESTING MA- 

 TERIAL, by C. S. Persons. In nesting 

 material I have used nearly everything, and I 

 have found that the common pea vines which 

 every one raises in gardens and throws away 

 or bums are their choice. They will leave any- 

 thing else for them. After I have used the 

 peas I pull up the vines and thoroughly dry 

 them, then cut them in lengths of about six 

 inches, leaving as many of the leaves on as 

 will stay. Sweet pea vines are equally as 

 good. 



In regard to green food, clover, lettuce and 

 Swiss chard are their favorites and a fine tonic 

 as well. A ten-cent package of Swiss chard 

 (or cut-and-come-again spinach) will feed seven 

 hundred birds from June until the third or 

 fourth frost, as it is very hardy. They will pick 

 the stems clean and leave only the stalks. I 

 feed lettuce the year round, in winter buying 

 it by the crate once a week. I feed clover 

 through the summer. 



With regard to a market for squabs, the 

 Chicago commission men are paying from 

 $2.75 to $3.25. I do not blame the commis- 

 sion men for buying at these figures but I do 

 blame the producer for selling, for with every- 

 thing as high as it now is, and after deducting 

 express charges and labor, what has the breeder 

 made? He has simply lost money, and the 

 commission man is getting the benefi.t of the 

 failure to hustle. 



HOW TO WASH OUT THE SQUABS' 

 CROPS, by Henry Blake. A handy and quick 

 way for cleaning the grain out of crops when 

 washing squabs is easily arranged if you have 

 piped water supply. Have a fitting made to 

 screw on the bib-cock. One can go to the ex- 

 pense of having a special fitting made. A 

 cheap way is to tinker one up by using an old 

 hose coupling. Solder a piece of bent small 

 tubing into it. 



To use it, hold the bird's head down, putting 

 its mouth over the tube, set the water nmning 

 ^owly, work the bird up and down a few times, 

 so the tube goes well up into the crop, and the 

 job is done. If one does not have the water 



gipe, he can use an elevated reservoir either 

 ung up or put up on a bracket. 



I stew squabs until tender and done, in 

 water seasoned with salt and pepper to taste. 

 I bake biscmts a delicate brown at the same 

 time, being careful not to make them too 

 thick. Take up the meat, add a little milk to 

 the soup, being careful not to put in enough 

 to weaken it, add salt, butter and pepper to 

 taste; thicken with flour, making a medium 

 thick gravy. Split the hot biscuits and add 

 to this hot gravy. When well saturated take 

 up and place hot squabs on top. Serve. De- 

 licious! I have used in this way, too, rabbits 

 and chickens. — Mrs. Dora B. Badger, Washing- 

 ton. 



Do not keep extra small squabs for breeders 

 just because their parents are fine birds — all 

 birds will raise offs sometimes. 



NOT TRUE TO COLOR, by Ralph Walker. 



I have a pair of Homers, the male being pure 

 white, and the female black all over except 

 one white feather in the back and a few on each 

 leg. I have had only one pair of squabs from 

 them that were of the exact color of the par- 

 ents, and they were of different hatchings. 

 Even then the male was white and the female 

 black. Among the pigeons raised from them 

 I have had the following color combinations: 

 Dark brown, female; several light red pigeons, 

 both sexes; heavy booted, soHd silver female; 

 black with white on tips of wings and at base 

 of tail and various other places, both sexes; 

 light brown with dark brown bars, female; and 

 also a big dark blue cock with a shiny red blue 

 breast. Don't you Jhink this is a pretty good 

 color combination? 



Question: Of what value are pigeon fairs 

 and exhibitions in advertising to sell breeding 

 stock? Are the money prizes enough induce- 

 ment to go to the expense of exhibiting? An- 

 swer: The value of pigeon and poultry exhibi- 

 tions as an advertising medium is something 

 to the breeder who relies for sales on persons 

 who come to visit him and look at his stock, 

 but such results are practically nothing in 

 comparison to the results obtained from peri- 

 odical and newspaper advertising. Pigeon 

 and poultry shows are an interesting neighbor- 

 hood enjoyment, bringing good stock of each 

 section together for comparison and gossip. 

 The money prizes are never of themselves of 

 any particular value, certainly not enough to 

 recompense one for the time and effort ex- 

 pended. One should go into a poultry and 

 pigeon show with the idea of making a week of 

 enjoyment for himself and his family, meeting 

 others, seeing what they are doing, etc., but 

 not with the idea of making himself rich or 

 famous, for that never is accompUshed by 

 exhibitions alone. 



Question : I have been reading a story 

 written by a woman who lost money raising 

 poultry and squabs and her figures of produc- 

 tion do not agree with those given in a bulletin 

 which I have. Answer: That is why she failed. 

 It is always assumed, in such writings, that 

 intelligence, skill and industry are factors, but 

 one who fails in these branches is seldom either 

 intelligent, skilful or industrious. 



I have benefited much from the Magazine 

 and am selling my own squabs to private trade 

 for fifty cents each, dressing five cents extra, 

 and ten cents for delivery; Cameaux squabs 

 one dollar each, and have all I can do, Ply- 

 mouth Rock stock.^Miss Marion S. Baker, 

 Massachusetts. 



The general wholesale quotations on squabs 

 here (San Francisco) range from $3.00 to 

 $3.50 per dozen, although some extra large 

 would bring $3.75. They can be handled 

 better alive than dressed at present. Trade 

 would prefer to do their own dressing. — Har- 

 baugh & Co. (Wholesale Dealers), California. 



