Selection of Stock. 25 



one to decide upon a breed most suited to the condi- 

 tions under which one will be forced to follow the 

 pursuit of breeding. Then before deciding to make 

 a fjlunge the advice of some experienced fancier should 

 be sought, as to the best and most suitable breeds for 

 the personal conditions. If no local fanciers are to 

 be got hold of, then a letter should be addressed to the 

 Editor of " Pigeons," giving full particulars of the 

 accommodation, what money is to be spent, what the 

 atmosphere in the neighbourhood is like, and anything 

 else likely to be of use to him in ans\\ering the question 

 as to which breed is the most suitable under the cir- 

 cumstances. 



BREEDS FOR DISTRICTS. 



Too little thought is given b\' fanciers as to the 

 breeds most suitable for the district in which they live, 

 or to the acquisition of their initial stock. If it were 

 otherwise we shotild not find, as we often do, so many 

 of our >'oung hands " clearing out " year after year 

 as they do. When a 3'oung fancier comes in he should 

 do so with the idea of staying in. No good can come 

 from breeding one season a few Jacobins, then throw- 

 ing them up for Show Homers or jNIagpies, or something 

 else. This question of beginning rightly or wrongly 

 has not received from writers on Pigeons that amount 

 of consideration it should have done. It is often said 

 of some fathers that they have forgotten they were 

 ever boys themselves, and thus have no interest in, or 

 sympathy with, the doings of their sons. So it is with 

 riianj' writers on Pigeons. They seem to take it that 

 it is unnecessary for them to go into the elementary 

 details of breeding and management, as they are well 

 known and understood. Yes, thej' are, by those who 

 have been rio-ht through them, and emerged on the top 

 triumphant, but they are not understood by those who 

 are just beginnin,g to floimder about in the intricacies 

 of Pigeon-keeping. 



I3IPORT.AXCE of .\ good ST.\RT. 



A good start is half the battle, and I want the 

 3'oungsters who read this chapter to make that good 

 start. It will save them not only much worry and 



