APPENDIX G 



329 



WE SELL NO SQUABS FOR LESS THAN 

 $6 A DOZEN, by Elmer E. Wygant. A few 

 months ago I wrote you to the effect that I 

 was having s^lne photographs taken of our 

 buildings, to show you what we have been able 

 to do with the twenty-five pairs of Extra 

 Plymouth Rock Homers which we bought of 

 the Plymouth Rock Squab Co., Boston, in 

 April, 1909. 



When the birds arrived, we placed them in 

 a box stall, built a small pen on the outside, 

 and did not pay any attention to them except 

 to water and feed for over three months, 

 when we found we had to prepare other pens 

 for the young, which were coming very fast. 

 In fact, every pair shipped us were all raising 

 squabs at this time. They came so fast that 

 we have been compelled to put up a building 

 which is 128 feet long, eighteen feet wide and 

 twelve feet high. At this writing (June 3) 

 it is filled with three hundred mated pairs all 

 breeding, besides ten pens in the large bam 

 with four hundred mated p^rs. 



I can see where I made a mistake when 

 starting and that was that I should have bought 

 about five hundred pairs and saved the time 

 we have taken to breed. For since last 

 August, when we began to sell squabs, we 

 have been compelled to refuse orders owing to 

 our wish to breed to one thousand pairs. 



We have made a point not to sell any squabs 

 less than $6 a dozen dressed, and guarantee 

 every squab to weigh three-quarters of a 

 poimd, dressed, or no sale. We are careful 

 not to kill any birds if under the above weight. 

 We have supplied banquets and hotels at the 

 above price and in doing so we show a common 

 pigeon by the side of a Homer, which settles 

 all arguments at once. 



We feed entirely according to the directions 

 in Elmer Rice's book and have had no trouble 

 in keeping all the birds in fine condition. 

 The main point, in our estimation, is to have 

 clean coops, fresh water at all times, and see 

 that every bird is given enough to eat. If 

 these instructions are lived up to at all times, 

 there is no reason why anybody should not 

 make a success of raising squabs. 



(By Ray E. Brown, Manager.) 



Owing to the fact that Mr. Wygant, the 

 proprietor of Etwinoma Farms, is also the 

 owner and manager of a large summer resort, 

 this time of the season finds him rushed, so 

 he has handed me your request for further 

 details regarding the way we are getting along 

 with the squab business. 



We started small and enlarge as we grow. 

 We are at the same time growing a large 

 poultry business. 



Make up your mind what variety of pigeons 

 you want, how many you want, and remember 

 the best is what you want. There are a great 

 mMiy varieties suitable for squab raising. 

 We prefer the Extra Plymouth Rock Homers, 

 which we find come up to all the requirements 

 called for by the squab demand. 



Regardless of the variety you start with, it 

 is quality you want, not quantity Buy your 

 foundation stock from a reliable breeder . 



Tell him what you want and pay his price. 

 Don't think the price too high considering 

 quality, as he knows the value of the birds 

 he is quoting you prices on much better than 

 you, and bantering over prices with a reliable 

 breeder is only waste of time. Also remember 

 that saving jnoney buying cheap stock birds 

 is not S;aving, only wasting. 



This being a large farm covering 300 acres, 

 we find valuable use for all the pigeon droppings 

 in the orchard. We raise some of our grain, 

 which is but a small advantage over those 

 who have to bu^ their entire amount. Our 

 main advantage is that our entire lofts and 

 farms are connected with running water. 



The successful squab raiser should study 

 the National btandard Squab Book, subscribe 

 for the Sauab Magazine and take advantage 

 of some of the many good hints published in 

 each and every copy from men who know 

 from experience. 



A correspondent in Maryland writes to us 

 March 20, 1911: " I have seen some of yotu- 

 Plymouth Rock Homers in this neighborhood 

 and they are fine birds, so fine indeed that I 

 am anxious to get rid of my Cameaux to get 

 them instead." That is quite a recommenda- 

 tion, is it not? We might add, that the Car- 

 neaux which we sell at a higher price than our 

 Homers are bigger and better than our Homers. 

 Many people buy grily by labels and prices; 

 in other words, if pigeons called Cameaux were 

 offered them at one dollar a pair, they would 

 buy them, without any thought further. There 

 is not much satisfaction in that kind of trade 

 either for seller or buyer. 



BOTH HATCH ON SAME DAY, by Leroy 

 Wiles. I think it is a good idea for a breeder 

 to save all his eggs that do not hatch and 

 when a pigeon lays her first egg, take it out 

 of the nest and put in one of the infertile ones, 

 then when she lays her second egg, take out 

 the infertile one and put back her own that 

 was taken out the first day she laid. (The 

 infertile egg can be told by putting a mark on 

 it.) This will keep one squab from hatching 

 a day before the other. Then very few squabs 

 will get stimted. 



Ck)nsidering the question of " How best to 

 reach the retail trade," would say, although I 

 have not tried it out, I believe a good way 

 (and one of small cost) would-be to send post- 

 cards, either neatly printed or written, to each 

 doctor in the city, stating that if any of his 

 patients are in need of siquabs, the writer is in 

 a position to supply them. — ^H, A. Enelly, New 

 Jersey. 



Charles S. Eby, a Michigan customer, is 

 rising squabs from Plymouth Rock Extra 

 Homers weiglung from one pound to nineteen 

 otmces apiece. The smallest squab he ever 

 weighed registered fifteen ounces. He has the 

 right Homers and he knows how to feed to 

 fatten. 



