»7 



along the front of the nest to keep the eggs and youngsters 

 from falling out. Nest pans are not necessary, and this is all 

 that is required in the way of nests, excepting a 6-inch strip 

 nailed upright between each section to prevent fighting from one 

 nest to another. Evil results come from over-crowding, and 

 twenty-five pairs is about right for the sized compartment de- 

 scribed here. Nests should be cleaned after each pair is taken 

 out and air-slacked lime sprinkled into them. 



This will keep it sweet and clean and prevent lice and mites 

 as well as worms. The most important part of a pigeon loft is 

 the floor, and here the best of tongued and grooved boards 

 should be used to prevent dampness, and many claim it is profit- 



,|i|liiiHiftii 



Fancy Pigeon House and Aviary 



able to make the floor rat-proof. An outside fly is necessary, 

 and the birds must be on the ground. Failure to furnish the 

 necessary fly means failure in the pigeon business. Any old 

 barn or wagon shed can be used to good advantage in raising 

 squabs or fancy stock if the outside fly is provided. 



How to Mate. 



Where the object in mating is for squabs for market alone 

 it is not necessary to mate each pair separately, as fanciers do 

 when they wish to keep a strain pure. When fancy birds are 

 mated it would be folly for any one to mate ones of different 



