74 Money in Broilers and Squabs. 



and blood. They are then placed in the third tub where they re- 

 main until ready for shipment, one or two hours, as required. 



During the Winter the birds, after dressed and washed, are 

 hung on hooks. Plate 13 shows one hundred and six squabs hung up 

 to dry, ready to pack and ship. 



If the birds are sold to a local dealer, they are taken from this 

 rack, placed in a basket and delivered immediately. But when they 

 are to be shipped they are packed in a box or barrel between layers 

 of ice. The amount of ice needed depends upon the time of the 

 year the shipment is made. During Winter no ice is used. 



On the day of our visit "Pink" was busy at work getting ready 

 for a shipment of squabs. There were one hundred and eight birds 

 in the lot, averaging eight pounds to the dozen. The prices last 

 year averaged sixty cents a pair, but this year (1904) the prices 

 run a shade better. 



It was interesting to watch the packing. Mr. Rice did that him- 

 self. A shoe box was used for the purpose, and the inside was neatly 

 lined with manilla wrapping paper. About two inches of crushed 

 ice was placed in the bottom of the box, and then came the packing 

 of the squabs. They were placed in a slanting position — heads down 

 and feet up — the latter slanting about an inch above the head. In 

 this way the one hundred and eight birds were placed and ice liberal- 

 ly used, several inches of it being on top. Then came more paper, 

 and then the lid was tacked on, and the top wired to prevent tamper- 

 ing. 



We could not help admiring the plump carcasses — plump and 

 fat, and with breasts as round and full of meat as it is possible to 

 get them. Homers certainly do produce fine carcasses, and their 

 clean white appearance is an attraction. 



Mr. Rice has been experimenting with a cross of Dragoon on 

 Homer, but it is not so satisfactory as the pure Homer. The 

 Dragoon gives the carcass a prominent breast bone which spoils its 

 looks. 



"The novice should begin with from fifteen to twenty-five pair," 

 he said, "but before he buys he wants to know something of the 

 goods he is about getting, and the methods of the man he buys from. 

 Birds should be banded, and a record accompany them, telling the 

 color and sex. This is a guarantee, and he will be safe in putting 

 them in the coop. If he buys haphazard, trusting to the verbal as- 

 surance of the seller, he is apt to make a mistake, and not have suc- 

 cess. He must know what he is going to do before he starts. 



"A mistake beginners so often make is that they put new birds 

 in their flock. This too frequently breaks up the original flock, and 

 there is great loss. 



"So many big advertisers do not know what the birds are which 

 they are selling, from the fact that they buy tliem up all over the 

 country. They have no way of finding out. The result is the buyer 

 gets them home, believes he has mated stock — sooner or later he 

 quits the business, and all because he did not buy right in the first 

 place. 



