272 



Rearing of Pigeons for Market. [aug., 



As the greater part of the chickens raised were required for 

 breeding stock or for later fattening, they were not killed on 

 July 5th, and thus the gross profit cannot be stated. The 

 experiment, however, shows the actual cost of hatching and 

 fearing to thirteen weeks of 117 birds as follows : — 



£ s. d. 



29 White Wyandottes at 8*66d. I on 



29 Faverolles at 8*6id I o 9f 



29 Buff Orpingtons at 8*36d 1 o 2\ 



30 Cross-breds at 77ld o 19 3^ 



117 Total cost £4 1 1\ 



The total weight of chickens produced at thirteen weeks was 

 241 lb. 2 oz. 



Edward Brown. 



REARING OF PIGEONS FOR MARKET. 



Among the small rural industries which are useful in sup- 

 plementing the incomes of the small holder and cottager is 

 ithe raising of squabs for market and for home consumption. 

 ■Several years' experience in breeding pigeons and in raising 

 ■their young (squabs) for market have shown that the industry 

 is one which may be compared in point of profit both with 

 rabbit-breeding and bee-keeping, and one point in its favour 

 is that it does not require much labour. The initial capital 

 ■required, to make a beginning in a small way, is also insig- 

 nificant, anql, consequently, the industry comes within the reach 

 ,of all, and even the poorest labourer is afforded a means of 

 supplementing his scanty income. 



The demand is in favour of large squabs, and this must be 

 : taken into consideration when selecting a breed, for not every 

 ,breed of pigeons will produce sufficiently large squabs. 



Best Breeds. — I have been engaged for over two years in 

 making experiments, with the object of ascertaining which 

 ibreed of pigeons might be kept and raised with greatest profit. 

 Amongst the breeds included in the trials were : Homers, Runts, 

 Dragoons, common pigeons, and cross-bred Homer-Dragoons 

 and Runt-Dragoons. The Homers proved much superior to 



