356 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ April 27, 1882. 
have found their fully-gulleted birds unable to feed their own pro¬ 
duce, but we have never been troubled with this defect, though our 
Turbits have not been behindhand in this property of the race. As 
a rule we find those breeds which in form most resemble the original 
Reek Pigeons take the most care in making their nests, and are the 
most successful parents in rearing a numerous progeny. Archangels, 
Nuns, and Magpies will unaided sooner found a large stock than 
will Jacobins or Trumpeters. We merely mention this as a hint to 
any intending fancier who wishes soon to see a goodly flight about 
his Pigeoncote. There are many breeds, a single pair of which will 
in one season produce a dozen birds, and if they have been mated 
early in the year, some of their first young pairs will themselves be 
nesting in the late summer. For one who intends to set up Pigeons 
on a large scale there are beautiful books on Pigeons to be bought, 
with elaborate plans of houses and aviaries. The object of the 
present article is to give roughly some directions to those (many we 
believe they are) who would add a few Pigeons to their stock of 
poultry, or who, though they have not ground enough profitably to 
keep the latter, have at least a garden where an aviary is easily 
fixed, or perhaps can safely let some Pigeons fly at liberty. We 
therefore begin with the elements of Pigeon lore. 
A pair bought together are almost always the founders of a stock. 
If a cock and hen are procured from different places they must be 
duly and gently introduced by being placed in separate cages near 
together for a few hours. Were they at once unceremoniously 
bundled into one cage the chances are they would fight, an aversion 
to each other would follow, and it would be difficult ever to pair 
them. After a few hours they will be seen to bow and make ad¬ 
vances to each other; it is well to tantalise them, and still keep 
them a day or two apart. Then they may safely be put together; 
the match is made. When two or three pairs are to be kept in one 
loft or house it is well to have a wire cage wherein to confine them 
at first to a particular part of the loft, or a particular nesting box ; 
we use the strong wire runs made for the front of chicken coops. 
One of these is placed with the open end, intended to fit to a coop, 
against the wall, and inside it a double breeding-box on an excellent 
plan given in Fulton’s book of Pigeons. The Pigeons are put in¬ 
side with food and water. They get used to their surroundings and 
soon feel at home. If there are others already in the house they 
get accustomed to the sight of them, while the wire prevents all 
frays, and the already established birds, which would probably 
attack a newly introduced couple and eject them from every nest, 
cannot do so. Within their cage th-y are secure, and probably at 
once begin to build a nest with some sticks and straws, which should 
be thrown down for them. In three or four days the novelty of 
their introduction wears off, the wire is removed, and they have 
quietly taken undisturbed possession of their appointed abode. 
As we have said, some kinds of Pigeons will make themselves good 
nests, others will not. In the case of the latter a little help must 
be given, and some short straws and sticks put round the first egg. 
If the hen persists in laying it in some exposed place on the ground 
and not in a nest box we usually put two or three bricks round it as a 
rough protection; they keep the nest together and prevent the two 
eggs from getting separated, as otherwise is often the case. In 
about seventeen days from the laying of the second egg the squabs 
should be hatching. It is well to examine the nest, for it frequently 
happens, as in the hatching of chickens, that the large half of the 
eggshell from which a squab has emerged gets over the unhatched 
egg and causes the suffocation of the second squab in the shell. If 
a Pigeon is very tame it will allow itself to be gently raised up for 
an examination of the eggs. If it strikes violently with the wing 
and resents interference it must be resolutely lifted off. It is better 
to leave the hatching to chance than to have any scuffle with an 
irate bird. Hens are generally in this respect more manageable 
than cocks, therefore such an examination is best made towards 
night, for at that time the hen is almost invariably to be found on 
her nest; during the day the cock relieves her. The squabs once 
safely hatched must be left entirely to their parents. We are deal¬ 
ing, as we said, with varieties which scarcely ever fail to rear their 
own produce. 
Pigeons which fly entirely at large can in a great measure supply 
themselves with their own requirements in the way of digestive sub¬ 
stances ; those which are confined must have these supplied. It is 
an evident fact that when they are feeding young ones the double 
strain on their digestive organs requires some special aid. At this 
time they should have some small seed, rape or millet, as well as 
the coarser corn and peas which is their common diet. In a state 
of nature, too, they now search for lime, salt, grit, and clay. If 
they are confined where no such digestives are attainable the parents 
will be found to become limp, weak, and out of condition, and the 
nestlings will become flabby and be ill fed. Of course their cravings 
must be artificially satisfied or success will not attend Pigeon keep¬ 
ing. There is a preparation called saltcat, which is sometimes pro¬ 
curable from corn merchants, that has a peculiar fascination for 
Pigeons ; caraway and aniseed are, we believe, among its ingredients. 
We have found a very simple compound answer the purpose—viz., 
clay, road grit, old mortar pounded, and rock salt. All should be 
well mixed, kneaded into balls, and baked. The Pigeons will con¬ 
stantly peck at them, and the condition of both feeders and fed will 
show the benefit. 
When the nestlings are about three weeks old, sometimes even 
sooner, the hen will lay again. This is the reason why Pigeon nests 
are generally semi-detached, or, in other words, why breeding boxes 
are best made double, with two compartments approached from one 
entrance. The pair have no trouble about taking possession of an 
entirely separate house for their second family, and at the same 
time the first pair cannot nestle under the mother to the obvious 
detriment of her fresh-laid eggs, as assuredly they will do if no 
barrier divides them. All the while that the pair are sitting again, 
often up to the very day of the second hatching, the cock bird will 
continue to feed the elder young ones, and at first the hen will do 
the same. The provision of Nature is wonderful, by which even 
the cock bird suddenly ceases to give crude grain to the one pair, 
and begins to feed the newly hatched infants with the most perfectly 
digested milky food. Some parent Pigeons will not molest their 
elder progeny, others will drive them about cruelly as soon as 
younger ones demand their care. In this case it is a kindness, if 
possible, at once to remove the discarded of their parents to a second 
house, where they can live and feed in peace. We hope to follow 
out the subject in future numbers.—C. 
Birmingham Poultry Show.— The Committee of the above 
Show will meet on May 1st to revise the prize list, previous to which 
date the Secretary, Mr. Lythall, will be happy to receive any sug¬ 
gestions or offers of special prizes, cups, or guarantees as to entries 
in classes for new or neglected breeds. The Show is fixed for Novem¬ 
ber 25th, and will continue for five days. 
OUR LETTER BOX. 
Poultry Yards (E.A. IF.).-—You will find a plan of a poultry yard in No. 79, 
December 29th, 1881. Plans also, with such other information as you need, will 
be found in our “ Poultry Manual,” price 6£<f., post free from this office. 
Management of Pigs (IF. Courtman ).—Your letter arrived too late for 
us to make the necessary inquiries and examination this week. Ttie subject 
shall have our attention, and we will endeavour to publish in a future issue 
the information you need. 
Trimming Hedges (H., Oxon ).—It is not too late to trim Thorn hedges. 
We have seen them cut down when almost in full leaf, and young growths 
afterwards produced of the most satisfactory character. 
Manure for Mangolds (Yuung Super).—You will find what you require 
on another page, under the heading of “ Work on the Home Farm.” 
Rabbits (Old Subscriber ).—If in compliance with your special request our 
reply is too brief that is your fault, not ours. The advice of your parents was 
wise, for boys are mischievous. Some fanciers adopt the plan to which you refer, 
others defer the removal for two or three days, others, again, do not interfere at 
all. Everything depends on circumstances. Tempt your doe with milky green 
food and fresh roots. You had better, perhaps, not disturb her in her present 
condition. 
METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS. 
Camden Square, London. 
Lat. 51° 32' 40” N.; Long. 0° 8' 0” W.; Altitude, 111 feet. 
DATE. 
9 A.M. 
IN THE DAY. 
C3 - 
Hygrome- 
d . 
O 
Shade Tern- 
Radiation 
d 
1882. 
ter. 
£ d 
d— ° 
aS O 
perature. 
Temperature. 
April. 
4 S cH 
In 
On 
H Jj 
Dry. 
Wet. 
Qo 
Ph 
Max. 
Min. 
sun. 
grass. 
Inches. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg 
deg. 
In. 
Sun. 16 
29.793 
44.5 
39.0 
E. 
47.4 
53.0 
32.6 
87.6 
28.7 
0.043 
Mon. 17 
29.446 
49.7 
48.4 
S.E. 
47.0 
58.3 
42.7 
87.2 
40.8 
0.108 
Tues. 18 
29.632 
47.9 
43.3 
N.W. 
47.2 
56.8 
44.1 
105.4 
40.3 
_ 
Wed. 19 
30.023 
51.7 
50.0 
S. 
47.5 
56.9 
43.2 
64.0 
36.3 
0.027 
Thurs. 20 
29.983 
54.2 
48.4 
N.W. 
48.0 
C '.0 
49.4 
115.3 
45 5 
Friday 21 
60.258 
55.2 
50.3 
S.W. 
49.1 
65.5 
40.2 
no.4 
33.0 
_ 
Satur. 22 
29.701 
34.0 
50.0 
S.E. 
50.0 
60.8 
50.0 
94.3 
46.3 
0.367 
29.842 
61.0 
47.1 
48.0 
59.5 
43.2 
94.9 
38.7 
0.545 
REMARKS. 
16th.—Bright early, afterwards fair, but dull and cold. 
17th.—Cold and showery ; wet evening. 
18th.—Fine, cold, very bright intervals. 
19th.—Fair, but overcast. 
20th.—Fine, bright, and warm. 
21st.—Fine and bright. 
22nd.—Very wet morning, fine after 3 P.M. 
A somewhat showery week, with temperature considerably above the average. 
—G. J. SYMONS. 
