3)) 
THE AUSTRALIAN GARDENEP? 
March, 1910 
Ahous Pigeshse 
PIGHON HOMING. 
Notes For Novices.: 
The King is dead ; Long live the King ! 
The racing season is past, possibly with 
many dissapointments, possibly a triumph 
also when a beginner saw his clock in - 
front of many of the old'hands at the 
game. 2 
Possibly, too, our beginner has wond- 
ered why, race after race, these old hands, 
the same old names, go up to collect the 
golden soverigns, with seldom ‘a break. 
Position has something to do withit, yet 
his position is as good as theirs, luck 
counts also, but not to such a great ex- 
tent. ‘Possibly our beginner has the best 
racing blood in the state. 
Why is it he is so often at the bottom 
of the list and other fanciers, with in- 
ferior pigeons may be, at the top ? 
The answer is not faraway: —‘To make 
good bread, one must not only have good 
‘dough, but know how to bake it.’ 
The first step on. the road to success.is 
to recognise that in pigeon racing there is 
no ‘off’ season. i 
No races are now being flown, yet the 
attention our pigeons need now is greater 
than they receive when racing it in full 
swing, for December, January and Febru- 
ary are the months in which our birds 
moult, 
The moult is not a disease. It is 
Nature’s method of providing a new suit 
of clothes (or rather feathers) for the bird. 
Those same feathers will be needed to 
carry our pigeons to victory in the races 
next season, so it is, ‘up to’ our novice to 
see they are the best that can be got and 
not poor spindly shrunken things. 
Bear in mind also that these feathers 
are supplied from the body of the bird, 
and therefere, the moult is somewhat ofa 
drain on the pigeon’s strength. 
For a start, the sexes should have been 
separated by December Ist, all exercise 
diminished and the rations increased 
slightly, and the bath used freely in warm 
weather. 
This treatment ‘unwinds’ the birds and 
tends to locsen the feathers, thereby 
helping on the moult. 
The midale feather of the wing is the 
first to drop and be renewed. 
This falls generally in October and is 
followed three weeks later by the adjoining 
flight feather, and so on at shorter intevals 
until the out side flight feather (at end of 
wing) is reached, by which time the tail 
also should be in moult and finally the 
small features of the body and head are 
renewed. 
At present, if on extending the wing 
there are less than four new feathers in 
the middle, that pigeon is in trouble, 
The majority will now have seven new, 
and three old frayed harsh dry feathers 
on the wing. 
Feed should be peas and wheat, with 
occasionly linseed, and a lettuce now and 
then on a'‘fine day. Hemp and canary seed 
may be added as the two exterior wing 
feathers are being renewed, but avoid 
excess. 
Give backward birds as much Epsom 
Salts down their throats as can be pinched 
up between finger and thum and _ repeat 
dose two days atterwards,t aking care they 
have had no breakfast, and choosing 
fine weather. 
Thoroughly cleanse all water vessels, 
adding avery little Condy’s Fluid (not 
the crystals) to the water now and then, 
see that the grit is clean and not musty 
do not enconomise in the direction of food, 
but get the best peas, &c, available, do 
not force exercise upon the birds, and 
avoid handling them, keep lofts clean 
and well aired but not draughty. and in a 
month or two the pigeons will be a de- 
. light to the eyes with plumage as clean 
and tight and bright asa fresh coat of 
paint. 
It may be, a good racer, tried and 
trusty, has not moulted all his wing 
feathers when nearly all his loft-mates 
have finished. 
OMMERCIAL AND ORNAMEN- 
TAL PRINTING of every descrip- 
tion in first-class style, on the shortest 
notice, and at cheapest rates, by the 
“ Australian Gardener’? Printing and 
Publishing Coy., Scrymgour’s Buildings 
20 Waymouth Street, Adelaide. 
Lee aEUe EEE ESERIES 
Government Poultry Station. 
Acricultural Colleze, Roseworthy: 
Eggs and Chickens for Sale during Season. 
Black Orpington, Buff Orpington, and Indian Game—Eggs, 15s., Chickens, 30s. a dozen. 
Silver Wyandottes, Haverolles, Minorca, White Wyandotte, White Leghorn, Old English Game—Eggs, 10s., Chickens, 21s. a dozen. 
Table Birds—Eggse from various crosses, 3s.. when availakle, 
Settings will be 15 eggs and no replacements. Chickens at a month old. he stock is of first-class quality and vigorous 
For further particulars apply to the Poultry Expert, Crown Lands Offices, or the Poultry Superintendent, Agricultural 
College, Roseworthy. 
