Pir ereral byte eae reas tieiass r pottirstore pases vette Tspstt Se ‘Sore lynedsate cane whe eee tee ‘Ayo wna te ely ets tot nese wears Tes est 28 Scr ee x TT e Tete al ele erhvatieewinie len Hts 4% sateen aise & Kade Copyright ue COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT: Nt ee TT eee) WP ees ge aN eeeenee anil oy ~ Bs The National Standard Squab Book oe EY ep ime S Firee weopigon nes Sonerm et erm = pans eM — _ — einai Sepa aT SSA " ELMER C. RICH. The National Standard Squab Book By Ev_mer C. Rice Poe RAC hiC Ml MANUAL GIVING COMPLETE AND PRECISE DIREC- TIONS FOR THE INSTALLATION AND MANAGEMENT OF A_ SUC- CEsoRUE SOUAB PLANT: FACTS FROM EXPERIENCES OF MANY HOW TO MAKE A PIGEON AND SQUAB BUSINESS PAY, DETAILS OF BUILDING, BUYING, HABITS OF BIRDS, MATING, WATERING, FEEDING, KILLING, COOL- ING, MARKETING, SHIPPING, CURING AILMENTS, AND OTHER INFORMATION Illustrated with New Sketches and Half Tone Plates — from Photographs Specially Made for this Work BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS 1907 LIBRARY of CONGRESS Two Caples Recelved FEB 4 1907 Copyright Er Gr. 2 XXc., No. 730 ¥'B ne Copyright' 1901, by Elmer C, Rice Copyright, 1902, by Elmer C,: Rice Copyright, 1903, i y E.mer G. Rice Copyright, 190A, Elster C. Rice Copyright, 1905; De Elmer C. Rice Copyright, 1906, by Elmer C. Rice Copyright, 1907, by Elmer C. Rice All rights reserved. 979>" A WELL-BUILT NEST. Press of Murray and Emery Company Boston, Mass. Preface Chapter It. Chapter lil: Chapter ITT. Chapter TV. Chapter Vv: Chapter V1. Chapter VII. Chapter VIII. Chapter IX. Chapter 2X: Chapter XI. Chapter XII. Supplement Appendix A Appendix B CONTENTS. Squabs Pay An Easy Start The Unit House Nest Bowls and Nests Water and Feed Laying and Hatching Increase of Flock Killing and Cooling The Markets . Pigeons’ Ailments Getting Ahead Questions and Answers Page DLL THOS TA TAO IVS: Portrait of the Author (Frontispiece) : 5 = - A Well-Built Nest . : : Thoroughbreds How a Back Yard may be Fixed in Deeons Cheap but Practical Nest Boxes : How City Dwellers without Land may Breed anne Unit Squab House (with Passageway) and Flying Pen Nest Boxes Built of Lumber . : : 3 ; Best Nest Box Construction Interior of Squab House Showing Daiches A Pretty Squab House and Flying Pen Multiple Unit House : Interior of Multiple Unit Foc Multiple Unit House, Ten Units, Built Hecordiae to Our Brae Nest Bowl, Bath Pan, Drinking Fountain, etc. Berry Crate to Hold Nesting Material : Scenes on the $200,000 Farm of One of Our Ciuromes Eggs in the Nest, Squabs Just Hatched Squabs Orie Week Old, Squabs Two Weeks Old Squabs Three weeks Old, Squabs Four weeks Old The Mating Coop 5 ‘ : Pigeons in St. Mark’s Square, Venice Killing Squabs with the Hands Killed Squabs Hung to Cool Three Dressed Squabs Squab House Built of Logs Pair of Homers Billing How We Ship Pigeons Self Feeder for Grain Machine for Killing Squabs Sprayer Nest Boxes Mating Coops in Manae House Pigeons in Corner of Flying Pen Interior of Mating House Part of South Side of One of Our Houccee Dowel System of Feeding and Watering Pigeons Bathing : : 42 . 108 > (eke PB ELAS, SPN ia I 134 . 138 - 142 . 146 - 150 - 152 PREFACE. This Manual or Handbook on Squabs is written to teach people, beginners mostly, not merely how to raise squabs, but how to conduct a squab and pigeon business successfully. We have found breeders of squabs who knew how to raise them fairly well and took pleasure in doing so, but were weak on the business end of the industry. The fancier, who raises animals because he likes their looks or their actions, or because he hopes to beat some other fancier at an exhibition, is not the man for whom we have written this book. We have developed Homer pigeons and the Homer pigeon industry solely because they are staples, and the squabs they produce are staples, salable in any market at a remunerative price. The success of squabs as we exploit them depends on their earning capacity. They are a matter of business. Our development of squabs is based on the fact that they are good eating, that people now are in the habit of asking for and eating them, that there is a large traffic in them which may be pushed to an enormous extent without weakening emmer the market or the price. If, as happens in this case, pigeons are a beautiful pet stock as well as money makers, so much the better, but we never would breed anything not useful, salable merely as pets. It is just as easy to pet a practical animal as an impractical animal, and much more satisfying. This Manual is the latest and most comprehensive work we have done, giving the results of our experience as fully and accurately as we can present the subject. It is intended as an answer to the hundreds of letters we receive, and we have tried to cover every point which a beginner or an expert needs to know. It is a fault of writers of most guide books like this to leave out points which they think are too trivial, or “ which everybody ought to know.’’ It has been our experi- ence in handling this subject and bringing it home to people that the little points are the ones on which they most quickly go astray, and on which they wish the fullest information. After they have a fair start, they are able to think out their operations for themselves. Accordingly we have covered 11 12 NA TON AGE SIAN DATE SO Orb as OO Te every point in this book in simple language and if the details in some places appear too commonplace, remember that we have erred on the side of plainness. The customers to whom we have sold breeding stock have been of great help to us in arranging and presenting these facts. We asked them to tell us just the points they wished covered, or covered more fully, or just where our writings were weak. They replied in a most kindly way, nearly every letter thanking us heartily, and brimming over with enthus- iasm for the squab industry. It has surprised a great many people to learn that Homer pigeons are such a staple and workable article. They have been handled by the old methods for years without their great utility being made plain. When we first learned about squabs, we were struck by the impressive fact that here was something which grew to market size in the incredible time of four weeks and then was marketed readily at a good profit. The spread of that knowledge will make money for you. Show your neighbors the birds you buy of us, tell them the facts, and perhaps give them a squab to eat, then you will find a quick call for all the live breeders you can supply. The procedure which we advise in this National Standard Squab Book is safe and sound, demonstrated to be successful by hundreds of our customers, many of whom started with no knowledge except what we were able to give them by letter or word of mouth. We have abandoned all instruction which does not stand the test of time and locality, and give only facts of proven value, of real, practical experience. ELMER C. RICE. Boston, August, 1902. POSTSCRIPT: This work has met with so much favor during the past year, and has sold so largely in excess of expectations, that we wish to thank our friends everywhere for their cordial support. The Appendix A which appears at the back of this edition was added last February, and it is our intention to keep the work up to date by revisions and additions at least twice yearly, The proof of the pudding is in the eating, and the PREFACE 13 proof of these squab teachings is shown in the successes made by our thousands of customers with no other knowledge of squabs than this as a guide. Our correspondence, now having extended over a long period, shows conclusively that beginners find all questions answered in this book, and go forward confidently and surely to success. 1B, Gg IR Boston, August, 1903, 1907 EDITION. The old plates of this book have been fairly worn out by much printing, so great has been the demand for it, especially during the past five years. The sales have been larger than _ for any other work on birds or animals ever written. For this 1907 edition, the whole book has been reset in new type, and new plates made. The outlook for the squab industry during 1907 and the years to come is of high promise. More people are eating squabs than ever before and more people are raising them. At no time within our memory has the market been over- stocked with squabs, and prices have kept up all along the line. Only yesterday we were visited by a gentleman and his niece from New York City who stated that they had priced squabs there December 31 and found them seven dollars and fifty cents a dozen. The dealers who offered them at this price had paid the breeders for them from four dollars to six dollars a dozen, according to their postal card quotations sent out in December. We shall be pleased to hear from our friends after they have read this book, and welcome any suggestions for its improve- ment, or for the betterment of the squab industry. The author will gladly answer all such letters and advise fully as to location and construction of buildings, and management of breeding stock. BSCR: Boston, January, 1907, Sa A a en eT Se mens eS een EDS. THOROUGHBR GH PEER fh SQUABS PAY. Experience of a Customer who Started in January, 1902, Erected a Plant Worth Three Thousand Dollars and Made Money Almost from the Start—Settlements of Squab Breeders m Iowa, California, New Jersey and Pennsylvania— Large Incomes Made from Pigeons—Squab Plants Known to be Making Money—The Hard-Working Farmer and the Easy-Working Squab Raiser— No Occupation for a Drone— No Exaggeration. “Will it pay me to raise squabs?”’ is the first question which the beginner asks. We take the case of a man who bought a Manual in January, 1902. His boys had kept a few pigeons but had never handled them in a commercial way, nor tried to make any money with them. The reading of the book gave him the first real light on the squab industry. Possibly he was more ready to believe because he knew from his own personal experience that a squab grows to market size in four weeks and is then readily marketable. He started at once to build a squab house according to the directions given. The ground was too hard for him to get a pickaxe into, so he laid the foundation timbers on bricks, rushed the work ahead with the help of good carpenters and sent on his order for breeding stock. In the course of a few weeks he ordered a second lot of breeders, followed by a third and a fourth, and he kept adding new buildings. When spring came and the ground softened, he jacked up his first squab house, took out the bricks at the four corners and put in cedar posts. By the middle of July he had five handsome squab houses and flying pens, all built by skilled labor in the best possible style at a cost of at least three hundred dollars apiece. With his buildings and their fittings and his birds, his plant repre- sented an expenditure of between two thousand and three thousand dollars. : This gentleman lives in a locality where he had to put up nice- looking buildings, or the neighbors would have complained. He spent probably three times more money on his buildings 15 160 NATIONAL STA NDAKD 0 UAB Ab OOK than the average beginner would spend. He is a superin- tendent of a large manufacturing plant, a man of push and energy, and he has four young boys in his family who have helped with the wife and grandfather to make the venture successful. It was a paying venture almost from the very start. Everything that we wrote about squabs as. money makers came true in his case. One of the sons, a lad of nine- teen, came on to see us the first summer and told us the story of their success. He was after more breeding stock. He said he had many calls from people who wished to buy stock of him, and he was unable to supply all of them, but he did not intend to have money offered him very long without being able to pass out the birds. In other words, they were going into squabs for all they were worth. They had not done any advertising, and had not sold live breeders to any extent, but figured their profits solely on the sale of squabs to com- mission houses, and they were getting for them just what we said the commission men would pay. We have a great many visitors, some coming from remote points of the United States. One of our visitors in the summer of 1902 was Mr. A. L. Furlong, from a little town in Iowa. Mr. Furlong said to us: “lowa is quite a squab breeding State. There are plants in Ruthven, Osage, Wallake and Estherville. The owner of a plant in Ruthven I know very well. He showed me his account books; he was shipping from seven hundred to eight hundred dollars worth of squabs last month. He is making a profit of three thousand to five thousand dollars a year. He ships to the Chicago market, as do nearly all the Iowa breeders. He never gets less than two dollars and fifty cents a dozen for his squabs. I am going to start raising squabs myself.” Mr. Furlong left an order for one of our Manuals, having > given his first one to his friend. He said that his friend was breeding common pigeons and would like to know our methods. We discarded common pigeons some time ago. If our lowa friends will use Homer pigeons instead of common ones, they will produce a much better squab and make more money. We had a curious confirmation of the above in August, 1902, when Mr. E. H. Grice, who lives in the northern part of Vermont, visited us. Mr. Grice had just returned from a visit to the West, and stopped for a while at Ruthven, Iowa, where SQMOBUS 127M 17 he saw the plant above noted. The proprietor referred Mr. Grice to us and advised him to start with Homer pigeons, saying that, if he were to stock up again, it would be with Homer instead of the common pigeons. Before leaving, Mr. Grice gave us an order for one hundred pairs of our Homers. The number of orders for breeding stock which we have received from lowa is out of proportion to any State near it, showing that these squab plants are known throughout Iowa to be making money. The same is true of California. We visited many squab breeders in eastern States in June, 1902, noting the buildings and methods and finding out from them if they were satisfied with the financial returns. All were enthusiastic and said it was easy work, that squabs beat hens easily and were much less care. The methods of some of these breeders were extremely crude, the birds nesting in old boxes of all sizes nailed to the walls of the squab houses, and apparently never being cleaned. The Homers were small, not being able to raise squabs weighing over seven pounds to the dozen. Somebody has said that a squab plant of one thousand pairs of birds will pay better than a farm. The contrast between the hard, grinding toil of the man who works a large farm and the “‘ standing around ”’ of the owner of a squab plant is indeed a striking one. However, we do not speak of this to give you the idea that money is going to flow into your lap just because you buy some squab breeders of us. It is no work for a drone or a ‘“‘ get-rich-quick ’’ person whose enthusiasm runs riot for two weeks and then cools off. Our class of trade is men and women of experience and reliable common sense who have a knowledge of the world and understand that things come by work and not for the asking. The people who are able and willing to pay us from fifty to five hundred dollars for a breeding outfit, as hundreds do, are not caught by glittering promises, but have money laid by through exercise of the qualities of ability and shrewdness. The naturally careless, improvident person, who is generally in debt, should not start squab raising. It is a sensible industry for sensible people. The profits to be made with squabs vary with the individual and with the management of the birds, exactly as with poul- try. It is important to have only mated or even pairs 1n the pens and all birds not producing should be kept in a separate = ‘SNOWOId WOX GAXIA Ad AVW GCUVA MOVA V MOH oe CKO OOF, RSS nalatetstettans Roheiche CS Reh bs Les IS 18 SQUABS PAY 19 pen and removed to breeding quarters only after they have gone to work. The chief difficulty with a beginner is the matter of sex. The male and the female pigeon have no - marks to distinguish them, and the beginner must determine their sex by observation. He must study his birds and come to know them. Some beginners will not equip themselves by study and observation to make a success and may breed in a hap-hazard fashion for a year or more without knowing the sex of the birds they raise. Birds which you raise will go to work more quickly, look better and breed better than any birds you can buy, because that is the temperament of the Homer, to be attached to his home, to love it, and to try to reach it if he can. Anybody who has doubts as to his ability to raise squabs should start with a small flock and breed up until he has acquired skill and experience. As part of this Manual, in the supplement and appendices, we print many letters from customers who started with small flocks and won striking successes. It is not necessary to get a fancy price for the squabs to make the business a success. In confirmation of this we have in mind the work of two of our customers, young men named Lunn, who have received only two dollars to three dollars a dozen for their squabs, selling to dealers who retail them for four dollars to six dollars a dozen. These brothers have told their story in one of the poultry papers as follows: “In February, 1905, we got the idea of going into the squab business. We spent some time looking around and in March, 1905, we bought what we thought was the best stock, namely, the Extra Plymouth Rock Homers. We bought twelve pairs. The birds arrived on March 22, 1905, and were as fine a looking lot of birds as we had seen anywhere. We now (December, 1906) have three hundred pairs. One hundred and fifty pairs are well mated and working. The other one hundred and fifty pairs are all young birds. We raised all our young birds up until September, 1906, and since then have been selling squabs weighing from nine and one-quarter to ten and one-half pounds and receive twenty-three and twenty-five cents each. We feed the best of grain, using cracked corn, kaffir corn, red wheat, buckwheat and peas and a little hemp. We also give a little rice once or twice a week. During the moulting season we added barley to regular 20 NA TIOMAT SIA ND Aro ss O10 As > OOS rations, which was a great help to the birds all that time. We use the self-feeder as described by Mr. Rice in his Manual and we find with it the grain is always clean. We have made the feeding question one of the most important of all and find that the best results are obtained by keeping plenty of grain and good clean drinking water before the birds at all times. The drinking fountains used are automatic and are scalded once each week. About once a week we give a teaspoonful of gentian to a gallon of water. We keep fresh water in the flying pens for bathing purpose at all times during the summer, and in the winter we allow our birds to bathe twice a week at noontime. One thing that is very essential with pigeons is to be kept clean. Our houses and nests are cleaned every week and we also spray the floors, nests and walk with a liquid disinfectant. We have never been troubled with lice, vermin or any disease of any kind. For nesting material we use tobacco stems, cutting them into pieces of about six inches, which we consider the best material for the purpose, and also a safeguard against lice. We feel satisfied with what our birds are doing and have done in the past, so well satisfied, in fact, that we have now under construction build- ings that will accommodate nearly one thousand pairs of birds. And the cost of keeping or feeding will not exceed one dollar a year per pair, so that squabs selling from two dollars to - three dollars per dozen are sure to leave a good profit.” Looking at the financial showing of the Lunn boys, made in twenty-two months, we find that starting with twelve pairs, for which they paid us thirty dollars, they raised three hundred pairs, worth at the same rate seven hundred and fifty dollars. From this must be deducted the grain which they bought in that period. They start the new year with a fine plant capable of earning a big percentage of profit on its valuation. (CieLAUE IMIBIR WE ANSEASY START. No Special Form of Building Necessary—Points to Remember —Shelter Adapted to the Climate— How to Use a Building which you Now Have—Squab House and Flying Pen— Lining the Squab House with Nests— Use of Egg Crates— How to Put up the Perches—Dtfference between the Nest Box, Nest Pan and Nest— How to Tell How Many Pigeons can Occupy a Certain Bulding—A Large Flock of Pigeons 1s Eastly Cared for when Spht up into Small Flocks— How to Use Your Time to Best Advantage. Do not get the idea that any special form of building is necessary to raise squabs. We will tell you how to put up a structure that will make your work easier for you, and enable you to handle a big flock fast and accurately, but pigeons will work in almost any place, if it is free from rats, darkness and the musty dampness which goes with darkness. Any building, whether a woodshed, a corn crib, a barn, an outhouse of any description, or even a hog pen, can be made a successful home for pigeons with a little work. ithe pomis to cememiver are vhnese, tirsh, that the building be on fairly level, sunny ground; second, that it be raised from the ground so that rats cannot breed under it out of sight and reach; third, that it ought to be fairly tight, so as to keep out rain and excessive cold. Pigeons ought to have sunlight and fresh air, like any other animal, and need protection from the elements. In practice, therefore, most squab houses are found raised on posts a foot or two feet off the ground; they face the south (here in New England) because most of our bitter Micaunen comes mom the worth and east. If you live in a State, territory or foreign country where conditions are different, adapt your squab houses to those conditions. In some localities, the fierce weather comes from the south and west, in which case your squab house should face the north Of East. Here in New England we build a tight house to withstand 21 — | My ZA : oo : —— A —— | ——s N eZ y | Oy SS CHEAP BUT PRACTICAL NEST BOXES. These are empty egg crates piled one atop another from floor to roof of squab house. Each egg crate is two feet long, one foot wide and one foot deep. The partition in the middle makes two nest boxes, each one foot square. Into each of these nest boxes a wood nest bowl is placed. The birds build their nests in these wood nest bowls. AN ASW SEAR NS) cs 5) the cold winters, but in the South the buildings are more open. Be guided by what you see around you in the place where you live. If the houses used by your friends and neighbors for hens and chickens are tight and warm, make your squab house tight and warm. It would be foolish for you, for example, if you live in Texas, to build a strong, tight, close squab house, for in that latitude, in a henhouse built tight and close, vermin would swarm and harass the chicks, and _ they would harass the squabs just as fast. Some of our customers write from places like Oregon and Idaho, where there is a wet and a dry season, and are puzzled to know what to do. In such cases we say, arrange your buildings as you see poultry houses arranged. The pigeons will do as well under the same conditions as hens and chickens. Suppose you have a vacant building or shack of any kind in which you wish to raise squabs. We will take for granted that it has either a flat roof or a ridgepole with sloping roof, and that it is built in rectangular form. Never mind what the dimensions are; our advice will apply to either the large or the small structure. First raise it off the ground, or build a new floor off the ground, so that rats cannot breed out of your sight in the: darkness and get up into the squab house. If there is an old floor, patch up all the holes in it. Now you need one door, to get yourself in and out of the squab house, and you need at least one window through which the pigeons can fly from the squab house into the flying pen and back from the flying pen into the house. You will shut this window on cold nights, or on cold winter days. You must cover the whole window with wire netting so that the birds cannot break the panes of glass by flying against them. If you have no wire netting over the window, some of the birds, when it is closed, will not figure out for themselves that the glass stops their progress, but will bang against the panes at full speed, sometimes hurting their heads and dazing them and at other times breaking the glass. The flying pen which you will build on the window side of the squab house may be as small or as large as you have room. The idea of it is not to give the birds an opportunity for long flight, but simply to get them out into the open air and sun- light. They enjoy the sun very much, it does them good nue Ni ime I Vi or \ Oy AY \' \\ PLAS) ah yt See I ~ ee HE ‘etat x)-YH/ //f yy POOP RY — Fe 5 =| ri |e MKT |e \ i : : Hive i; < VEN | \fe Sere EE) q\i r= = Ey 24 HOW CITY DWELLERS WITHOUT LAND MAY BREED SQUABS. EAN ESAS VA Se AT 25 and they court its direct rays all the time. Build the flying pen, if you choose, up over the roof, so the birds may sun themselves there. If that side of the roof which faces the flying pen is too steep for the pigeons to get a foothold, nail footholds along the roof, same as carpenters use when they are shingling a roof, and the pigeons will rest on these to sun themselves. For the flying pen you want the ordinary poultry netting, either of one-inch or two-inch mesh. The two-inch mesh is almost invariably used by squab raisers, because it 1s very much cheaper than the one-inch mesh. The one-inch mesh is used only by squab raisers who are afraid that small birds (the English sparrows here in New England) will steal through the large meshes of the two-inch netting and eat the grain which you have bought for the pigeons. You can buy this wire netting in rolls of any width from one foot up to six feet. If your flying pen is twelve feet high, you should use rolls of the six-foot wire. If it is ten feet high, rolls which are five feet wide are what you want. If your flying pen is to be eight feet high, buy rolls which are four feet wide. In joining one width of wire netting to its neighbor, in constructing your flying pen, do not cut small pieces of tie wire and tie them together, for that takes too much time and is a bungling job, but buy a coil of No. 18 or 20 iron wire and weave this from one selvage to another of your wire netting in and out of the meshes, and you have the best joint. You can line the three walls of the interior of your squab house with nest boxes if you choose. The fourth wall is the one in which the window or windows are. On this fourth wall you should not have nest boxes, but perches. These perches, or roosts, should be tacked up about fifteen inches apart, so as to give the birds room without interfering with one another. The advantage of the V-shaped roost which we advise is that a bird perched on it cannot soil the bird under- neath. Do not buy the patent pigeon roosts which you see advertised, for a pigeon roosting on one will soil the pigeon roosting on the one immediately below. Please note particularly at this point the following terms which we use, and do not become confused. The nest box is something in which rests the nest bowl in which the nest is built. Do not speak or think of nests when you mean nest boxes. ay "29 ‘Ndd ONIATA GNV (AVMHOVSSVd HLIM) ASNOH AVNAOS LINA 1o, ys OS OKO a ROLE % LK RY ee on Die ") Ass WII) NDS sv + - AN, BAS VY START | 27 The nest boxes, when done, should look like the pigeon-holes of a desk, and should be about one foot high, one foot wide and one foot deep. A variation either way of an inch or two will not matter. One way to get these pigeon-holes is to build them of nice pine lumber, in the form of boxing one-half or five-eighths of an inch thick. Another way is to use hemlock or spruce boards one inch thick. The third way (which we think is the best for the beginner who wishes to start most cheaply and quickly) is to use egg crates, or orange boxes. These egg crates are two feet long, one foot wide and one foot deep, but they are divided in the middle by a partition, giving two Spaces, each of a cubic foot, and this is just what the squab raiser wants. They are procurable almost anywhere in the United States and Canada new for ten or fifteen cents each, and if you buy them after the egg shippers are through with them, you can get them for three to five cents apiece. Some grocers will be glad to have you carry them away and will charge you nothing for them. The crates are built of thin, tough wood and usually are neat and solid. Take off the covers and throw the covers away,—you do not need them. ici OMENOle cll crave Om tts) Side, Open top out, place another egg crate on top of that, and so on until you have covered the. three walls of your squab house from the floor to the roof. Do not use any nails, they are not necessary: the crates will keep in position by their weight. It is an advantage, also, to have them loose, for when you clean the nests, you can step up on a chair or box, take down the crates, commencing with the top, and clean each one with your feet on the floor. If you build a substantial set of nest boxes of boxing or hemlock lumber, you will have to stand on a chair and strain your arms in order to clean the top nest boxes, so you see there are points in the low-priced arrangement not possessed by the fancy kind. It is on the same principle by which a humble small boy with bent pin and worms and an old pole catches more fish than the city angler with a twenty- five dollar assortment of hooks, lines and artificial flies. It is the pigeons and the intelligence behind them which do the trick, every time. A fancy pigeon house with fancy trimmings cannot produce any better squabs than the home-made affair, provided the birds are the same in both cases, y Ci | M0 | haere | : as s ; , IS not necessary falling out. They will not fail out. VAN AS) Va Sale ART 29 You should have a pair of nest boxes for a pair of pigeons. By a pair of pigeons we mean two pigeons, a male and a female. By a pair of nest boxes we mean two nest boxes. We find that the word pair has a different meaning to people in different parts of the country, perhaps on the same principle that a pair of scissors or a pair of suspenders is one object, while a pair of something else, as in this case, means two objects. A pair of pigeons attend to a pair of squabs in one nest box, nevertheless for each pair of pigeons you need two nest boxes, for when the squabs are about two weeks old in one nest, the old birds will go to the adjoining nest box, or to a nest box in a distant part of the squab house, and begin housekeeping again, laying eggs and dividing their attention between the two families. Count your nest boxes and you will know how many pigeons your house will accommodate. If your count shows ninety-six nest boxes (in other words, forty-eight pairs of nest boxes), you can accommodate (in theory) forty-eight pairs of pigeons. It is important to remember this: Never. fill a house with pigeons to the uttermost limit of its capacity, as shown by count of nest boxes. If you have, for example, forty-eight pairs of nest boxes, do not put into that house more than thirty to forty pairs of pigeons. That will leave plenty of nest boxes for the birds to choose from. We have found by experience that thirty or thirty-five pairs in a ninety-six nest-box house will accomplish more than more pairs in the same space. Do not write us and tell us that you have a house of a certain size and ask us to tell you how many pairs of pigeons it will accommodate. Put in your nest boxes as we have described and then count them, and you will know. Or you may figure it out for yourself on paper, allowing two nest boxes, each one cubic foot in size, for each pair of birds. To put it in another way, you should allow one cubic foot of nest box space for each breeding pigeon. Surely we have made this so plain now that you cannot go astray. Perhaps your start will be made with so small a number of birds that you will not have to cover more than one wall of your squab house with nest boxes. Cover one wall, or two walls, or three walls, whichever the occasion demands. Have a lot of spare boxes, and let the breeding pairs choose where NEST BOX CONSTRUCTION. BEST When the nest boxes are bu h thic ighths of an an inch or five-ei yed. half hould be em f lumber (one- It o i k) the above construct The bottoms are not Ss a slid This shelf e nest boxes. ks of wood, shelf. b of cleaning done. c f the abov ing the nest bowls to blo JO ker to the bottoms o plo . The result i a better and quic y + ed directl t will not be necessar y to screw 10n § n 1 cleats. as show g time and be screw ay lsm i e in or give them stabilit but slid may be pulled out at cleanin led, The nest bow is done, nai If that to inc inches square. hes to twelve inc Ve xes should be from ten The nest bo 30 Pe Nege ASO. SHA Te 31 they will. An extra number of nest boxes may be useful to you to accommodate the young birds raised to breeding age from the old birds which you buy of us, if you intend to raise your squabs to breeding age. An expenditure of not over five dollars, and a couple of days’ time, will transform the average old building into a habitation for squabs. Put on the finishing touches and add to the expense to suit your fancy. You may cover the out- side of the building with building paper, and shingle or clap- board it. You may putaskylight in the roof for ventilation, Improve it all you wish. Use your own judgment. To get at your pigeons in such a house, you walk in through the door and find yourself directly among them, the nest boxes all pointing at you. Go to the nest which you wish to investigate or from which you wish to take out the squabs and put your hand in the opening. The old birds will fly by your head, perhaps, and may strike you with their wings, but they will not fly into your face and eyes,—they are good dodgers. Don’t be afraid that if you enter the house when the housekeeping is going on you will frighten the birds so they never will come back to the eggs or the squabs. They will seem timid at first, but they will get accustomed to you. In the course of a few weeks, only a few will make a great hustle to get away from you. Many of them will continue to sit contentedly on the eggs and if you put up your hand to them they will not fly off in fear but will slap you with their wings, telling you in their language not to bother them. Carry some hempseed in with you and you will teach the birds to come and eat it out of your hand. You can tame them and teach them to love you.as any animal is taught. The pigeon, particularly the Homer, the king of them all, is a knowing bird. Tack up a few perches where you have room on that wall or those walls of the squab house which have no nest boxes. You do not need a perch for every pigeon, because while some are on perches, others are in the nests, or out in the flying pen, or on the roof, or on the floor of the squab house. If you have forty-eight pigeons, twenty perches will be enough, and you can get along with a dozen. Make each perch of two pieces of board, one six inches square, the other six inches by five, and toe-nail the perch to the wall of the squab house SSeS SSS SSS SS ————_—J Wn eS Ss. Slut i \\) ‘ Zi 4 ia, ————} SSS SS SSS SSS SS : i POTTTET TNT A TITIAN ULI ips terse ESS } SesTES Sess (Rusem=—- = eee ree 32 RCHES. 4 INTERIOR OF SQUAB HOUSE, SHOWING PI AN BAS Y START. — 33 as shown in the illustration. You cannot have one long pole inside the squab house for a pigeon perch. If you had such a pole, and your pigeons were perched on it, or some of them were, a bully cock would saunter down the line and push off all the others. In the centre of the squab house you place an empty crate or overturned box. The object of this is to break the force of the wind made by the pigeons’ wings as they fly in and out of the squab house. Otherwise the floor of the squab house would be swept clean by the force of the wind. It also forms a roosting-place for the birds, and, finally, it is a convenient resting-place for the straw, hay, grass or pine needles out of - which the pigeons build their nests. The floor of the squab house should be kept clean. We formerly advised that a layer of sand or sawdust half an inch thick be kept on the floor of the squab house, to absorb the droppings, but we have found a steady and profitable demand for pigeon manure, and this manure 1s worth scraping up and carefully saving, for its sale will pay from one-quarter to one-third of the grain bill. Use an ice chisel to scrape the droppings from the floor, and pack the manure away in barrels or bags. Clean the floor about once in three weeks, or oftener, depending on the size of your flock. Pigeon manure is in jevve -Cemand all the time by tanneries. We send the manure from our pigeons by freight to tanneries in Lowell, Lynn, Peabody and Danvers, and are paid for it at the rate of sixty cents a bushel. We have a building eighty feet long built especially foe the drying and storing of the manure. During the years we have been in the squab business, we have sold enough pigeon manure to pay for nearly all the pigeon buildings on our farm. Some pigeon raisers with crude methods know nothing of the ~alue of the manure and lose this by-product. They either ruin it by putting sand or sawdust on the floor of the squab house, or else waste it on their gardens. The pure manure is too valuable for home use. To fertilize our flower and vegetable gardens, and hay field, we scrape up from the flying pens, outdoors, the gravel which has become saturated with manure. It is surprising what an increase in vegetation this manure-soaked gravel will cause. Fresh gravel is put down in the flying pens. 34 NAT LON AEST ANAT “SOU Ae tpi OO A peculiarity about pigeon manure is that it is not foul- smelling like hen manure, and when it is mixed with water you get a kind of crude soap. In washing the old-style earthenware nest bowls, no soap was necessary. We used warm water in washing them and the manure caked to them formed a cleansing soap in conjunction with the water. If you have a basket in which you have transported pigeons, and whose bottom is caked with the hard droppings, lay the basket face down and sprinkle water liberally on the under- side. The manure will drop off in large pieces from the inside and the basket will become perfectly clean. In raising live-stock of any kind, arrange matters so the animals will look after themselves as much as possible. Aim to cut down the factor of personal drudgery, so as to leave your time clear to observe, plan, and execute intelligently. Beginners who load themselves down with a daily round of exacting duties soon lose heart, their patience gives out and they become disgusted. We have known breeders of rabbits to fail simply because they raised them in hutches. Each hutch had a door and two dishes, one for feed, the other for water. Every day, the door of the hutch had to be opened, the hutch cleaned, the dishes refilled (and often cleaned), and the door closed. It took fifteen or twenty motions to do this . ‘for each hutch. Multiply this by twenty to thirty (the number of the hutches), and the burden grew unbearable. It was not surprising that in three or four months the breeder’s patience was worn out. The factor of personal drudgery had become greater than the rabbits. The thoughtful breeder would have turned his rabbits into two or three enclosures on the ground and let them shift for themselves. Then one set of motions in feeding would have answered for all, and there would have been no dirt to clean up. Infinite patience as well as skill is required to make a success of animals given individual attention. The aim of every breeder should be to make one minute of his time serve the greatest possible num- ber of animals. When you think and reason for yourself, you understand how much more practical it is to give sixty animals one minute of your time than one animal one minute. Time is money and if you are too particular, and too fussy. and thoughtless about these details, it is a clear case of the chances being sixty to one against you. JAIN TEINS SG ISI aU IA 35 At the start, the problem of breeding squabs for market is in your favor, because one hundred pairs of breeding pigeons may be handled as easily and as rapidly as one pair. Try to keep this numerical advantage in your favor all the time. Discard every plan that cuts down the efficiency of your own labor, and adopt every device that will give you control in the same time over a greater number of pigeons. It takes brains and skilled labor to run a poultry plant successfully. Every poultryman knows that he cannot entrust the regulation of temperatures of incubators and brooders to an ignorant hired man, but even a boy or girl, or under-the-average farm hand, knows enough to fill up the bath pans and feeding troughs for squab-breeders, leaving the time of the owner free for correspondence and the more skilful work. The primary object is to breed squabs for market as cheaply, as easily and as fast as possible, without the expenditure of a dollar for fanciful or impractical appurtenances. Do not think it is necessary to heat your squab house. A squab house which has the chill of dampness taken off it by hot water or steam pipes will raise more squabs than a house not. heated, but a flock of pigeons in a small house throw off considerable heat from their bodies and will breed in cold - weather all right. After you have developed your plant and have a large business which you wish to keep at the highest state of efficiency, you may heat your squab house. The idea of heat in winter time is to keep the birds more contented and get more squabs out of them, and not at all to keep them alive. Do not be afraid that your pigeons will freeze to death. We have many customers in Canada. In coldest weather, the old birds hover the squabs more carefully. City people can keep pigeons in the garret of a house, or the lott of a bar without a foot of ground being needed. In such a case the flying pen, or place to which the pigeons go for sun and air, can be built out on a platform. The illus- tration (page 24) shows how to utilize a window of a garret. If you think that rats will trouble you in either a garret or barn loft, cover the floor inside, especially the corners, with fine wire netting through which it will be impossible for the rats to gnaw from below. One of our customers in Illinois, a rich horse breeder having a6) NATLONAIS PAN DAs eS O20 iis. a 00) 16 a barn some two hundred feet long, turned the whole upper story into a loft for pigeons. The flying pen takes in the whole back of the barn. There are windows and no doors on this side of the barn, the horses using doors on the other side, so this leaves the upper story of the barn, and its whole back-yard, free for the pigeons. A PRETTY SQUAB HOUSE AND FLYING PEN. Cicl Ade TBI JHA: THE UNIT HOUSE. Best Possible Construction for a Squab Plant— The Wind- Break Formation of Roof — Dimensions of the Umit — Multiplying the Umit to Increase the Capacity of Your Plant — A Passageway behind the Nest Boxes — Number- img the Nest Boxes, and the Management of a Card Index to Correspond — Cost of the Umit Construction is from Three Dollars to Five Doilars a Running Foot — Working Drawings — The Nest Bowls. If you have no building already standing which you can fix over for pigeons, you may erect a simple rectangular structure and line it with nest boxes as we have described in the last chapter. We will tell you in this chapter how to put up the finest kind of a pigeon structure. It is at the same time the most expensive. It is the best, the most workmanlike. In saying that it is expensive, we do not mean that money is thrown away on its construction, for that 1s not so. Itisa fit habitation for a money-making investment. This best method of construction results in what we call the unit house. You can multiply this unit as many times as you please and get as large a house as you wish, or you may add a unit from time to time, just as you add unit bookcases to accommodate the- growth of the modern library shelves. You can erect these units separately, or attach one unit to the other so that you have one long building. The nest boxes are built of boxing and set in a vertical row at the back of the house, forming a wall between which and the north side of the house is a three-foot passageway. You can buy this boxing at a saw-mill all cut, ten by eleven inches, the dimensions of the nest, and if you get it in this shape you - can put the boxes together with as much ease as a child builds a doll’s house. You will have no doubts as to the squareness and plumbness of the structure when you have it up. Take long lengths of boxing eleven inches wide for the shelving which should form the top and bottom of the nest boxes, then set the ten-inch by eleven-inch pieces the proper distance 37 RAE Bote = EC ts Bt . ” . . ain ts alld fe a ee a ie ‘queld SIq & UOJ 0} 199} SLOW IO ONE ‘00S ‘QOL UOlJoNAysuOd sty pueix| ‘ASNOH LINO WId LLTAW ee) I I1EHE INIA JEHOO Sis, ; 39 apart. The finished nest will be eleven inches from front to back, ten inches from top to bottom, and about ten inches from one partition to the other (or whatever distance the proper distribution of your nests in pairs permits). We have found five-eighths-inch boxing to be the best suited. Build the nest boxes up from floor to roof perfectly plain, just as the pigeon-holes of a desk run. The nest boxes should be perfectly plain, made of simple boxing in the manner described. Do not build up a piece of boxing at the front part of the nest to prevent the nest bowl from being pushed out. Early in our experience we built nests in this way, but soon changed them over to the simpler form, on account of the difficulty of keeping them clean. The droppings bank up at the front of such a nest box. Pigeons, especially a new flock in a new home, breed best in a house which is somewhat dark, and not too glaring with light. If your window is situated so as-to let in a flood of light, you will get better and quicker results by shading it so that the interior will be dim. Some breeders advocate that the nest boxes have fronts of wood (removable) so that the nest box will be darkened. The same result will be accom- plished if the window of the house is shaded so as to temper the light and prevent it from streaming into the nest boxes. The dimensions of this unit squab house are as follows: Length, sixteen feet; width, twelve feet; length of flying pen from end of house to end of yard, twenty feet; distance from floor of squab house to ridgepole, twelve feet; two windows in south wall of squab house, each two feet two inches wide and three feet ten inches high. One window in north wall of squab house, two feet two inches wide and three feet ten inches high. There is a passageway on the north side of the squab house three feet wide, separating the north wall from the vertical row of nest boxes. The door of the squab house opens into this passageway so that you can enter the house without being seen by the birds, and without disturbing them. If you wish, you can set up rows of nest boxes on the east and west walls of the squab house and accommodate more pairs. You cannot have a passageway behind these nest boxes on the east and west walls, but will approach them from the front by entering the interior of the squab house through a wire door which leads from the passageway. A 3 f 2 ! SS SAASN Seemneneataneama: geseoaN. & INTERIOR OF MULTIPLE UNIT HOUSE. The drinking fountains stand in the passageway and ‘The This is one of our houses. In their fronts project through the wire netting under the first,row of nest boxes. nest boxes are empty egg crates. The feed troughs are inside Of each pen. other houses, we set the feed troughs alongside the drinkers in the alleyway and cut away the netting so the birds can feed from them. We like the last arrange- ment best because the troughs can be filled more quickly from the passageway, and the time of opening and closing doors and going into pens is saved. ie INE el OSE 4] Build the first unit so that you can extend it either to the east or west (as your land les) to increase your accommoda- tions. Your squab house will always remain sixteen feet from north to south, but it may be either twelve feet from east to west, for one unit, or twenty-four feet for two units, or thirty-six feet for three units, and so on. Of course you can build one long house sixteen feet wide and in length any multiple of twelve, and keep all the birds you wish in it, but we do not advise such an arrangement. You can keep track of your pairs better if you split a big flock up into unit flocks. Fanciers breeding flying Homers from our birds, or squab- raisers who wish to keep track of every pair of birds, can provide a card index (the cards being perfectly blank and three by five inches in size), number the cards to corre- spond with the nest boxes, and on these cards keep a record of what the birds in the nest boxes do. These cards, which are blank except for the numbers they bear, can be kept in a tray such as the manufacturers of card indexes advertise in the back pages of the magazines and you can pick out any card Voumwish OF tint bo it, at once. It is much better than keeping a record in a book, for you cannot tear out the leaves of a book, as you can throw away a card, nor can you shift one page from one location to another, as you can a card in a tray. The floor of the squab house rests on cedar posts and is two feet from the ground. The floor is built of two thick- nesses of board, with building paper between. The walls of the squab house are built of boards which are covered with building paper and shingled. The roof is shingled. You can use clapboards on the sides, or common boards. The cost of such a squab house, complete with flying pen and all inside fittings, built in the best possible manner, will be from three dollars to five dollars a running foot. That is to say, a unit plant twelve feet long will cost from thirty-six to sixty dollars. A plant consisting of three units, thirty-six feet long, will cost from one hundred and eight to one hun- dred and fifty dollars. We publish and sell for ten cents working drawings showing just how to build a unit in every detail, On the same sheet are working drawings for building a simple squab house (without passageway) to cost from fifteen to twenty-five dollars. Also on the same sheet we give data showing how one of our friends built a ‘jeoTjoRId Sv [Jo Sv oUIOSpURY ‘o[dUWIS jNq YsNoLOY} Sl UOLJoNAJSUOD oY, ‘SNVId UNO OL ONIGUOOOV LTIINd ‘SLIND NHL ‘ASNOH LINDA WId1ILINW IO Tae, {ON II 1g OOSTa, 43 squab house and pen capable of accommodating two hundred and twenty pairs of breeders at a cost of one hundred and thirty dollars. In ordering, simply say you wish plans and specifications for squab houses. Some beginners with plenty of means and anxious for the best construction write us to ask if a cement floor is not better than a wood floor. A cement floor is positively wrong, for this reason: when it is freshly laid, it is good, but the first winter causes the dirt foundation to shrink and swell, then come cracks in the cement. Rats and mice burrow in the dirt up to the cement and find their way through the cracks to the squabs. In a short time, they are a nuisance. We have seen a squab house built with cement floor which cracked as described and every time the owner and his dog took a walk down the alleyway, they found rats to kill. Finally the whole lot of cement had to be pounded to pieces, shoveled up and carted off. The way to stop rats and mice is to erect the building on posts as we have described. Rats and mice live in the dirt and they cannot get up into the squab house. Let your dog or cat every day under such a house, between the flooring and the ground, and they will keep down the vermin as fast as they show themselves, and your squabs never will be troubled. In our early plans for the unit squab house, we provided for a building with a “ jog ’”’ in the roof, making a long, low slope for the south side of the roof, and on this slope the birds would sun themselves and make love. This “ jog ”’ construction is more expensive than is needed, and now we have a better way. We have an ordinary pitch roof, sloping equally from the ridgepole to both north and south. We run the flying pen out on the south side, not from the ridgepole, but from the eaves, and then out in the tiving pen we erect perches as shown in the picture. The fact that the birds rest easily on these perches (as the photograph in Appen- dix A shows) is proof that they are contented and pleased by such an arrangement. We have found, too, that they can hear the squeaks of their young for food better than if they are up on the roof, and better attention to the squabs is tHe result. It was formerly thought unsafe to erect perch- ing poles in the flying pen directly in front of the windows, the fear being that birds darting suddenly out of the windows 44> NATTONAE S PAW DAKO SO UAB BOOTS would strike the perching poles and become injured. Such a fear goes on the assumption that a pigeon cannot take care of itself in flight. They are quick of eye and quick of wing, and are intelligent to a high degree, and we never knew a bird to be injured by flying against horizontal perches in the flying pen. They never strike them but always fly between them or alight on them. Please note particularly that if you erect one ‘Jong building which will be a multiple of units, you separate these units, both inside and outside of the squab house, not by board partitions, but by wire partitions. For instance, if you have a building one hundred feet long, ten units, you will separate the units by nine wire partitions, these partitions being erected both inside and outside the house. CE ATP TER EV. NEST BOWLS AND NESTS. Do Not Use the Old-Fashioned Nest. Pans—Obvious Faults of the Earthenware Nappy— The Wood-Fibre Nest Bowl —How the Pigeons Choose Nest Boxes—-What to Use for Nesting Material— How the Birds Manage their Nests. For nest pans, do not use the heavy, deep, red clay, unglazed dishes which you may. see offered for sale as_pigeon_nests. They are a relic of the past. In our early experience we used for a pigeon nest bowl the common kitchen yellow earthenware nappy. We em- ployed two sizes, the six-inch and the seven-inch, changing from the large one.to the small one when the squabs were two weeks old. These earthenware nappies filled the bill in being cheap and shallow, and the pigeons deposited. their manure in a circle outside and not inside the nest, but they have faults which are obvious. They are flat and not round- ing on the bottom. When the female pigeon turns the eggs (as she does daily, same as a hen, in order to give the heat of her body to the whole shell and to give fresh albumen to the germ) the eggs are liable to roll apart, making it necessary for the bird to gather them together again, and after two or three mishaps like this she is liable to desert them. The earthenware is cold, breakable and can be kept clean only with water. The washing of the nappies becomes a tedious ware dishes become so cold that one’s fingers are numbed by handling them—and the squabs which sit in them are numbed, even frozen. Later we perfected a nest bowl made of wood which met every objection raised against earthenware. We sold thou- sands of them during the two years we had them on the market and they gave good satisfaction except when some were made of improperly seasoned lumber, in which case they would crack and split after a few months’ use. After study and experiment to remove this objection, we had expensive patterns and moulds made and began the manufacture of 45 OLD-STYLE NEST PAN. WATER DISH. LARGE NAPPY. SMALL NAPPY. Do not use either the old-style pigeon nest pan or open water dish. THE WOOD-FIBRE NEST BOWL. This is made in one size (nine inches diameter of bowl). To give stability, the bowl may be fastened to a base by one screw. The first picture shows the perspective view; the second picture shows one-half cut away. This is the most practical nest pan for squab raising and is having an enormous sale. The bowl may be screwed directly to the bottom of the nest box. (See page 48.) BATH PAN AND DRINKER. HAND BASKET. One bath pan to every twelve pairs of birds is necessary. The hand basket (price $3.50) is used in large plants to carry the squabs from the nests to the killing place. The squabs should not be killed in sight of the parent birds. 46 NSS OVS AND NESTS 47 these bowls out of wood fibre. Their success was quickly demonstrated and now we sell nothing else. These wood- fibre nest bowls have all the advantages of the wood bowls and at the same time are practically indestructible, cannot warp or split. The wood fibre of which they are made is thick and exceedingly tough, being solidified under many tonces pressure. Atver making they are treated with an odorless, anti-moisture compound and then baked to flint- like hardness. We sell these wood fibre nest bowls in one size only, nine inches in diameter. Price, eight cents each, ninety-six cents per dozen, eleven dollars and fifty-two cents per gross. We make prompt shipment from Boston same day order is received, in any quantity. No order is filled for less than one dozen. We have the exclusive manufacture and sale of these goods and they cannot be obtained elsewhere. The advantages of this nest pan are these: (1) The eggs roll to the centre and are always close together under the birds. (2) It is warmer than earthenware and eggs are not chilled. (3) It is cleaned without water by means of a trowel, and may then be whitewashed, if desired. (4) The claws of the old birds and squabs do -not sprawl, and no cases of deformed legs in the squabs are found. (5) It is unbreakable. (6) When shipped either short or long distances, no packing is ilecessam~e udey ane Welter and the freight bill is smaller. (7) And finally the birds “ take ’’ to them more readily than to earthenware, getting to work more quickly and producing more squabs. We make this wood fibre nest bowl in only one size as specified and illustrated (two sizes are not necessary because the feet of the squabs do not sprawl as in the case of the earthenware nappies). You will need one pair of nest bowls for every pair of pigeons (in other words, one nest bowl to every pigeon). If you order twenty-four pairs of breeders you will need forty-eight nest bowls. If you order ninety-six pairs of breeders you will need one hundred and ninety-two nest bowls. We know our birds will breed more successfully in these nest bowls than in earthenware, and to make it an object for you to buy them, you may deduct the freight charges on nest bowls from your order for birds. First order your nest bowls sent by freight, then when you order your breeders, AS”. (NATIONAL STANDARD, SOU As 75 OO re send us your freight receipt and count the amount as cash. Or you may order your birds at the same time you do the nest bowls (and other supplies) and when you get your freight receipt send it to us. Orders for one dozen to four dozen bowls should go by express with the birds (tied to the basket), unless it is desired to have the bowls go with grain, grit, shells, etc., by freight. Place one nest bowl in each one of your nest boxes. Let the pairs choose to suit themselves. At the end of the month, when you take out the squabs, take out the nest bowl, clean it and put it back. 3 Many customers who do not use egg crates or orange boxes, but build their nest boxes of half-inch or five-eighths lumber, have written us that they used the construction which we illustrate on page 30, and which is good, because cleaning can be better done. The bottoms of the nest boxes are removable and rest on cleats, as the picture shows. The cleats are seven-eighths or one inch square and are nailed to the uprights. When this construction is employed, it is not necessary that you have a block or base screwed to our wood-fibre nest bowl. The nest bowl may be screwed directly onto this removable bottom. If you use egg crates or solid-built nest boxes, you will have to give the wood-fibre nest bowl stability by screwing it to a base of wood seven inches square and about three-quarters of an inch thick. When the squab house is ready for the birds, each of the nest boxes has one of these nest bowls. The pigeons build their own nests in them, taking the nesting material and flying to the nest bowl with it. The average nest has from one to two inches of straw compactly and prettily laid by the birds. Some birds use more nesting material than others. After the squabs are hatched, they quickly show that Nature never intended them to have a dirty nest. When they wish to make manure, they back up to the edge of the nest and “‘shoot”’ outward and over the edge of the nest bowl into the nest box, which is just where the breeder wants to find it. In a week or two there will be a circle of solid manure in the nest box, but it is out of the nest, and off and away from the feet of the squabs. As the squabs grow older, their claws tread and throw out the straw on which they were hatched, and the nest bowl gets bare again as it was in the first place. The small NS ES OVZES SND NESTS 49 amount of manure which then sticks to it is removed with a trowel. The use of this wood-fibre nest bowl has lightened the work a great deal for they never have to be washed. They should not be washed, for water weakens them, particularly at the bottom, where the screw hole is. A washer should be put under the screw head to hold the bowl tight and to prevent its turning while being cleaned. We ship these washers and screws with the bowls. The pigeons will not take with mathematical regularity pair by pair the nest boxes which you have provided. Some of them will take them in pairs, one adjoining the other. This makes it convenient for you in keeping track of them. Others will take one nest box in one part of the squab house but go to another part of the squab house for their second nest. Some will not take a nest box at all, but will build a rough nest on the floor of the squab house and rear their family there. Let them choose for themselves. The nests are built by the birds of straw, grass, hay or pine needles. The birds fly to the pile, select what wisps they want, then fly to the nest boxes and arrange the wisps in a nest bowl to suit themselves. Tobacco stems are recom- mended for nesting material, because the odor from them will have a tendency to drive away lice, but they are not necessary if the nest bowls are used and ordinary cleanliness observed. The tanners do not want manure mixed with tobacco stems which have dropped down from the nests. The stems, when wet in the vat, stain the hides. When tobacco stems are used for nesting material, it 1s impossible to prevent many of them from dropping to the floor, where they are tramped by the birds into the manure. The tanners do not care if some straw and hay are in the manure. Before cleaning out the squab house, the loose straw and feathers should be swept out with a broom. Whe best: thing to keep the mesting material in is a berry erate. Fill it with straw and hay (use the fine oat, not rye straw, cut into six-inch lengths)-and-shut down the cover. Then when the birds want nesting material they will fly to the vertical openings in the sides of the berry crates, stick their bills in and make their selection. The cover of the berry crate prevents the birds from soiling the nesting material. D0 NATO INA 2S TAIN AT TD seven pounds and up, $3.50; six and one-half pounds and up, $2.60; dark, $1.80 per dozen. If you will prepay charges, account of sales will be sent you same day goods are re- ceived, less five per cent. commission.’’ Letters like the above come to us from all parts of the country, and squab breeders whom we have supplied get similar communi- cations. The poultry and game dealers in all sections are after squabs all the time and could sell a great many more than they are now able to get hold of. The above letter is written notwithstanding the fact that in New Jersey and Eastern Pennsylvania alone are teday four or five thousand squab breeders, many of them with large flocks of over one thousand pairs of birds each. In the town of Moorestown, New Jersey, to take only one case, are from 200 to 300 squab breeders. As we say in our Manual, people in these sec- tions keep hens for their own use, but not for market, for they know that squabs pay better than hens. Poultrymen in other sections of the United States. are fast finding this out and are putting in squabs along with poultry, or giving up poultry altogether. In spite of the large output of squabs from the 4,000 to 5,000 breeders in New Jersey and Eastern Pennsylvania, which go into the Philadelphia and New York and Boston markets (for the squab raisers in New England supply only about one-tenth of the Boston demand), there is all the time a scarcity of squabs, as the above letter proves. This letter comes to us because we have the reputation for dealing in a fancy product. There are breeders of squabs who send to market an inferior product from small and cheap Homers, and such squabs are not the kind which commis- sion dealers are anxious to get. Be sure you are able to breed a fancy squab by getting your breeding stock of us. Some beginners are anxious as to express rates, not compre- hending that they tan ship squabs long dis- tances at a trifling cost. The express rate from Boston to New York is $1 per 100 pounds. This means that an express team will call at our door, get a box of squabs will mean some business for us. 141 weighing 100 pounds, transport it to New York, and in that city deliver it by team to the commission dealer for $1. In the case of a box of our squabs weighing twelve pounds to the dozen, about eight dozen and the box would weigh 100 pounds. If we delivered them in New York at the price quoted, $4.50 per dozen (or $36 gross), we would net, de- ducting his five per cent. commission and the $1 express charges, $33.20. The commission man would resell the squabs to his trade for $5 to $8 per dozen. By a dozen squabs we mean in this case and in all cases where prices are quoted, twelve squabs. We do not mean one dozen pairs of squabs. We mean six pairs of squabs. Squabs are always quoted at so much per dozen, not so much per dozen pairs. On January 8, 1908, the New York squab buyer above quoted offered the following prices for squabs: For squabs weighing ten pounds to the dozen and up, $4.75; eight pounds and up, $4.50; seven pounds and up, $38.60; six and one-half pounds, $2.75; dark and No. 2 squabs, $2. On January 25th, 1903, he offered the fol- lowing prices: Ten pounds and up, $5.50 per dozen; eight pounds and up, $5.00 per dozen; seven pounds and up, $4; six and one-half pounds, $3; dark and No. 2 squabs, $2.10. On February 6,- 1903, he offered us the Same prices as last quoted, adding that he would pay $3 to $3.75 per dozen for squabs of average weight and grade. In this letter he said: ‘‘As I have been getting quite a few letters from some of your squab customers of late, I want to thank you for same, and hope to get some of their birds and prove to their satisfaction by the prices large fine birds will sell at, that squab raising if prop- erly carried on is a very profitable and pay- ing industry. The demand for squabs in on the increase and will be from now on, as the game laws of all the states are such as to prevent much small game from reaching the several markets, where there has been a big supply of such at low prices that squabs will now take their place, so that new be- ginners have nothing to fear from a glut by over production of good-sized squabs. This we have proven to our own satisfaction when we introduced the large or royal squab to our best hotel and cafe trade in this market, dur- ing the past season, and it now looks as though our demand will be greater this com- ing season. The buyers of these large birds see they are worth the difference in price, that they have a better call for them once they introduce them to the sonsumer. Encourage all your buyers to invest in birds that produce large, plump squabs. It will pay them best in the end and make a better demand for their grade of birds.’’ On Feb. 16th, 1903, he offered us the fo.:ow- ing prices: Squabs weighing ten pounds to the dozen and up, $6 per dozen; nine pounds, 4 INTERIOR OF MATING HOUSE. This shows mating coops in use in one of our mating houses. heated by hot water. 142 This house Jal J2 JID INIDID ra $5.50 per dozen; sight pounds, $5 per dozen; seven pounds, $4 per dozen; six and one-half pounds, $3 per dozen; dark, $2.10 per dozen. The above quotations are a good indication of what the New York market for squabs is. One of the practical ways we have of helping our customers is to refer them to such first-class buyers of squabs as the firm above quoted. We will give the address of the above New York firm to you when you buy breeding stock of us. SCRANTON MARKET.—The following let- ter is from Chandler and Short, commission merchants, 15 Lackawanna avenue, Scranton, Penn., dated Feb. 15, 1903: “‘We have yours in regard to squabs. They are worth from $2.75 to $3 per dozen, dressed, on our market. Whatever you ship, we will en- deavor to get the very highest market prices for. All you have to do is to have the feathers picked off.’’ CLEVELAND MARKET.—The steward’s department of the Union Club, 158 Euclid avenue, Cleveland, Ohio, sends the follow- ing letter under date of Feb. 18th, 1903 al: am in receipt of your letter of yesterday and beg to say regarding your questions about squabs, that they are worth to us from $3 to $3.50 per dozen for the best and largest squabs either dressed or in the feather.’’ W. H. Bennett, proprietor of Oyster Ocean Cafe, 368 Superior street, Cleveland, Ohio (Feb. 12, 1903): ‘‘I use about one and one- half dozen sguabs a week. Price averages $3 per dozen the year through.’’ WwW. H. Seager, Sheriff street market, Cleveland, Ohio (Feb. 12, 1903): ‘“‘I purchase squabs when offered in this market and have sent to California for them on special occa- sions. The market price varies from $2.40 to $4 per dozen.’’ Gibson Pinkett 21-25 Prospect street, Fulton market, Ohio (Feb. Company, Cleveland, 12, 1903): ‘‘We buy squabs and pay what they are worth. Price runs from $2.50 to $4 per dozen. We could use fifty dozen or more today.”’ KANSAS CITY MARKET.—The market for squabs here is steadily improving. Here are some letters bearing on the subject: From James R. Peden & Co., 404 Walnut street, Kansas City, Mo. (Jan. 26, 1903): “Send your squabs to me. I have _ good, steady demand for them and will take all you can offer. Top prices paid, or handled an commission.’? (Mr. Peden ships squabs .) New York city and other points east.) W. M. Woods, produce company, stalls 12 and 13 west side, City Market, Kansas City, Mo. (Jan. 26, 1903): ‘‘The market for squabs is good. Prices range from $1 to $1.50 for common stock and from $1.80 to $2 and $2.25 for fancy. I am sure you will find a market for your squabs and if they come up to the mark you have set for them, will command a much better price. Kansas City market 143 for squabs is growing. I will take your Squabs at market price day received.’’ C. T. Wiggins, East entrance City market, Kansas City, Mo. (Jan. 26, 1903): ‘‘It is only a question of how many you can supply. I can handle all the squabs you will offer and will pay you good prices for them. The demand is strong and increasing. Hope you will soon make a start with me.’’ George O. Relf, steward, Midland Hotel, Kansas City, Mo. (Jan. 27, 1903): ‘‘We can use squabs almost any time at $2.75 per dozen. If you have some now we will take one or two dozen and if O. K. will very likely use them right along.’’ E Ewins-Dean Hotel Co., proprietors Hotel Metropole (St. Joseph, Mo.) and Hotel Balti- more (Kansas City, Mo.) (Jan. 30, 19038): “Kindly quote me prices on squabs by the dozen. I have been using about two hun- dred per month and expect to use more. If your prices are right you will hear from me in a few days.’’ (Signed) E. G. Venable, steward. E. Klidey, the New Coates House, Kansas City, Mo. (Jan. 29, 1903): ‘‘We are using a few squabs which we buy from the commis- sion men here at $2.50 per dozen. Let me know what price you want for yours and we may be able to use eight or ten dozen a week.’’ D. P. Ritchie, steward Hotel Baltimore, Kansas City, Mo. (Feb. 6, 1903): ‘‘Your favor of Jan. 27 received. We pay $2.75 per dozen for fancy squabs delivered, with feathers one OUR PIGEONS GOING AROUND CAPE HORN.—We have sent our breeding stock about everywhere, but one of the most curi- ous orders we ever had is from Captain Lane of the ship Kennebec, which arrived in Bos- ton in November, 1902, from Seattle, with a cargo of lumber. At this writing (Feb. 18, 1903), Capt. Lane is making arrangements with us to supply him with a breeding out- fit of our Homers, which he will instal on his ship so that on his long return voyage to San Francisco (or Seattle) he will have fresh squab meat regularly. Capt. Lane is part owner of his big ship and is accom- panied by his wife and young son. He hagas visited our place and knows about our birds and our methods. SQUABS IN NEW MEXICO.—Here in the east we would not look upon New Mexico as a fancy market for squabs, but here is a letter from a customer in Albemarle, New Mexico, which proves that he is getting in- terested (Jan. 29, 1903): ‘‘The pigeons you sent me on the 20th were received yesterday in excellent condition, and am well pleased with them. Please find enclosed a money order for thirty dollars, for which send me twelve more pairs of your extra mated thor- oughbred adult pigeons. Ship as ‘efore by Wells Fargo express.”’ 144 SOUTHERN MARKET.—Our breeding stock has gone to every state in the South. If you live in any part of the South, you can market squabs as readily as poultry is marketed. One of our Southern customers, who lives in Citronelle, Alabama, has been to Boston to see us. Under date of January 30, 1903, he writes: ‘‘I have received Homers from two others, but they do not compare with yours. I will build my second house very soon as the first one is filling up fast.’’ LONG DISTANCE SHIPMENTS.—To all inguirers we wish to state again emphati- cally that we certainly do guarantee the safe arrival of every bird, no matter in what part of the world you live. We are learning all the time how to handle the long distance shipments best and experience has taught us little wrinkles about the baskets and the arrangements of the feed and water dishes which are valuable. The express messengers get their instructions not from guesswork or from written notices or tags, but from a board a foot square on which is printed in bold type the necessary directions. This winter (1903) we have shipped every week to California. One order of 200 pairs for Santa Ana, California, filled seventeen baskets. Of the 400 birds, only one turned up dead, but as we had sent along four more pairs than the order called for, we were seven birds ahead on the count. Another large shipment to San Rafael, California, in Janu- ary, 19038, brought back by return mail the following letter, which we print exactly as we got it, word for word, and altogether it is one of the best recommendations for us to people who live at a distance that we ever received: “Yesterday, A. M. (Jan. 20th) at 8.30 we received your letter advising us of the ship- ment of 100 pairs of Extra Mated Homers, on Jan. 14th; advising also that the pigeons would reach us before the letter. Well, they did not arrive until 4.30 today, Jan. 21 (7) seven days on the road. We notice that seven days is also required to get your ship- ments to Los Angeles; and when you assume that they will reach here at or before the Teceipt of notice of shipment we think you are mistaken. Nevertheless, be this as it may, the birds reached us tonight at 5.30, every bird in first-class shape—every indi- vidual one being in first-class shape; giving evidence of being shipped in perfect condition and having plenty of feed and water en route. Your feed ran short, as evidenced by charges of 40 cents made by express com- pany for feed provided by them, which we are only too-glad to pay, and at same time shows care and attention of express company messengers—a good fault. Every bird in the lot is bright and active, and they come into a first-class home, a fine house and flying pen, plenty of feed and a galvanized iron pan 6 inches deep with water 4 inches deep NATIONAL STAINDARD SOUAS BOOK running constantly. Dimensions of pan, 4 feet 6 inches by 2 feet 10 inches, guarantee- ing plenty of bathing facilities. They were liberated after dark, but the early morning will afford all the bathing facilities they will need, and we prophesy they will embrace the opportunities afforded at first opportunity. We wish to compliment you on your prompt methods of doing business, and on the su- periority of the birds shipped us. They were indeed high class birds, in fact, Mr. Rice, they are better stock than we expected to receive. Your sending us 4 extra pairs above order was a graceful act on your part, one which we fully appreciate, and thank you right here for it. Your shipment was nearly a week before we expected it, but by extra exertion we got all ready in time and they have a fine-home. Express charges at $14 per hundred Boston to San Rafael, 270 lbs. weight of shipment, amounted to $37.80 plus 40 cents for feed, $38.20 total, at merchandise rate. Still at rate given in your circular $4 for 24 birds (42 pairs), this is too much by a margin. $4 rate to San Francisco per 12 pairs is not just correct, still we are not kicking, for the difference is not very much. Note this, 201 birds came out of those bas- kets, now we are sure, absolutely sure of the count; two people kept count as each bird was liberated and 201 birds came out of the crates. If 100 pairs are mated, what will we do for that poor lone bird? We await for suggestions; pretty tough on that lone bird, 3,500 miles from home, but he or she is here sure. In conclusion we thank you for your promptness, your honesty and your fair, square dealing and will keep you posted as to our progress aS per your sug- gestion. We thank you for the crates; they are fine. We wrote you yesterday and look for reply in accordance with your’ usual promptness.’’ We sent the above letter to Mr. R. H. Dwight, agent for the Wells-Fargo Express Company in Boston, and he was quite as pleased aS we were. Through Mr. Dwight’s co-operation our through western shipments by the Wells-Fargo have been a remarkable success, The only difficulty we have ever had on account of long distance trade came when we were shipping in crates, not bas- kets. We sent a large order into San Fran- cisco and on the way four of the crates were broken into by rough handling and _ forty- two birds got away. The Wells-Fargo Ex- press Company settled with us for the loss of those birds and we made good to the customer, sending the missing birds on, and the customer was out not a cent for further express charges, for the Wells-Fargo people carried the birds deadhead. The baskets in which we now ship cannot be broken open except with the aid of an axe and they can be thrown ten feet across a depot platform without being injured. We Jedd IN IDI OCs ak There ig a minor criticism in the above letter in the matter of express charges. Ac- cording to the figures which we give in the circular headed ‘‘Express Rates,’’ the cus- tomer should have been asked to pay about $33, instead of $37, as he did pay. We be- lieve the figures which we give to be correct ‘in every case—the slight variation which may come as it came in this case is due to the fact that no two persons will weigh up the same lot of goods exactly the same, and that, of course, the birds vary in weight. The weight when the shipment starts is less than when it finishes, because at the end the pottoms of the baskets are covered with manure. (The grain which we send for feed is not weighed in and charged for transpor- tation.) If the waybill is lost or delayed, and the agent at destination weighs the shipment, he will get a greater weight, and consequently a higher rate, than the express employee who weighed the shipment here jn Boston. We wish to say further that if you think we have figured the express rates to you too low, send us money which we claim to be correct and we will prepay all charges, thus putting on curselves and not on you the dif- ference, if there is any. COMMON PIGEONS AGAIN.—We have had some of the old-time raisers of squabs from common pigeons on the ranches in the Mid- dle West write us for more proofs that Hom- ers are ahead of common pigeons. In reply we will print here the which we received in January, 1903, customer as follows: letter from_a “I have for sale between four and five hundred pen fed common pigeons. Can you use them, and at what price? Should you not be in a position to use them yourself probably you could refer me to some one that is in the market for some fine pen fed birds. The Homers which I purchased of you some time last summer are doing very nicely, and have to make more room for them is the reason of wanting to dispose of my common birds. Thanking you in advance for favor asked.’’ We asked him to tell us if he had not found our Homers more profitable than com- mon pigeons. He replied as follows: “Tn reply to yours will say that your state- ment of the Homers being more profitable than the common birds is true, as the fact has been demonstrated to me in the past five or six months, by my experience of hay- ing the two lots side by side in separate pens. My common birds referred to are fine birds and will sell them F. O. B. at $2.50 per dozen, which, taking the plumpness of the bird in consideration, is very reasonable.’’ The above breeder lives in Missouri and we expect to sell a good many of our Hom- ers to him and to those in his state who 145 know of his experience. His letters are at our Boston office, where they may be seen. We will not give his name by mail because he is a customer, but if you think the above letters are made up by us, you write to the Boston office of Dun’s or Bradstreet’s com- mercial agencies and ask for one of their men to be sent to our office to investigate. PIGEON MANURE.—Our advice in the Manual as to pigeon manure has interested pigeon breeders all over the country, nearly all of whom say that they never have taken pains to save it, and when it got too thick they have scraped it up as best they coul4 and used it for fertilizer. They want to know how we keep it pure, and all about the market, ete. ‘i The pigeon breeder who does not make pro- vision for the purity of the manure and the steady sale of it is just throwing bank bills straight into the fire. We have erected_a special building at our place for just the manure, and take every precaution to keep the manure free from straw, sawdust, sand, ete. The building stands at the back of one of the long houses, and about halfway in the whole plant, so that we can reach it easily with a wheelbarrow from the houses. There is a slide cut in the north wall of what we eall No. 2 squab house, and through this slide the manure is shovelled from the wheelbarrow (standing in the passageway) directly into the manure house, where it stays until there is from $50 to $100 worth of it, when we bag it up and send it off. First we take the wheelbarrow empty down a passageway and stop at a unit pen, then go into the unit pen with a bushel basket and scrapers. We use a trowel to clean off the nest-pans, a tree-scraper to clean out the nest-boxes and a hoe or a floor chisel (same as is used to clean off snow and ice from city sidewalks), six inches wide at the blade and with a long handle so that it can be used easily while the operator is standing. In scraping the floor, the manure rolls up with little exertion off the blade of the chisel. It is shovelled into the bushel basket and the basket taken out into the passageway and dumped into the wheelbar- Tow. It takes one man not over thirty min- utes to clean a pen thoroughly and the product of each pen is between two and three busnels, or from $1.20 to $1.80 for half an hour’s work, which is pretty good pay. (We have been getting in the winter of 1903 sixty cents a bushel from the American Hide and Leather Company of Lowell, Mass.) We ship the manure by freight in bags. We buy these bags when we can from farmers who have large herds of cows and who use con- siderable grain, and they let the bags go for one and two cents apiece. Second-hand bags in the Boston junk shops cost from four to nine cents apiece. The leather people let Alf] JOU ‘SuIp[MY oy} Jo SeAvo oy} WoIf SuNIXS ST ued BuIA oy} Jo doy ou, ‘o[odes pu *19}}9q POOF IoJ SUNOA Alo} JO SyRonbs oyy Imey uv Aoyy, “foot ayy uodn spasrq oy} SULJJo[ UR] JoIJoq STSIYL, “Solotod 1OOpyNO Jo JUSUIESURIIL oY} OJON ‘SHSNOH UNO HO HNO HO ACIS HLNO HO LUVd 146 Ze ee NDI A the bags pile up and then send them back to us in a bunch. We are particular to save not only the manure in the unit pens, but in the sorting and mating cages and coops. We cover the floors of these cages with bur- lap, not tacking the burlap down, but stretching it over three finish nails tacked at the backs of the cages and two nails tacked at the front of the cages. The manure cakes and dries on the burlap as it would on the floor. When there is a layer about half an inch thick, all tramped hard, dry and odorless by the constant hammering ot the feet of the birds, we take the burlap off the nails and stretch it outside, bottom up, then sprinkle water on the back and the manure drops off in large cakes. The burlap then is dried and _ replaced. This method saves an immense amount of time which otherwise would be consumed in scraping the floors of the cages. We have 108 of these cages at the farm and in our Boston shipping room, each capable of hold- ing from 12 to 20 pairs of birds, and we have burlap carpets on all of them. We use a large amount of burlap not only for this purpose but for small grain bags to go with orders for breeders to distant points, and also for the floors of our shipping baskets. We buy this burlap in large rolls weighing 150 pounds and containing from 300 to 320 square yards. We do not hem it or sew it in any way for the cages, simply cut it and in stretching it over the nails fold the raw edges under. Having read the Manual, you know that we do not use sand or sawdust in our squab houses, so we are able to deliver manure which is absolutely pure. The tanneries do not like to get lots of impure manure and of course pay more for the unadulterated article. It is just as easy and more business- like to keep this by-product pure. The manure in the houses has no odor, but when we have got it scraped up and banked in the manure house, it gives forth a pungent, ammonia-like smell. As the manure house is entirely cut off from the Squab houses by the slide in the passage- way, this pungency does not trouble any- one. It is not a nasty smell, anyway. We have had customers from as far off as Illinois write that they were quite charmed with our story about the manure, and that they were saving up bags of it to ship by freight to the American Hide and Leather Company at Lowell, Mass. This tannery is a branch of the Leather Trust, which has other tanneries, so use your wits and find out which tannery is nearest you, and ship to that one. If you can find a tannery not in the trust, sell to that, if you wish to. If you sell to a trust tannery, the eheck which pays you will come from the New York office of the trust, same as ours do. We recommend our New England cus- 147 tomers to ship to Lowell. We have always found the leather people square in measuring the manure, in fact they have given us credit on two or three occasions for more than we thought we had. They pay after you have sent your bill of lading and the report of the measurer has gone to the New York office. You need not be afraid of swamping the leather trust with pigeon manure. They will take all you can scrape up. They use it to take the hair off the raw hides, and it is said to be the only substance which will do this job thoroughly without injuring the hide. Chemicals which are used as substi- tutes when pigeon manure cannot be had are said to be injurious to the hide. We write the above to help you sell the manure from your squab _ houses. Do not ask us to advise you further on this point, for we cannot. If you cannot find a tannery Within shipping distance, try the florists. We are informed that the fiorists’ exchange in New York city is a good place to sell pigeon manure, and customers near that city have told us that they are selling there. SQUABS IN THE POULTRY PRESS.—The Magazines devoted to poultry are beginning to take up squabs on account of the in- creasing interest shown by poultrymen in the subject. In the Poultry Keeper for Nov. 15th, 1902, appeared a contribution by A. P. Spiller. After giving the general arrange- ments for caring for the birds, he says: ‘“‘At about four weeks of age the squabs are ready for market. Some markets require them dressed, others only killed. Good breeding pigeons will hatch and rear from six to eleven pair of young a year. The cost to keep a pair of breeders, including the rais- ing of the young, at the present time is about eighty cents a year, this, of course, varying some with location and cost of feeding stuff. Wild game birds are becom- ing more scarce each year. The properly raised squab pigeon comes nearer taking the place of these wild birds than anything else. That they make fine eating, those who have eaten them can not deny. There is always a ready sale for good plump squabs at hotels, restaurants, markets and private fam- ilies, prices ranging from $2.50 to $4.50 per dozen, depending upon quality and season. When one begins to raise pigeons it is better to try to secure strains from some reliable breeder who has stock bred along profitable lines. There is a difference in regard to breeding and feeding qualities and results obtained which warrants the paying of a lit- tle more at the start in obtaining more profitable stock. The writer is in favor of the straight Homer, carefully selected as to size, shape, breeding and feeding qualities, as it is well known that the Homer pigeon is one of the best feeders and breeders of any variety, and the numbers they will pro- duce in a year more than balance any slight 148 advantage that may be obtained in Size. The breeding of pigeons is fascinating to most people. It is true there are some losses, but with care and some experience in management the few losses that occur to the beginner may be reduced to a very small percentage. The work is light and not as exacting as in some other lines, affording a lucrative employment almost from the start to those who are not strong, as well as to the most robust. A flock once mated will give but little concern to their owner, as they remain constant for life regardless of the numbers contained in the flock, and for years will amply repay in profit and pleas- ure for the feed and eare given them.’’ We wish to call the special attention of our readers to that portion of the above article by Mr. Spiller where he says that the cost of a pair of breeders is eighty cents a year. We say the cost is sixty cents a year. In his article, Mr. Spiller says nothing about keeping the pigeon manure free from dirt and selling it to tanneries. This must be done in order to hold the feed bill down to its lowest notch. We say that the manure will pay one-third of the grain bill, and taking Mr. Spiller’s figure of eighty cents, and deducting ane-third from it, we have as the net cost fifty-three cents. We asked one of our friends living in West Newton, Mass., to ask Mr. Spiller if his estimate of cost was made when he was saving the manure and selling it to tanner- ies. Mr. Spiller replied by letter as follows under date of Feb. 16th, 1903: “No, the manure was not taken into consideration at all. I do not know what the tanneries pay TOM elite The owners of large flocks of common pig- eons in the West who are breeding squabs for market do not sell the manure and for this reason they lose an important source of revenue. It is remarkable to us_ that pigeons pay with them at all. Certainly the manure is a very important by-product, and you should figure on selling it just as you figure on seJling the squabs. NEWSPAPER MARKET QUOTATIONS. ~—- Only a few of the daily newspapers of the country are in the habit of printing regularly market quotations on squabs. The Boston Globe has an article about once a week for the information of the household and in this article squabs are regularly quoted. At Thanksgiving time, 1902, the Globe quoted squabs at from $4 to $5 per dozen. In the Globe of Feb. 14th, 1903, squabs were quoted at $4.50 and $5 per dozen. If our New Eng- land customers will buy a copy of the Friday or Saturday Globe each week, they will prob- ably find this household article containing the quotations for squabs on one of those days. Our customers sometimes cut from the newspapers quotations for squabs and send NATIONAE STANDARD SOUAB BO Ou them to us. In the winter of 1902 we received a clipping from the New York Evening Sun of Feb. 28, 1902, in which white squabs were quoted at $5 a dozen and dark squabs at $3.50 a dozen. We are told that the New York Evening Sun prints every Friday even- ing a household market column giving quo- tations on squabs. The Rural New Yorker, and progressive farmers’ weekly, printed the following quotations for squabs as whole- sale prices ruling Feb. 6, 1903: ‘‘Squabs prime large white, per dozen, $3.75; mixed, $2.75 and $3; dark, $2 and $2.50.’’ The Albany (New York) Express, 9, 1903, printed the “Squabs, native, $5; per dozen; pigeons, $1.50 per dozen.’’ The Chicago Tribune, on March 10, 1902, printed the following quotations: ‘‘Squabs, prime, large, white, per dozen, $3.’’ The St. Louis Republic, on Dec. 2, 1902, printed the following quotations: **Squabs, white, choice, dozen, $2.75 and $3; mixed, $2.25 and $2.50; prime dark, $1.87 and $2.’’ an old-established on Feb. following quotations: Philadelphia squabs, $5 The San Francisco Chronicle, on April 2, 1902, printed the following quotations: “Pigeons, young, $2.50 and $2.75; ditto, old, $1.50 and $1.75.’’ ; SQUABS IN THE STATE OF WASHING- TON.—The squab raisers in New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania are very well satis- fied with the New York and Philadelphia markets fer squabs, and we have done con- siderable talking about the New York mare ket ourselves, but let us tell you that the market for squabs on the Pacific Coast is a fine one, too. Here in the East we think Seattle is a long way from home and you may find some city chaps around us who think that city is but just on the edge of the tall timber. If you live out in Michigan, Illinois, Minnesota, Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, or any state in that section, you ought to feel pretty sure that the markets for squabs around you are good, after you have read what we are going to tell you here about the market for squabs in Seattle and its vicinity. These letters were obtained for us by a customer who lives near Seattle: Fulton Market, corner Second avenue and Columbia street, Seattle, Wash. (Feb. 11, 1903): ‘‘Yours at hand and will say that if your birds are aS you say, we can use on an average of twenty dozen per week at $2.50 per dozen, feathers on.’’ A. D. Blowers & Co., 817-819 Western ave- nue, Seattle, Wash. (Feb. 12, 1903): ‘‘Your valued favor to hand regarding squabs. In reply will say that most of the squabs used in this city are brought from the east and held in cold storage, so that native birds will no doubt sell much better than this article. We have made some inquiry about them and find that it will be no trouble in selling four to six dozen a week, and no Jur PON DEX A doubt many more, as the trade would open up. We do not think there is anyone in this part of the country who raises them for sale, and think if you can produce a good article that you will have no trouble whatever in selling them here. The price for eastern squabs is $2.25 to $2.50 per dozen. Some of the customers prefer to have them plucked, others alive. We think it would be better, perhaps, in the first shipment to send them alive until a regular trade was established. Our commission for selling them will be ten per cent. of the gross sales. If you have any nice ones, it would be well for you to send two to four dozen along and see what we can do with them for you.’’ (It is better to ship squabs killed and prop- erly cooled. Do not send them alive to your market. Few butchers in the commission men’s employ understand how to kill and cool a squab right. Do your own killing and cool- ing and packing as we have given you pre- cise directions and you will know (not guess) that your product is reaching the consumer in perfect condition.) Palace Market Co., Second avenue, Seattle, Wash. (Feb. 11, 1903): ‘‘Squabs such as you speak of would be worth 20 to 25 cents each. Would prefer the feathers on. We can use all you have.’’ California Commission Company, 923 West- ern avenue, Seattle, Wash. (Feb. 11, 1903): “Your favor to hand and contents noted. In reply we beg to state that squabs are selling from $2.50 to $3.50 per dozen, accord- ing to the quality of the birds. We want them with the feathers on and not drawn. You may ship us two or three dozen for a trial and then we will be better able to tell what we can do for you and see how many we can handle at a time. Our commission is ten per cent. on all goods. We are cer- tain that we can give you entire satisfaction and know that our business methods will please you. We make prompt returns and Keep shippers well posted on the market con- ditions. Trusting to be favored with your further valued orders.’’ C. W. Chamberlain & Co., 905-907 Western avenue, Seattle, Wash. (Feb. 138, 1903): “Yours of the 9th at hand and contents fully noted. Squabs, such as you mentioned, would sell here for about $3 per dozen. Our selling charge is ten per cent. Twelve to fifteen dozen per week could be disposed of from present information at hand. They should be shipped alive.’’ J. F. Gayton, steward Ranier Club (this club is composed of the richest men of Se- attle), Seattle, Wash. (Feb. 13, 1903): ‘I am in receipt of your letter with regard to squabs. Yes, I want some squabs at any time. Will be glad to have them. I will take a dozen at 25 cents each, either dressed or undressed, three dollars per dozen. After I see the first birds I can tell whether I can take them regularly.’’ 149 Williams Bros., Gilt Edge Cafe, Everett, Wash. (Feb. 12, 1903): ‘‘In reply to yours will say, I cannot say at present how many Squabs I can use, but will start with two dozen a week, picked, at $2.50 per dozen. Ship as soon as you please and will look the market up for you in the meantime.’’ Gordon & Co., commission merchants, 811 Western avenue, Seattle, Wash. (Feb. 13, 1903): ‘“‘Replying to your letter will say that we have telephoned to several of the hotels and restaurants here that would be apt to use squabs and we find that there are some places that make a specialty of using them and we do not believe we would have any trouble in disposing of them nicely. We would suggest that you send down a small box of them and let us show the customers just what they are and find out just what they will be willing to pay for them. They have been selling recently for 25 cents each. If you care to make this shipment, we will be glad to get it.’ Seattle Market, Cor. First avenue south and Washington street, Seattle, Wash. (Feb. 10, 1903) : “In reply to yours would say, it would be a good idea for you to ship us in two or three dozen squabs for sample, I could get the hotel and restaurant people’s opinion on price and quality and be able to talk to you on quantity. Eastern frozen squabs are selling on this market for $2 to $2.25 per dozen. If your stock is as you say, I think it would be a better seller than frozen goods.’’ Maison Barberis, restaurant and dining par- lors, 204-210 James street, Seattle, Wash. (Feb. 11, 1903): ‘‘We will take thirty dozen Squabs every month; have them plucked, and will pay you $3 per dozen. Please answer and say about what day of the month you will send them in.’’ E. C. Klyce & Co., commission merchants, 906 Western avenue, Seattle, Wash. (Feb. 13, 1903): ‘‘Yours regarding squabs to hand. We have investigated the market here and find a good many of the first-class hotels and cafes will take them at very fair figures. There seems to be a variance of opinion as to what they will pay, but we presume that the sup- ply has been very limited, and they would pay just about whatever the seller would ask in order to get them. We think the avers ge price would be about $2.50 to $2.75 per dozen. Of course there would be some _ bidding amorg the different buyers in case they were scarce, and we might get more for them. We have immediate access by ’phone and - salesmen with all our customers who serve squabs for short orders or otherwise. By this means you would be in close touch with the people most in need of them and would always try to get you top notch prices. We believe this is a good investment for you to grow them for this market. Of course you would have to start in and graduate up to find how large the volume of trade will be VIEW FROM PASSAGEWAY. VIEW FROM INTERIOR OF SQUAB HOUSE. Above are two views of a model made to illustrate what we call the dowel system of feeding and watering. It is a great time-saver in a long house. Between the floor of squab house and the lowest tier of nest boxes is one foot space. Fill this space with three-eighths inch doweling set one and one-half inches apart, as pictured. (This doweling comes in any length from a carpenter and is very cheap.) Set galvanized drinker and feed trough as shown. The trough has a three-quarter inch slot in its bottom so that the grains will fall into position ready for eating on the back side of the bottom strip into which the dowels are driven. The birds stick their heads through the dowels to eat and drink, and cannot foul either grain or water. Push a wheelbarrow with grain along the passageway and a house one hundred feet long can be attended to in fifteen minutes. Without this arrangement, if you go into each unit pen to feed and water, you will use up at least an hour, and it will be harder work. By this method you need enter the breeding pens only when killing or cleaning times come, APPENDIX A that we can command you on them. Any- thing in the way of game, fowls or meats are staple sellers at good prices.’’ Hamm & Schmitz, Hotel Butler, Seattle, Wash. (Feb. 12, 1903): ‘‘In reply to yours, will say that we could use three dozen a week of the squabs and will pay three dollars per dozen for plucked birds, laid down here.’’ The above letters indicate to us that peo- ple in the state of Washington who eat squabs have to pay from $3 to $4 a dozen for the cold storage, frozen kind. Poor as these are (they are the lightweight squabs of common pigeons) they are in active de- mand. Of course the consumers would pay as much, and no doubt more, for fresh-killed squabs bred from our fine Homers. The com- mission men are certainly eager to get squabs. They are willing to pay from $2 to $3.50 per dozen. They resell them at a profit. The above letter from EH. C. Klyce & Co. is sensible and could well be written by any commission firm in any state in the Union, or by any commission firm anywhere that sells poultry, eggs and _ butter. Wherever there is a sale for hens and chickens, dressed or with feathers on, there is a sale for squabs at higher prices not only because they are a greater delicacy, but also because good eaters everywhere know they are a greater delicacy, and expect to pay, and do pay, more for squabs, pound for pound, than they pay for hens and chickens, geese and turkeys. We ship to Seattle by the fastest express trains. The birds go from Boston to St. Paul (Minnesota) by the Wells-Fargo Express Company. At St. Paul the birds are taken by the Northern Pacific Express Company, which has charge of them to destination. Every express: messenger in the employ of these two companies on this long route has handled our shipments and made a fine record, and is trained to the work of feeding and watering all sizes of shipments. Our Seattle trade can be sure that their ship- ments will be treated right and will reach them in perfect condition. That is what we guarantee. MORE LETTERS.—Here are more letters from squab buyers, unclassified, as they came to us in the first part of February, 1903: Allyn House, Hartford, Conn. (February, 1903) : ‘In answer to yours will say we are continually using squabs. We buy them plucked in all cases. We pay all prices, ac- cording to size, age, and condition when re- ceived. They run from $2.25 to $3.25 per dozen. Sometimes the market is a little higher.’’ Russell House, Detroit, Michigan. (Feb- ruary, 1903): ‘‘In reply to your letter would say that we use quite a few squabs here. Am paying at present $2.50 per dozen for splendid stock. If you care to send me any 151 at that, you to pay the express, I should be eit to have same.’’ uquesne Club, Pittsburg, Penn. Feb. 11] 1903): ‘“Wish to know, if you fees squabs of first quality, should you have about three dozen on hand, I would pay you per dozen Squabs plucked and delivered, from $3.50 to $3.79 per dozen. If price suits you please let me know.’’ Signed’ by E. Max Hein- rich, superintendent. Lincoln Hotel, Lincoln, Nebraska, (Feb. 16, 1903): ‘‘Replying to your letter. We can use about two dozen squabs per week in our cafe at present. Will pay $2.50 per dozen delivered here, feathers on.’’ Hoted Victoria, Pittsburg, Penn. (Feb. 18 1903): ‘‘In regard to your letter, will say, we use about one dozen or one and one-half dozen per week, just depends on the business, and will pay $3.50 per dozen delivered here at the hotel.’’ Fred Harvey, general office, Union Depot Annex, Kansas City, Missouri, Chicago office Cor. 17th street and Wentworth avenue. (Feb. 14, 1903): We can use 15 to 20 dozen squabs per week if the birds are very nice and the price reasonable. Can use them with feathers on. Do not know what we ean af- ford to pay, it depends entirely on the birds. If you will please send three dozen Squabs by Santa Fe baggage car to Kansas City, charging them at such a price that you can afford to furnish them, I will use them as a sample. If the birds are not of the right quality and the price is too high, we will not need any more, but if the birds and price are right, we can use quantity given above. I enclose baggage car shipping bill; be careful to fill it out correctly. This bill is made in duplicate: you hold one copy as your receipt and the other goes with the birds. Please put the squabs in a small box with a little LGC ean Hotel Savoy, Ewins-Childs Hotel Co., pro- prietors, Kansas City Missouri. (Feb. 16, 1903): ‘‘What is your lowest price on best Squabs in five dozen lots? We are not in the habit of scnding out of town for our sup- plies, but if you have something better than we can get here, it is possible that we can do business with you.’’ (Signed by George Thompson, steward). Frank FH. Miller, superintendent Dining Service, Missouri, Kansas & Texas Railway system, No. 707 Chestnut street, St. Louis, Missouri. (Feb. 16, 1903): “T have your favor relative to squabs. It is proper for you to state the price per dozen. We occupy eight or ten large dining stations and requiy~ a large number.’’ Hollenden Hotel, Cleveland, Ohio. (Feb. 19, 1903): ‘In reply to your ietter making in- quiry regarding squabs I will state that we are paying $3.00 per dozen for nice dressed squabs. We do not buy any unless they are fully dressed, no feathers on.’’ 152 Louis A. Fisher, Manager Century Club, Cleveland, Ohio. (Feb. 17, 1903): ‘“We buy all our squabs in New York as the prices of three and four dollars per dozen prevailing in this city are too high—that is, we buy cheaper in New York than here.’’ A. §. Barnett, steward Morton House, Grand Rapids, Michigan. (Feb. 11, 1903): “In reply to your inquiry in regard to what we would pay for squabs such as you have, we are paying $2.25 per dozen. Should you consider our price an object, would be pleased to learn how many you could fur- nish a week.’’ Hotel Schenlen, Pittsburg, Penn. (Feb. 10, 1903): ‘‘Your squabs must be according to the weight and you should find a ready mar- ket for such stock. Nice white squabs are bringing $3.50 today.’’ Hotel Rider, Cambridge Springs, Penn. (Feb. 11, 1908): ‘‘We can pay you $2.25 per dozen for genuine squabs (no pigeons) de- livered here. Can use six or eight dozen at a time, but we do not want anything but young birds.”’ E. A. Goodrich & Co., commission mer- chants, 103 South Water street, Chicago, Illinois. (Feb. 18, 1903): “Your favor at hand. If you mean fat young pigeons that have left the nest and can fly, they are worth 75 cents to $1 per dozen, and the trade wants them alive. (This -is the way the trade in Boston wants them, but they pay more). If you mean nestlings, or very young pigeons which have not left the nest and are unable to fly, we can get you $2 to $2.25 per dozen, dressed neatly. Hither kind is good sale at prices named and can handle for you NATIONAL STANDARD SOUAS BOOTS any quantity from five dozen to one hundred dozen. If nestling tie in one-half dozen bunches packed in ice and ship by express.’’ A FINAL WORD.—Our object in printing the letters from marketmen and other squab buyers, in this appendix, is to convince any intelligent man or woman that there is a market for him, provided he goes to raising Squabs, no matter where he lives. We have hundreds of similar letters on hand, but we have not room to print all, and we think we have printed enough. If you are not con- vinced by what we have printed that there is a paying market for squabs within five hundred miles of you, do not write to us and ask us to tell you the names and addresses of squab buyers in your town or city, or your county, for that we may not be able to do, but sit down at your writing desk, or go out in person, and find out for yourself. It is unnecessary to argue the squab mar- ket within anyone of common sense who lives east of the Mississippi and Missouri rivers, and on the Pacific coast, and within shipping distance of Denver. If you live in a barren territory or a foreign country, and wish to take up this subject with us, we will reply to the best of our ability, but remember that you are on the ground, and ean find out such facts for yourself better than we can tell you. This Manual is intended to te a book of facts, kacked up by evidence. If anybody has any additional facts as to squabs which will improve this Manual, we will be glad to cone sider same, cepted. and will pay for them if ace APPENDIX B (Copyright, 1906, by Elmer C. Rice) In 1907, we expect our trade to be even greater. In 1906, we sold more birds ard supplies than in any previous year. That our trade is larger than that of all others combined is not an idle boast, but is very much of a fact, due to this, namely, that we sell Homers which are larger, more prolific, and which breed larger squabs, than any others. This supremacy we intend to maintain. We offer additional proof in the following pages. For every letter which we print here, we have a dozen just as good, or better. The following letters, only a part of many received in nine months of 1906, are not from customers merely pleased by the fine appearance of the birds on al: but are accounts of breeding which has won success. There are some very strong letters here. All are worth reading for the practical information and news they give of the squab industry up to date. We do not print the names and addresses of these customers. Many are regular buyers of our birds. We guarantee the genuineness of the letters, and will prove it in any way desired. The originals are at our Boston office and may be seen there. We ask your trade for 1907 by deserving it. If anybody tries to make a sale to you by “‘ running down ”’ competitors, insist that he or them demon- ‘strate the worth of claims by furnishing proof in volume and character, con- cerning birds, matings and management, equal to the letters we print here and in our other publications. OUR LARGEST 1906 ORDER. In looking back over our year of business, 1906, we recall first an order from a customer whom we started in 1905, with 120 pairs Extra, for which he paid $300. We sent him 125 pairs, five pairs free. A year later we received the following telegram from him: *“* Wire bottom prices for one thousand pairs Extra, including two thousand nappies and date you ship.”’ We quoted him our regular price for Extras, the same to all, namely $1.70 per pair in large lots of 300 pairs and over. Our customer was a man of few words and knew what he wanted. Three days after sending us the above telegram he sent us the following letter: ‘“‘ Enclosed find draft for $2111.25 as payment in full for 1150 pairs Extra and supplies. I trust you will exert every care in interest of shipment. You will please hold the birds until May 10, as it will crowd me to get my quarters ready before that time.” We shipped 1200 pairs, giving the customer 50 pairs free. He lives in the West and the 153 birds had a long trip to reach him. We expect to sell him more yet, judging from his last letter. We will be pleased to show the cotrespondence at our Boston office. The point we wish to make is, that we are the only firm anywhere actually filling orders this size, or able to fill them, and that we earned the confidence of this customer by giving him his first lot of birds so good that he kept on trading with us. More 1906 experiences follow. STARTED WITH SIX PAIRS EXTRA AND IN TWO YEARS RAISED SIX HUNDRED AND THIRTY-SIX SQUABS. Nearly two years ago (in October, 1904), I purchased of your firm six pairs of your best Extra Homer pigeons, from which I have been breeding since, and it may be of interest to you to have some particulars as to results. I should pre- mise by saying that I was, at the time, a nov- ice pure and simple—as a matter of fact a lawyer by profession—and knew absolutely nothing of the care or culture of pigeonsy 1906 LETTERS FROM CUSTOMERS 1906 STORIES OF SUCCESS ON THIS PAGE ARE NEW. THEY WERE RECEIVED BY THE PLYMOUTH ROCK SQUAB COMPANY OF BOSTON IN NINE MONTHS OF 1906 However, study of your squab book, close and constant observation of the birds, their habits, etc., with the resultant experience, enable me to get along pretty well. aig Bee My pigeon house was not originally in- tended or constructed for that particular pur- pose, but had, hitherto, been used for a hen house. It is about 40 feet by 12 feet, with five windows. Along the whole of the west front and extending across the south end I built a fly 10 feet wide, 12 feet high and about 70 feet long. My flock has hatched, up to th3 time of writing this, six hundred and thirty- six squabs (636), without those consumed at my own table, but I contemplate marketing the squabs this fall as the overcrowding stage is rapidly approaching. If you can find time I shall be glad to hear whether or no, in your expert opinion and in the above circumstances, you think that I have been fairly successful. Although I feel reasonably satisfied with my progress, were I to start again, ab initzo, I think that I should do so with a complete flock of fully matured birds rather than waste the time consumed raising stock, by breeding, to a. business basis. Wishing you continued success.—W. C., Massachusetts. DOING GREAT WORK. The Homers which you sold me two years ago are doing great work. I am perfectly satisfied with them.—F. S., New York. TOOK FRIEND’S ADVICE. Enclosed find an order for birds and supplies with remit- tance. A friend here was much pleased with our birds from your lofts and decided to go into the business. We prevailed on him to order from you because we felt your birds were the best. He could have bought here in Illinois at a much cheaper rate but he took our advice. So we trust you will do well by him and trust you will send us another order blank like the one enclosed.—Mrs. K.., Illinois. MULTIPLIED SIX-FOLD. About two years ago next June, I bought of you 60 pairs of your Extra selected Homers and they were a very fine lot of birds, and I have raised a very fine lotofbirdsfromthem. I haveabout 400 birds now, and they are straight bai wing and mottle with the exception of about eight chocolate.-—A. C., New Jersey. GETTING THREE DOLLARS A DOZEN. Please send me your new literature on squabs. I bought 18 pairs of you in 1903 and now have a flock of 190 birds and am getting $3.00 for my squabs in St. Louis. If any one in this section writes to you for squabs you may refer them to me.—F. L., Missouri. NEIGHBOR PLEASED. Your favor of the 21st to hand, also price list of $1.70 for Extra Homers in 300-pair lots. Mr. J. A. Westen- dorf, of this city, purchased of you on a trial order five pairs of Extra. Why cannot you make me the $1.70 rate for 50, 100 or 200-pair lots? In going over my buildings I find that I cannot. accommodate 300 pairs so would not like to order that number for fear of being too crowded. Mr. Westendorf is pleased with his birds and if the birds you should send would be the equal of those I would be more than satisfied. —A.S., Missouri. ENTIRELY SATISFACTORY. Please send me the feeding slip that you have published as your daily feeding ration. The birds we got from you are entirely satisfactory.—J. D., Pennsylvania. RECOMMENDED BY ANOTHER. Will you kindly let me know how I can expect to receive birds ordered from you to be sent to the above address? I have been recom- mended to try your birds by Mr. R. Warner, ot 9 DuBois Avenue, and if you can guarantee safe shipment I will place an order with you as soon as I hear to this effect. And if they are aS you represent them, I shall be a regular customer of yours. If you will give me the desired information, you will greatly oblige.— G.S., New York. THIS SHOWS WHAT A CUSTOMER DID WITH TWELVE PAIRS OF OUR BIRDS. My Extra Plymouth Rock Homers have done finely. I sent to Boston $30 for 12 pairs. The birds arrived before I expected them and they all looked fine. I got my first egg March 21,1905. iraised all of my young to increase the flock for one year and found at the end of the year that I had 271 young birds; all seam- less banded, and as fine a lot as I ever have seen. This year I am selling squabs and mated pairs, raising my best young, and have already sold squabs and mated pairs which have to date netted me $60. I! have sold my squabs for $3 a dozen, and mated pairs for $2.50 a pair. I now (September 10, 1906), have 400 birds that I have raised. A good lot of them are worthy to be put in the show pen, and if they were they would be among the winners. en I went into the pigeon business I bought what I thought was the best stock to be obtained, namely, Extra Plymouth Rock Homers, and my flock shows that I did not go wrong, for every one that has seen my birds pronounces them the best lot they have ever seen together. My birds now are in the midst of moult, but most of them are breeding right along. These are strong letters. Read them over. You want some assurance, when you buy pigeons, that you will be treated right, as these customers were. 154 1906 LETTERS FROM CUSTOMERS 1906 STORIES OF SUCCESS ON THIS PAGE ARE NEW. THEY WERE RECEIVED BY THE PLYMOUTH ROCK SQUAB COMPANY OF BOSTON IN NINE MONTHS OF 1906. ————————————————————_—=_—_—=_———————————————————_—_—_———SS I now have 95 mated pairs at work and as soon as the moult is over [ shall begin mating again. By November I expect to have 50 pairs more mated and at work. I feed the best of grain, using cracked corn, katir corn, red wheat, buckwheat, a little hemp, and during the moult sunflower in the head, letting the birds pick cff the seed as they like. I use the self feeder Mr. Rice describes in his Manual and I[ find with it the feed is always clean. Inever feed on floor. I use automatic water fountains and scald them out every two or three days. I give the birds a good clean bath every day. I have trays to feed any dainty which I have, removing trays when seeds are eaten. One thing that is essential with pigeons is cleanliness. I clean loft every Saturday, cleaning out nests that have young, putting in new straw, and spraying over lofts with liquid disinfectant. have followed the instructions of Mr. Rice’s Manual and found it to be good solid advice. In the past 18 months I have been in a good many pigeon lofts and have seen exhibits at New York State Fair and Rochester, N. Y., Pigeon Shows, and never have seen any better birds than I have raised from the Extra Plymouth Rock Homers. lam perfectly satisfied with what my birds have done and when I buy more they will surely be Extra Plymouth Rocks. The feed bill will not exceed eighty-five - cents a year per breeding pair. I use tobacco stems for nesting material and like them. I shall always try and speak a good word for the Plymouth Rock Squab Company, for I have found them always ready to assist at any time.—W. R. R., New York. THEY HAVE NOT LOST A BIRD. I wrote to you some time ago in regard to the squabs we got from you in the month of May, or rather pigeons, 50 pairs, and have yet to lose sur first bird, which not only speaks well for your birds but it looks as if we are giving them the right attention. There is one thing we wrote to you about, those not working—but they are doing fine and, counting your birds, we have 100 pairs, besides we have sold some which were greatly admired. The hotel we take them: to in Washington gives seventy-five cents a pair all the year round dressed, the commission merchants never higher than 60 cents a pair—M. B., Maryland. MANUAL INDISPENSABLE TO SUCCESS. In regard to the National Squab Book which you publish, would ask if you ever revise it. The one I purchased of you in May, 1904, is all right and I could never have raised the number and quality of squabs I do without its guidance. Of course you are learning new points about your business and if you have a later edition than mine please let me know. The Homers have started in on their annual spring campaign and from all appearances they are going to outdo their former produc- tions. With best wishes for your continued success.—A. T., Ohio. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED TO HIM BY OTHER CUSTOMERS. Some time ago I wrote your company for their free book on squab raising. Later I sent for your National Standard Squab Book. Ihave read each one from start to finish and am well pleased with them. I have made up my mind to give the squab business a trial as I am quite sure that there is money in it, if properly conducted. I realize that to make a success of any business one must thoroughly understand it. As I have had no experience in this line I wish to start in with a small number and increase them as I grow to understand the business. My plan is to buy 12 pairs of the very best breeders that I can obtain and keep only the best of their increase for breeders till I get my flock to the desired size. Now, from reading your books and having you highly recom- mended to me by other parties, I have made up my mind that you can give me what I want in this line.—H. B., Illinois. FROM FOUR PAIRS TO THIRTY PAIRS IN NINE MONTHS. Nine months ago I bought of you four pairs of Extra Homers. I had to move them twice to make room. I have now 60 first-class Homers. I have had several chances to sell some of the squabs but I think too much of them. By studying your manual carefully I have not lost a bird. soe a friend of your Homers.—W. M., New ork. NO DISEASE. You no doubt have my name on your books as a purchaser of 10 pairs Extra, which I purchased of you last winter. I am still enthusiastic over the industry. I have all the original 11 pairs you sent me and 33 young, all the offspring of your birds, 55 birds in all. They are every one in finest condition, disease has never touched my flock. —J. P., Virginia. FIVE MONTHS IN CALIFORNIA. When I received those birds from you in March [ turned them into a pen and have been so taken up with other work that they have been left to themselves until now. At present I am taking all the working birds out and banding, and when they have young squabs I have Beware of anybody who tries to make a sale to you by running down the Plymouth Rock Squab Co. Insist that he show you letters like these in proof of his claims. 155 1906 LETTERS FROM CUSTOMERS 1906 STORIES OF SUCCESS ON THIS PAGE ARE NEW. THEY WERE RECEIVED BY THE PLYMOUTH ROCK SQUAB COMPANY OF BOSTON IN NINE MONTHS OF 1906. moved them also, putting them in a corres-. ponding section in the other pen, the arrange- ment of the pens being the same. I find that the old birds find their young and go right on keeping house just the same as before they were moved. At present I have 100 young birds, the oldest being less than five months and already at work. The squabs are fully developed and out of the nest at three weeks. I expect to have about 80 or 90 pair of birds at work about the first of November. Then I shall begin to ship.—E. R. C., California. GETTING ALONG IN VIRGINIA. Please ship by freight to us six drinking fountains and six bath pans. We got some birds of you last year. They have done very well. Thank you for the advice—P. N., Virginia. GENEROUS TREATMENT OF CUSTOM- ERS. Your letter of May 21 was most satis- factory and certainly very generous. I hope I made it very plain to you that you were not at all to blame for the loss of one of my pigeons. Your offer to replace it free of charge was quite in keeping with my impression as to your very generous treatment of your cus- tomers. I have at last found that the lost pigeon was a female and if you think a white pigeon would be well received by my colony of three checkered, I would like to have a white female Extra Homer pigeon. My piscens are in fine order and doing well.— Mrs. H. C., Georgia. LOST ONLY ONE SQUAB IN FIVE MONTHS. Five months since, come the 12th, I received of you, by express, 13 pairs of your Plymouth Rock Homers. Up to date I have lost but one squab (and I think he was killed by a dislocation of the neck), possibly 10 eggs, several by frost. I have 54 squabs, most of them able to take care of themselves, and seven pairs of eggs. Three pairs of young ones have hatched and begun to build their nests. Now I wish to ask you if you think they are doing well. Ido, and Iam proud of my intelligent birds. I am now preparing to remove all young ones from the pen except those that are mated and then as fast as the others mate, to do as you say, put them into the breeding pen. I shall also build on another unit to my breeding pen in a short time, as I figure on 110 birds in my present house. I wish I was financially able to put in a good plant as these birds have demonstrated their fecundity. I notice you say that there is little liability of nest-makers mating. I have not discovered any with the few I have. I have just gone through the nest boxes with whitewash containing a good per cent of carbolic acid and vitriol solution. I clean out houses often and so far have not had a sick bird. Occasionally I put ginger in the “drinking fount and I firmly believe it is by following your plain and definite instruction that they keep as well. I hope I am not trespassing on your valu- able time but cannot resist telling you how I am getting on with your stock—W. G. P., Wisconsin. CONVINCED AFTER TRIAL. I have de- layed in writing you as I wanted to see how the birds were going to turn out. Can say now, I am more than pleased with the birds. I have now 18 squabs and five pairs of eggs. Three squabs died and six eggs went to waste. That is all over with now. Don’t expect that to happen again. As far as I can see squab raising looks to be very simple and profitable. have a nice clean house and running water so the time spent is nothing. Enclosed you will find my check for 12 pair Extra more.—— J. S., Washington. GETTING FOUR DOLLARS A DOZEN FOR SQUABS. Please send me as speedily as possible 25 pairs of Extra Blue Homer Pigeons. Ihave now about 125 pairs of birds bred from the original 20 pairs I bought from you about 18 months ago and am selling squabs at $4.00 a dozen. I am building a coop 48 feet by 14 feet which will accom- modate about 600 birds and if successful will enlarge my plant shortly. ill you kindly supply me with the name of the large Commission house in New York mentioned in your circular? The_ original birds were bought from you in November -1904 and shipped to my partner in the busi- ness.—H. B., New Jersey. QUICK TIME. I have read a large num- ber of your testimonials, none like this how- ever. Now I wiil make an affidavit that I received the 38 pairs Saturday morning, put them in the pen by tena.m. I gave them a few tobacco stems from a crock on the floor in the corner. At! five p.m. a hen laid an egg. She laid her second egg to-day, Monday, and is now setting. Can any of your cus- tomers beat this?—S. H., Illinois. THINKS WE ARE TRUE BLUE. rand giving my pigeons occasionally lettuce or some raw cabbage, which they most heartily enjoy. Is this conduct prudent ? The last batch of birds you sent me ‘‘Extra selected”’ were magnificent. You people (The Ply- mouth Rock Squab Company) seem to be “true blue.” I like to deal with your kind; don’t find them all the time. Please answer Se ——————_——— Is there anybody in your town who has failed at squab raising? as they would with a new toy, then they give them up. with them and not with the pigeons. Some play at pigeons If they bought of us, the trouble is 156 1906 LETTERS FROM CUSTOMERS 1906 STORIES OF SUCCESS ON THIS PAGE ARE NEW. THEY WERE RECEIVED BY THE PLYMOUTH ROCK SQUAB COMPANY OF BOSTON IN NINE MONTHS OF 19096. the above and return to me. Yours well satisfied with your treatment.—O. J., Illinois. SUCCESS IN TEXAS. In October 1905 I purchased from you 25 pairs of birds and since that time I have had fair success in raising squabs. I have about 175 young birds on hand at present. They are all strong and healthy, having had the best of care, and a great many of them are mating now.—W. B., Texas. THANK YOU FOR YOUR LETTER. I received the birds all O.K. The last ones were every one all right, as were the first. A thousand thanks for your kind, courteous, and prompt treatment in all our business dealings and you will be sure to hear from us again. If our letter will help you any, you are perfectly welcome to use it. Thank you again.—J. C. H., Michigan. SELLING MANURE. Some time ago I bought 24 pairs Homer Pigeons from you. I have had fairly good luck with them, having increased my flock to about 200 pairs. I want to write you in regard the manure. You state in your National Standard Squab Book, that the Leather Trust used it for tanning purposes. Now I have considerable on hand and I wrote them. They said in teply, that they did not use it at all, which was a surprise to me as I have been careful in saving it.—W. H. H., Pennsylvania. Answer. The trust does usé pigeon manure or did, the last we knew. We shipped to one of the Lowell plants of the American Hide and Leather Co. for three years. Perhaps your letter was directed to one of the plants of the trust which does not use pigeon manure. We have printed so long the fact that pigeon manure is salable to tanneries of the trust that the New York office of the trust has been bombarded with pigeon manure letters for the last five years to such an extent that they are sick of the topic there and give an in- quirer poor satisfaction. For some time we have been selling our pigeon manure to leather men whose factories are within ten miles of our Melrose plant. Their teams call for it and take it away with very little trouble to us. We get sixty cents a bushel for it, same as usual. If any customer of ours wishes to ship manure to New Jersey or New York, we will help him to find a buyer there, as we have letters from tanneries in both States on file asking us to sell them “pigeon pure.” HIS FLOCK GROWING. About a year ago I bought some birds from you, some $2.00 per pair and some $2.50. My flock is growing and seems to be getting along pretty good, having now 180 birds—will soon have 200 birds. I thought I would try and sell some now. They are all good birds. I want to try and sell what I raise now and if possible make a business of the squabs if there is enough in it to warrant putting up more buildings and getting more stock. It costs me about $1.90 per week for feed for this amount. Am I feeding enough?— M. N., Massachusetts. BUILT NEW HOUSE. new house for my pigeons. I have built a Have increased - my flock from the original six pairs to 50, besides selling 30 pairs of squabs. Could IJ have done any better than that? Have been having some trouble bya few going light and have followed your advice and think have got the better of the difficulty. I lay the trouble to the poor quality of wheat they have been furnishing me. It seems to be all-shrunk up and they don’t eat half of it. —A. D. V., Pennsylvania. Answer. More pigeon troubles are caused by wheat, or too much of it, than almost any- thing else. Squabs which are thin and dark are caused by too much wheat in the ration. Pigeons fed on too much wheat get thin, with sharp breastbones, and will not lay as they ought to. A good ration of Canada peas and hempseed is necessary to bring eggs and keep the flock in condition. A pigeon will not thrive if not kept in condition by nourishing food. The results of too much wheat are loose droppings, stupid and non-productive birds. Pigeons should be active and eager. IN FINE CONDITION. My birds I bought a little over a year ago (12 pairs) are still doing fine; have sold several small lots of squabs. I have been following your manual’s instructions as close as possible. Ihave about sixty pairs. They are in fine condition and have lots of eggs and youngsters.—C. W. H.., North Carolina. SQUABS WEIGHING NEARLY A POUND APIECE WHEN ONLY THEREE WEEKS OLD. Please send me your price list on birds and supplies as I intend to get about ten more pairs of Extra Homers and want to get them of you. The birds I have now, which I got from you, are doing fine and I have doubled my flock. I could sell all the squabs I have but want them for breeders. Would you kindly advise me if oats are good for breeding pigeons if fed moderately. Also do you think it wise to sell my squabs when they are from two and one half to three weeks old, as some of them will weigh about fourteen ounces at that age.—A. P., Ohio. Look up the standing and character of the concern with which you contemplate dealing. Your bank will find out the facts for you. tion are worthless. Avoid advertisers whom you find out by investiga- Have their ratings looked up for you. 157 1906 LETTERS FROM CUSTOMERS STORIES OF SUCCESS ON THIS PAGE ARE NEW. 1906 THEY WERE RECEIVED BY THE PLYMOUTH ROCK SQUAB COMPANY OF BOSTON IN NINE MONTHS OF 1906. Answer. Pigeons do not care much for oats. Pigeons in the street eat them, as they eat peanuts or bread. Of course if you have oats handy and cheap, you can feed some, but pigeons will eat almost every other grain in preference. When squabs weigh 14 ounces they can be killed, no matter what their age. MOVE THEM AS YOU PROPOSE. Ihave pigeon breeders in unit numbers one and three. Squabs in unit number two, from one to three months old. I wish to put num- ber three with number one. Number three is breeding right along. Will it hurt to move nest, pigeons and squabs out of number three into unit number one? Will it damage eggs and squabs to do so? If rot I can move them through unit number two, as I can let number two in flying pen while I am moving number three. I shall want more pigeons by fall. I got 13 pairs from you last year, and I have 100 pairs in all now, so you see I have done well with them. I wish you would answer as soon as possible as I do not wish to molest them before I hear from you.—J. P. M., Michigan. Answer. Move them as you propose, putting the nests in the same relative posi- tions in the new nest-boxes. You will lose few, if any. INCREASED STOCK. In May, 1903, you sent C. I. Bruce forty (40) pairs of your igeons at $2.50 a pair, and in 1904, twelve 12) females. We have sold and increased stock since then by breeding, until, at present, we have about three hundred (300) birds.— Miss H. J., Connecticut. BEST HOMERS HE EVER SAW. You favor of the 12th June, answering my inquir ° ot the 9th June, was duly received. Thank for the information. I had fully intended t>d visit your plant, but, just as I am ready to start, my wife, who was to accompany me on a two weeks visit to the New England coast is taken sick. I have seen the birds which you sent to my neighbor, Mr. P. C. Evans, and they appear to ise all you claim for them, tie best specimens of Homers I have yet had the pleasure of seeing. If you can let me have a small lot of one- half dozen pairs, at same price as paid by Mr. Evans, you may enter my order for same, with dozen bowls, for early delivery. —G. W. G., Pennsylvania. FLOCK WENT TO WORK QUICKLY. Out of the seven pairs of Extra Homers you shipped me June 2, 1906, I have already (August 10) got twelve squabs. I am very much pleased over having such good success, but I have no way of marking them. You will please send me an outfit for marking them by mail. Send about what you think a beginner ought to have. As the business grows, will send you a larger order.—L. L., Nebraska. A WOMAN’S WORK. I have 90 pigeons on hand, bred from the 26 my husband bought of you a year ago last April.—Mrs. H. C., Illinois. STRICTLY ALL RIGHT. A friend of mine of this city recommended you to me as being strictly all right. I will thank you to send me your literature explaining the cost of starting a squab farm of about 250 pairs, raising and marketing same, as I contemplate going in that business. Thank you in ad- vance for any information that you may give me.—W. M. A., Alabama. RESULTS TELL THE STORY. As all of my birds secured from you in May this year have their second pairs of young ones and I think will continue to multiply as fast, will you kindly forward me a list of commission men as stated in your letter of recent date. Am perfectly satisfied with the results ob- tained from your birds. If you have any inquiries for birds in this locality I will be glad to attend to them for you.—J. L. T., Indiana. SIZE OF SQUABS A REVELATION. We are pleased to advise you that we ate our first squab from the lot of birds you shipped in May last Sunday and wish to state that the size of these squabs is a revelation to us, being almost twice as large as any we have ever been able to secure. The enclosed list will give you an idea as to their productiveness. I also would like to have you answer the questions contained therein.—H. B. R. Illinois. OUR BIRDS BETTER THAN WE CLAIM. My birds reached me in good order and was glad to see them when I got home from work safe and sound. I think the American Express Co. is about the best there is. Every- body that sees your birds say they are the finest they eversaw. I think when anybody is look- ing for good birds they don’t need to look any further than your place and I know they will go ahead of anv birds in this town for looks and flying. I think we wil! stay here till we get a good flock of birds then we will move outside of town. The next time I send for birds I will try and send you a bigger order. Your birds are better than you claim for them. Some of them have eggs before their young ones are two weeks old. They get so We were the first. widely imitated. you our birds. We have no agents. Our birds and methods revolutionized the squab industry and are But imitators who copy or find fault with our printed matter cannot give 158 1906 LETTERS FROM STORIES OF SUCCESS ON THIS PAGE ARE NEW. CUSTOMERS 1906 THEY WERE RECEIVED BY THE PLYMOUTH ROCK SQUAB COMPANY OF BOSTON IN NINE MONTHS OF 1906. big they just about can’t sit in the nest. I think if you would put an advertisement in some of the evening papers you would get some more trade. birds to everybody I know.—J. S., Wisconsin. COMPLIMENTED BY AN EXPERIENCED JUDGE. One of my hens made her nest and I thought she was ready to lay but she sat all one day and part of the next and did not, but had her mouth open panting and seemed very sick. I telephoned to Mr. M. to come and tell me what to do. When he came he held her in warm water for 15 minutes and then fast- ened her in her nest. In ten minutes she laid her egg and got all right. Mr. M. holds the world’s record for three hundred miljes and has some of the most val- uable birds in Chicago, and he said my birds were very fine, in fact he said he could have hardly told them from his own, they resembled them so much. When so good a judge will compliment them so highly I feel very proud of them.— A. B., Illinois. SQUABS WEIGHING ONE POUND AT TWO WEEKS. I thought you might like to hear from the birds you sent us a year ago. They have been working overtime since. We have 54 birds now with several nesting. Every one is a solid color the same as the old ones. The sauabs we have weighed have averaged a pound at three weeks old. One weighed a pound at two weeks. There is a party here getting birds of all kinds and colors and claims they are better than what we got for Extras on account of the bands.—J. W., South Dakota. Answer. It is quite common for parties selling poor Homers to put bands on their legs, some of them quite ornamental, in an endeav- or to enhance their value, same as putting a gaudy label on cheap goods. It is the pig- eons that count, not the bands. Bands are useful to number the birds, that is all. NO. 1 PLYMOUTH ROCKS ARE GOOD HOMERS. It will probably be fall before I get my house built and give you an order for more birds. If money is not too scarce the order will be for your best birds, for the No. 1 Plymouth Rocks are doing even better than the Manual claims them to. Your Extra birds must be wonderful wW. H. W., Massa- chusetts. WE “ SHOW THEM ” OUT IN MISSOURI. I received the grits and oyster shell all O. K. My birds jump on to the grits and hemp seed inahurry. They are doing well. I will have about sixty squabs this month and quite a I am advertising your - number mating this week. I had an order for 100 squabs this morning. It made me sick to think I could not fill it, but my time came aftera while. I will build another house soon and I want 100 more of your birds. Mr. Hall’s birds look well. They came through nice. He is well pleased and I think-he will order more. There are two more people talk- ing of going into the squab business. I will try to get an order for you.—J. W. H., Mis- souri. HAS NEVER SOLD ANY SQUABS LESS THAN NINE POUNDS TO THE DOZEN. About three years ago I purchased of you six pair of Homer pigeons for which I paid $2.50 per pair. My flock are all from the stock I bought of you and I have some nice birds. I have never sold any squabs under nine pounds to the dozen at four weeks old. I never sell my birds after they have left the nest for squabs. Will you send me your price list for grains, that is, Kaffir corn and red wheat. I would like the address of Boston dealers.— C. E. W., Rhode Island. LETTING BIRDS FLY. I would like to have your opinion and advice on a matter that is very important to me. I have a beautiful start with your birds, have followed your book exactly and the result has been very gratifying. Now what I want to do is to buy about three hundred more old birds from you and pen them. Will the young birds be as prolific, mate and hatch as well if properly fed, watered etc., exactly as my pens are, if I allow them to run loose on my farm? There is no danger of them being shot and I would much prefer allowing them the run of the farm. I have the buildings that I could convert into com- fortable houses at once, and I will appreciate your thoughtful opinion and advice in the matter for I know you are headquarters.— T. W., Tennessee. Answer. Birds which you raise you can let fly because they know no home but yours, but Homers which you buy you cannot let fly safely because they know another home (their old home) and their instinct and desire to go home may lead them to leave you. NEW JERSEY NEIGHBORS ALL AGREED. The six pairs of birds received from you the first day of May are still doing fine (July). One pair has her third pair of young at this writing—less than three months. The rest will hatch this week. Mr. Tevis (the neighbor I spoke to you about in a former letter) came over after me to see the birds that he had just received from you. They are fine birds and he is very much pleased with them and sorry that he did not take my advice and send The squab industry is growing every year. Prices were better and they are going to be as good or better in 1907. before. I : 4 t : squab eating is growing in every secticn. More squabs were bred in 1906 than ever The habit of 159 1906 LETTERS FROM oe CUSTOMERS 1906 STORIES OF SUCCESS ON THIS PAGE ARE NEW. THEY WERE RECEIVED BY THE PLYMOUTH ROCK SQUAB COMPANY OF BOSTON IN NINE MONTHS OF 1906. to you in the first place, but he bought about 60 pairs from a New Jersey dealer. He showed him a letter that was supposed to have come from a man that bought birds of you, saying that he didn’t want any more of them. But now he sees the difference when he has them side by side. Mr. Webster, my next door neighbor, is so well pleased with the way mine are doing that he is going to send for a few pairs this fall. I would if I could, and had the room. I now have 16 pairs of the Plymouth Rock birds. My pen is open to any one that wants to see the birds before they send to you for breeders. I thank you for the fine birds you sent to Mr. Tevis. It shows that I didn’t exaggerate your ability, to send six pairs or 100 pairs of fine birds.—D. C. T., New Jersey. FINEST FLOCK HE HAD EVER SEEN. A year ago to-day we received eighteen pairs of your Homers. Our flock now numbers nearly 100 pairs and all are doing fine. We have sold a few pairs at $1.25 per pair, and have had any amount of inquiries after squabs. We have had a number of fanciers up to look at the flock, and all seem to think they are an exceptionally fine lot of birds. One gentleman who keeps an excellent lot of imported birds said they were the finest flock - he had ever seen, which speaks well for your birds.—B. B., Michigan. BEST BIRDS IN HIS CITY. Find en- closed $16.34 for which to send me a dozen of your Homers, a dozen of nest bowls, and two feet of aluminum tubing. Would have liked to send an order sooner but had no place to keep them. My birds are doing fine. We have moved into a larger place where I can let my birds out in a wire cage. Your birds are the best I ever saw and the only ones I ever intend to keep. I have sold off all my young stock so I have more room for the others ——J. B. T., Wisconsin. SPLENDID WORK WITH SPLENDID BIRDS. I wish to advise you now (August, 1906) of the splendid luck I have had with the six pairs of birds purchased from you last May and which were received at my home on May 17. These birds,. within a week after arrival, commenced to construct their nests and, out of the six pairs, five began hatching within two weeks and every egg produced a squab. Two squabs weighed at the age of four weeks and two days, 16 ounces, after plucking, and the remainder weighed from eight to 12 ounces. The two squabs, weighing 16 ounces, were the largest I ever saw and I thought you would be interested in knowing the weights. On account of not having room for any more birds, I am killing the squabs as they mature but would have liked to have mated the two large squabs, as I believe that their offspring would have averaged 16 ounces each.—S. P. N., New Jersey. ; DOUBLED IN THREE MONTHS. En- closed find money order for $1.70 for which please send leg band outfit. The birds I bought of you in April are doing fine. They have doubled themselves.—W. A., Missouri. DOING WELL IN CANADA. Saw your advertisement in R. P. Journal, ‘““Squab book free.” Anything new in it? I have your book of 1904 with two dozen your Homers. They are doing fine. What would you sell me one dozen more?—P. I. B., Quebec. ORDERS FOR A FRIEND. I enclose you herewith a check for $30. Please ship to enclosed address 12 pairs of your Extra Plymouth Rock Homers. Be sure to send him some nice ones. Those we bought of you some time back are doing nicely and if these show up.as weil I think that I will be able to send you some more orders soon.—S. W. T., Georgia. HAS DEALT WITH THE FAKIRS. The pigeons that you shipped to us have arrived in fine condition and the best of health. We are shipping back to you, via American Express the wicker basket in which you sent our pigeons. Also our many thanks for the trouble you took in selecting the different colored pairs. I wish to say that the pigeons are beauti- fully mated, because one pair have started in business already, the hen having laid two eggs, and all the others have showed promis- ing signs of mating. After having dealt with poultry fakirs and receiving their treatment, I fully appreciate your kind treatment which is so unlike that of these fakirs, but your endeavors are not in vain, as I soon expect to order some more pairs. Your treatment has encouraged me. I have provided an excellent house and pen forthem. Thank you for your interest shown in this matter.—L. J. H., Illinois. IN THE BLUE GRASS STATE. Could you kindly tell me where I could get some white Homers? The Plymouth Rock Homers New laws passed a year ago by the legislatures of Massachusetts and New York forbid the sale of quail except in the months of November and December. The penalty is a heavy fine for every quail found in the hands of any marketman or restaurant keeper. Quail are no longer found on bills of fare in these two states except around Thanksgiving and Christmas. Squabs are on the bills of fare all the year everywhere. Other states, it is said by sportsmen, will follow Massachusetts and New York with a similar game law. 160 1906 LETTERS FROM STORIES OF SUCCESS ON THIS PAGE ARE NEW. CUSTOMERS 1906 THEY WERE RECEIVED BY THE PLYMOUTH ROCK SQUAB COMPANY OF BOSTON IN NINE MONTHS OF 1906. I got from you are doing fine.—R. L. J., Kentucky. HIS SECOND ORDER. Enclosed please find express money order for five dollars for which please send me three pairs of your No. 1 Plymouth Rocks at your earliest convenience. A previous order which I received from you has been doing fine.—J. E. D., Pennsylvania. PROLIFIC BIRDS. I purchased 12 pairs Homers of you about 18 months ago and they have done fine work for me. I have 50 pairs mated birds, saved the best ones and sold the second class.—J. A. D., Pennsylvania. SENT SISTER GOOD BIRDS. I enclose a money order for $17.88 for which please send three dozen nappies and six pairs blue checkers. You sent my sister such fine birds that I would like the order duplicated.—H. S. B., New York. RECOMMENDS OUR BIRDS TO EVERY- BODY. The birds arrived in good order and Iam pleased with them. I have 14 fine birds from the first ones I bought of you and I think the last four pairs will go to work soon. I recommend your birds to everybody.—J. M. M., Philadelphia. HE KNOWS OUR TEACHINGS ARE RIGHT. I have read your Manual carefully, “studied every point as I went, because I wanted to impress it on my mind. I have feund in my own experience that pigeons do just as your Manual says. Your book is worth two or three dollars instead of 50 cents. I want to thank you for the favor you did at finding the weight and charges of some things for me. Would you kindly tell me what would be the cost of freight charges on one hundred, two hundred and three hundred pounds of grain?—G. A. S., Georgia. FIVE DOLLARS A PAIR WOULD NOT BUY HIS. Birds came Friday at noon, and accept many thanks for the fine birds you sent to me. My friend says $5.00 per pair would not buy his —J. P. B., Georgia. PLEASANT BUSINESS FOR A WOMAN. You will possibly remember that a year ago last April I bought from you twenty-five pairs of your Extra Homers. I now have some eighty pairs in my house and have used something like two hundred squabs. My birds have done well and I have lost only one of my original stock. : I am thoroughly convinced that there is money raising squabs and it is a very pleasant business for a woman, requiring only a little time each day to attend to them and one soon becomes very much attached to them—Mrs. M. L., Kentucky. GENEROUS TREATMENT. The pigeon that 1 wrote you about a few days ago has died. I think it must have been injured in shipping. It was a female. I think your promise to send another a very generous one, and I would appreciate it very much. In about two or three months I expect to order more birds of you. The others are doing excellently.—A. H. B., Massachusetts. TRADE BEGETS TRADE. I have been instrumental in making some sales of pigeons for you. Atleast I have recommended you to several people who said they would buy of you. Did a doctor of Fairhope buy a lot of pigeons of you? He came over here to see me about what I thought of the business and I recommended you to him strongly. I just sold 30 pair of my pigeons to Dr. O. F. Caw- thon and E. J. Buck and I reeommended them to buy 10 or 12 pairs of you. I will continue to advertise you all I can. Later on I want to rearrange my house and build up a big place and I will send to you for what I need. —M. O., Alabama. GOOD INCREASE IN SIX MONTHS. Yesterday I wrote you for the Manual or National Standard Squab Book, but I forgot to tell you of some of your birds I have seen. Last August or September a doctor friend of mine in Brunswick bought of you six pairs of Homers. In two or three weeks they began to lay and hatch. He sold four or five pairs at $1.00 to $2.00 a pair. He has now between seventy and eighty total. They are beauties and if mine are as pretty and do as well I don’t think I will be disappointed. Please send Manual as quick as possible —G. S., Georgia. GOOD RECORD FOR FIRST MONTH. I deem it will be gratifying if you know how the 13 pair of Homers I received from you on May 3d are doing. - There has not been a sick one in the lot and they are very much admired by all who see them, and are pronounced first-class Extra stock. They are contented and very busy all the time. Eight pairs are breeding now, with three nests each having a pair of nice healthy squabs. I think this a splendid record for the first month in a new home,—S, H. W., Penn- sylvania. LOST HIS TEXT BOOK. Please find en- closed 50 cents, and send me another Nat- ional Standard Squab Book. I have mis- Remember, these are stories told in 1906, by customers who are really raising squabs with our birds and not merely talking about what they are going to do. satisfactory results day after day. 161 They are getting 1906 LETTERS FROM CUSTOMERS STORIES OF SUCCESS ON THIS PAGE ARE NEW. 1906 THEY WERE RECEIVED BY THE PLYMOUTH ROCK SQUAB COMPANY OF BOSTON IN NINE MONTHS OF 1906. placed my other one and can’t find it. My birds are ‘doing well. i have had 15 pairs of young birds since I had them. I sold one pair of old white birds for three dollars to a bird store.—H. K., Missouri. ATTRACTING ATTENTION. Please to send some literature to address of gentleman enclosed, descriptive of the squab business, and give him prices on same. I have been talking with him in regard to the business and as he has a couple of farms over in Michigan, I have no doubt but what he will make an investment. The pigeons that I purchased of you last spring are doing very nicely. Our pen is attracting considerable attention. We have about 75 in it now and we are about to build larger accommodations.—T. T., Illinois. ENLARGING PLANT. Will you kindly advise the address of party who purchases pigeon manure? My birds are getting along very nicely. Intend putting up a large house for them in the near future and will write you later regard- ing wire for flies. —B. T., New York. SWAMPED WITH SQUAB ORDERS. It is impossible for me to fill the orders that I have for squabs. Iam sending you an order. Please get them out as soon as possible. When I receive them, I will order another dozen Extras. I now have about 350 pair of breeders. They are doing fine— H. S., Louisiana. SATISFIED WITH ALL. I received the two baskets containing 36 birds on Thursday. Pardon delay in not answering sooner, as I was out of town. I am perfectly satisfied with all the birds I bought of you and hope to be able in the future to secure more. Am shipping the two baskets this morning by National express, homeward bound.—J. W., New York. GOOD REPORT. Please find enclosed a money order for which please ship me 12 pair pigeons as I saw some birds which you shipped to Mr. Walter of this town. I received a booklet from your firm some time ago but did not order birds until I saw Mr. Walter report on his. I decided to give you an order if you can send me mixed colors. Ship via Adams express. Wishing you success.—L. IDS Pennsylvania. ONE YEAR’S GOOD TRIAL. Qucte me prices on your No. 1 Homers. Those J bought of you one year ago are doing nicely. —C. M. R., Pennsylvania. THIS LETTER WAS WRITTEN BY ONE OF OUR CUSTOMERS TO HIS FRIEND IN A NEIGHBORING TOWN. I am pleased to know that you are getting along so nicely with your squab house. Wish you could see the last consignment of birds I received from the Plymouth Rock Squab Co. of Boston. They are beauties, and they commenced building their nests the second day after they arrived. I have no idea where you are going to purchase your birds but I certainly think you will make no mistake if you get them from Mr. Rice, for the ones he sent me are the finest I ever saw. I am confident if you buy your birds of Mr. Rice he will use you right for he has done the right thing by me.—F. B., New York. WANTS 500 PAIRS IN THE SPRING. My pigeons are doing very well but they are shedding a great many feathers. I want to make arrangements early in the spring for 500 pairs of your best stock, but before build- ing my houses I want to take a trip to Melrose and look your plant over, in order to get all the ideas about construction, maintenance, etc. I enclose separate slip with a few questions that I would like to have ee answer if it is not too much trouble.—J. W., North Carolina. LOST ONLY ONE BIRD, AND THAT BY ACCIDENT. I recently bought a few pairs of birds that you sold to a gentleman in this city about March Ist. He was moving to St. Louis and had to dispose of the birds. With what I got from you and the seven pairs I bought from him J now have 65 birds. Have never lost but one bird and that was my own fault for I was experimenting on it and accident- ally killed it. Ihave a market in St. Louis for all I can ship at $4.00 per dozen. If not ask- ing too much would you kindly give me the address of a couple of Chicago and New York commission men that handle squabs.—W. E. T., Missouri. STARTED WELL. I write you in regard to the pigeons you will remember we bought of you (24 pairs) about two years ago this month. Our Homers have done very nicely. I have about 200 pairs. We sold 40 pairs last year. We have quite a nice little plant started —A. C., Wisconsin. DOING WELL, GOING TO BUILD. Please send me a plan for your multiple unit house. My pigeons are doing fine —D. B., Illinois. STARTED IN TO MAKE REFORMS. Please find enclosed check for nine dollars Somebody handling the small, stunted Homers may tell you that eight pounds to the dozen is good weight for squabs and that squabs are not bred to weigh more from Homers. That is true, from his Homers. Piymouth Rock Homer squabs. In these pages you will find that eight pounds is low for 162 1906 LETTERS FROM STORIES OF SUCCESS ON THIS PAGE ARE NEW. CUSTOMERS 1906 THEY WERE RECEIVED BY THE PLYMOUTH ROCK SQUAB COMPANY OF BOSTON IN NINE MONTHS OF 1906. tor which kindly send us one dozen drinking fountains. We would like you to get these off as soon as possible. I was very much pleased with my visit to your plant at Melrose which I made yesterday, especially with your facilities for mating birds up. Got some new ideas along with a lot of good advice from your superintendent, and to-day have started in to make a few new reforms here.—T. H. D., Connecticut. KNOWS PLYMOUTH ROCKS BY EX- PERIENCE. I saw your advertisement of Homer Pigeons in a magazine. I would like very much for your company to send me one of your catalogues. and how much you charge for Homers a pair. I know from experience that a Plymouth Rock Homer is a good breeder. A friend of mine got some from your people a short time ago, but I did not inquire as to the price of them. In answer to letter from you, I will send for some, and if they are satisfactory, I will be glad to get more, as I am a great pigeon fancier.—W. A., Illinois. ONE YEAR’S SATISFACTION. Send one bushel of Kaffir corn and one bushel of Canada peastome. It may interest you to know that the birds I bought from you a year ago are in every way satisfactory. I have doubled the number of workers in that time and have had all I wanted for my own table, and sold quite a number.—J. B. H., Massachusetts. SOME WEIGH 14 OUNCES WHEN 15 DAYS OLD. I received your pigeons in May when I was in Longueuil. They have done well, as I have had some which weigh 14 ounces at 15 days old. What do you think of a mirror in my squab house? I will be very pleased to receive all your advertising booklets —G. C., Canada. SUNFLOWER SEEDS ARE GOOD. Your book doesn’t say anything about feeding pigeons sunflower seeds. Will they eat them or isn’t it good for them to have them? Please let me know. The pigeons I got from you are doing pretty well, | think. I may get more next year.—B. J., Vermont. Answer. Sunflower seeds are a good pigeon food and are used by many of our customers. They are rich and oily and should not be fed in excess, but as a dainty. A good way to feed them is to throw the whole head in front of the birds and let them pick out the seeds themselves with their bills. BREED WELL IN CALIFORNIA. En- closed find money order for 40 cents for which kindly send me two feet of your aluminum tubing for bands. Also send one of your price lists, as mine has been mislaid. Twenty-four pairs of Homers purchased of you one year ago are doing fine. Flock now numbers 150.—W. J. M., California. CONTINUOUS SATISFACTION. Enclosed find check which is to cover enclosed order. All the birds which you have sent me so far are very satisfactory.—G. S., New York. FINEST BIRDS AROUND. Your birds I bought of you a year ago are going fine—the finest birds around, so my friends say.—Mrs. 5 Jo Mle, Massachusetts. HOTEL KEEPER RAISING HIS TABLE SQUABS. Am very glad to know that you were pleased with our menus and will con- tinue mailing them to you from time to time if you do not object. I hope that the temp- tation will be strong enough to cause you to come to our city and look over our squab farm. I have been quite successful and have a fine lot of birds. It is more than likely, however, that I shall want some additional birds in the very near future. I would like a few show Homers, Dragoons and Runts’ For squab raising purposes, I could not ask anything better than I now have. Will mail you an order for supplies in a few days.—W. S., Georgia. BEAUTIFUL, HEALTHY BIRDS. Will you please quote me the price of your wicker shipping baskets, size for 12 pairs, or kindly forward me the address of the manufacturers of same. Also state in your letter if the drop- pings must be entirely free from straw and feathers, or reasonably so, to satisfy the pur- chasers at the tanneries. The six pairs I pur- chased of you two years ago have increased to 150 or 170, besides what I have killed, and the stock has proven entirely satisfactory in every way. I have taken pains to follow your instructions to the letter so now I have the above number of beautiful, healthy birds.— W. H. Y., New York. Answer. It is impossible to get all straw and feathers entirely out of the manure. Sweep out what you can with a broom before cleaning the squab-house. The leather peo- ple do not care if some straw and feathers get in but they do not want gravel and tobacco stems. The latter discolor and stain when wet. BIRDS THAT FLY AWAY. On about April 20, 1905, we bought of you six Plymouth Rock Homer pigeons. Since then they have For six years we have had a complete monopoly of the fine trade of the United States. We sell more Homers every year than all other firms and breeders combined. is that our birds demonstrate their value and make friends wherever they go. we intend to maintain. The reason for this This supremacy 3 1906 LETTERS FROM CUSTOMERS STORIES OF SUCCESS ON THIS PAGE ARE NEW. 1906 THEY WERE RECEIVED BY THE PLYMOUTH ROCK SQUAB COMPANY OF BOSTON IN NINE MONTHS OF 1906. done exceedingly well, and we have got a pretty good start in pigeons now, but what I write you to-day for is this.» This morning at 9 o’clock one of the birds we got of you got out of the flying pen. She flew into the air and started for Boston. This was a brown bird, and we thought she might arrive at her destination, so I wish you to keep a lookout for her and see if you can tell if she gets there. If she does arrive, would you mind letting me know? I am anxious to know if she gets there. This was a female bird and she left a young bird about a week old in the nest.— RO, lowa- Answer. No Homer would fly that dis- tance. We receive many letters like the above. Customers should watch the doors of squab-house and pens and not let their birds get away. LARGE, HEAVY AND FULL-BREASTED. Enclosed find money order for one more dozen pairs of your Extra Plymouth Rock Homers. I did not rush a letter down to you the same afternoon I received the other birds for the reason that I wanted to try them out first. The dozen pair of Plymouth Rocks, on their arrival weighed exactly 22 pounds, while a few days later I received another dozen pair from another company and they weighed only 17 pounds. They were not full-breasted like your birds. I received first shipment on the 2nd of March. They are now working like good fellows. Have three nests with eggs in. You will hear from me occasionally with further orders —A. P. S., Michigan. WANTS TO BUY SOME GOOD ONES. Kindly send your catalogue and any other printed matter you have about pigeons. An acquaintance wants to buy some good birds and he is going to look at my lot that I received last Thursday. I feel sure I can land him as a customer for you.—H. D. C., Pennsylvania. GOING SLOWLY. Please send free book, “How to Make Money with Squabs.’” The birds bought of you are doing well now and some of their young are hatching. Have enough now to ship a dozen a month now.— W. M., Maryland. JUST THE BIRDS. I thought I would let you know how my birds are getting along. They arrived on Tuesday, May Ist, as I wrote you. Thursday of the same week one pair had commenced to build. At this writing four pairs have eggs. The others are build- ing. That is what I call going right to work. I am very much pleased with them. There was a party here this morning looking at them. He talks of putting in one hundred pair, and says they are just the birds that he wants. He is coming up to see your plant. Of course I showed him my birds and told him just what they were doing and where they came from so I think he will be a cus- tomer for you. Ishall advertise the Plymouth Rock birds wherever I have a chance. Thank you for your kindness.—J. C., New Jersey. SQUABS WEIGHING ONE POUND APIECE WHEN ONE MONTH OLD. I received my pigeons from you April 20, 1905. I have one pair that has hatched eleven (11) times up to the 22nd day of April, 1906, so you can see that they have had fairly good care. I now have 110 birds and am getting them fast now and will commence shipping when I get 70 or 80-pairs. I have weighed a number of birds four weeks old that weighed 16 ounces and I think that is very good.—L. F., Iowa. QUICKLY AT WORK. Please pardon my delay in acknowledging the receipt (right side up) of the pigeons you shipped to me at Harpers Ferry, W. Va., which place I left before the shipment arrived. My wife informed me that they were all in good shape and the finest specimens she ever saw. Also thought they had returned the baskets to you. As soon as I go home, which will be in a few days, will send you another order. My wife’s third letter tells me that 16 pairs out of the 18 have gone to setting. Don’t think you can beat that at home. We have everything good to feed them, peas, kaffir corn, wheat and millet, and we intend to make a success of the business.—W. S., Virginia. SQUABS HAVE AVERAGED ONE POUND APIECE. Enclosed please find certified check for $173.98 for which kindly send me birds and supplies as enclosed. Kindly send the shipment of birds as soon as possible as I would like to receive them before Tuesday. All my birds are doing nicely. My squabs, under your system of feeding, have averaged a pound apiece and I expect from the present outlook of things to make them average a good deal more.—E. H. M., Pennsylvania. THIS WOMAN IN BRITISH COLUMBIA KNOWS WHAT A FINE HOMER IS. A week ago I wrote you complaining of non- acknowledgment of my remittance sent in with my order. As I was beginning to wonder if it had miscarried, I am pleased to be able to inform you that I received the best possible answer to my letter in arrival of . the birds I ordered from you. They arrived The equipment at our farm for mating birds cost $2000 and no expense was spared to make it perfect. A thousand mating coops are in constant use. The principal mating house is heated by hot water so as to get the best and quickest results in the cold months. 164 . 1906 LETTERS FROM CUSTOMERS 1906 STORIES OF SUCCESS ON THIS PAGE ARE NEW. THEY WERE RECEIVED BY THE PLYMOUTH ROCK SQUAB COMPANY OF BOSTON IN NINE MONTHS OF 1906. about the same time as your letter (May Ist). All of them are in first-class condition and I am very pleased with them, as I consider that they are a fine lot of birds, and I think I know what a fine Homer is when I see it, as my father and brothers have bred and sold trained flying Homers for years in Lancashire, England, some of them worth twenty-five dollars a pair. Although I never heard of squab raising before I came to Canada three years ago, when I first saw your book adver- tised in Munsey’s I thought it was some kind of game bird reared in captivity. and sent for your book more out_of curiosity than any- thing else. I think I shall like the business very much and shall probably be sending another order in a month or two when I see how I go on with the birds I have got. Thank you very much for the two pairs extra you sent, also nest bowls. They were a very agreeable surprise to me as I did not expect anything like that on such a small order. The express charges were six dollars, and 25 cents duty on nest bowls. If you would write me from time to time giving me your prices I shall be much obliged.—Mrs A. R., Canada. SQUABS WEIGHING FROM 13 TO 16 OUNCES. Please send me at your earliest convenience the names of reliable merchants to whom I can ship squabs, in New York. The 80 pairs I bought of you last fall are doing well. I sold squabs that weighed from 13 ounces to almost one pound apiece. I have over 100 pairs of young ones that I am sav- ing for stock.—H. J., Ohio. WORTH THEIR PRICE. Sore time ago I sent you an order for three pairs No. 1 and three pairs Extra Homers, stating that I wished to compare with Homers a friend of mine was ordering at a very much_ lower figure. In a word, after due comparison, I order six more pairs Extras. Please send me fine birds.—C. J., Illinois. SQUABS WEIGHING 16 TO 17 OUNCES EACH. Please find enclosed remittance for which send me 12 pairs and supplies noted. The dozen pairs you sent me started in to do business last month, having been moulting up to that time. The first two pairs squabs hatched, at one month old, weighed one pound each, with one that was 17 ounces. That is very good, is it not? I am well pleased with them. Make this dozen as good and I shall be more pleased.—C. B. G., Connecticut. HIS FOURTH ORDER. Enclosed you will please find money order for which you will please send me as soon as possible one dozen Our whole time and energies are given to squabs. ¢ handled—promptly, courteously and thoroughly, with every detail attended to. It is a business with us, pushed steadily every day in the year except Sun- answered at once. _and long-necked. pairs Extra bred Homers (fourth order.)—L C., Louisiana. SUPERIOR IN LOOKS AND WORKS. The birds (60 pairs) arrived on the late train from St. Paul on Sunday night last, and remained in the depot here until early on the following morning when we took them home. Outside of the injured ones mentioned, I will say that the birds arrived in perfect condition and are fully up to what we expected them to be. They are now “at home ”’ and present a beautiful appearance. The birds which you sent me last November (nine months ago) are entirely satisfactory. and ‘“ out-class’”’ any I received from the— or those which my friend here received from the same people. Mine are plump, his are “‘ cranish,”’ long-legged I would not keep that kind of birds. My friend has not accommodations for pigeons, and wanted to sell out. A doctor who for several years rented offices in my law office building here, looked them over with the view of purchasing the outfit, and I advised him to do so, to get a start in the business. He visited my lofts, and saw my birds, wanted to buy some from me, and after he saw mine, he would not buy of my friend. I gave him your address, but have not seen him since, and do not know whether he has made a pur- chase or not. I have none to sell at this time as we are trying to increase the flock to at least 1200, for which we have ample accommo- dations, then we will begin to sell. There is no mistake in saying that the birds which I received from you, out-class those which the— have sent here. If your Mr. Rice should ever come to this country I would be pleased to have him stay with me and look over the “‘ greatest ’’ farming coun- try on earth. My elder boy (17 years of age) visited the great Minnesota State Fair. Saw Dan Patch break his record, reducing it to 1.55 flat. He looked the pigeons over as a matter of course, and he tells me that he could find no Homers there which compared with ours. He intends to exhibit some at the fair next fall—H. M., Minnesota. MADE A SUCCESS AND GOING AHEAD ON A BIG PLANT. I havea party that wants to go into the squab business with me, and it is possible that I will call on you during Nov- ember for 2000 breeders. I have done very well with the 800 I have, encouraging enough to put in quite an extensive plant. I would like to have your personal opinion. as to whether 2000 birds will do as well in 20 units of 100 birds each with one fly 12x48x200 as they would in 20 units with 20 flies 10x12x48. On We handle trade as it ought to be Letters are days and holidays, and not a side issue or an amusement, : 165 1906 LETTERS FROM CUSTOMERS 1906 STORIES OF SUCCESS ON THIS PAGE ARE NEW. THEY WERE RECEIVED BY THE PLYMOUTH ROCK SQUAB COMPANY OF BOSTON IN NINE MONTHS OF 1906. account of labor I would prefer the one large fly, but I want no experiments and leave the matter with you. I can get $4.00 per dozen for a large portion of my squabs, and would like to have an opinion as to what 5000 of your breeders would net us yearly when we taise our own feed on the farm. WE SUPPLY HENS TO THOSE WHO NEED THEM. After recommending your firm to A. F. Kennelley of this city and he being a purchaser from you recently, I find that he is well pleased with treatment accord- ed him. Enclosed please find $5.00 for five female birds to be used as breeders. I bought some birds from a friend of mine and he had five odd cocks which I want to mate up. You will forward these by first express to my address.—H. E. W., Ohio., BEST BIRDS HE EVER SAW. The Homers ordered from you reached me in due time and in excellent condition. They certainly are the finest birds I ever saw. I[ teally believe they are a finer lot than the first consignment, if that be possible. The second day after their arrival they commenced building their nests, which I imagine is a pretty good record. Some of my friends have secured birds from other parties and although I have not seen their birds, I am confident they can’t tell me that they have a finer lot than mine. If I have an opportunity of securing you any customers I shall be only too glad to do so.—B. Y., New York. BEST HOMERS IN CALIFORNIA. Birds received in Al condition. Your birds have stirred up quite some interest here and what I hear from people who know is that your birds are the best in the colony. As it is I am well pleased with the bunch. I have a house 12x32 feet divided into four pens 8x9 feet with.a three-foot passage running the length and everything up to date. That also has opened their eyes in the building and arrange- ments in an up-to-date squab house. I have had the birds less than a week and am pretty well advertised already. The market here is strong at $3.00 to $3.50 and the demand far exceeds the supply.—C. H., California. SOLD YOUNGSTERS FOR $2 A PAIR IN KANSAS. Enclosed find remittance for one leg band outht. My pigeons have been doing fine, and are keeping busy allthe time. Have sold off the young pigeons at eight weeks old for $2.00 per pair. What is the difference in Canada peas and the peas we raise here? Will the pommen peas do to feed to the pigeons ’—G. W. S., Kansas. LATEST NEWS FROM THE NEW YORK MARKET; HIGH PRICES WHICH ARE GOING HIGHER BECAUSE OF THE NEW LAW FORBIDDING ENTIRELY THE SALE OF QUAIL EXCEPT IN NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER. I take the liberty of asking you for a little more advice for the birds I bought from you last November. Of sick- ness I have not seen any sign cf it. I lost only two of them, one of apoplexy I think, because it fell like shot dead, the other one died of diarrhcea. Of the young squabs, the cas- ualties have been a little higher, but out of 50 I did not lose more than _ six, or 12 per 100. Now I wish you would give me your opinion how I have progressed, if I am on the regular average or if I am under it. The prices for squabs on the New York market have been very high all winter—have reached as high as $6.50 a dozen for squabs of over 10 pound a dozen, and $4.50 for birds of near eight pound or so. Of course private trade is better and I have heen able to sell squabs for 50 cents apiece easily. I have a set of birds that give me three eggs and have hatched them successfully with three days late for the extra one. Does that happen often?—H. G., New York. WILL NOT BUY ANY H@MERS BUT PLYMOUTH ROCKS. Last May I ordered from you twelve Plymouth Rock Homers.. They arrived on the eighth of May and on the twelfth of the same month the first egg was laid. Five pairs of them went to work almost immediately and have been at work ever since. I raised the squabs during the summer. I have now 13 pairs of mature pigeons. Twelve pairs work constantly and I am: very much pleased with them and want to thank you for them and as you are so kind as to offer to answer questions and to help we people who do not know alli about raising squabs I shall be so much obliged if you will give me a little help. My present ambition is to increase my plant. I want to buy some Extras from you as soon as I can raise the capital. I can buy Homers nearer home but yours have done so well for me that whatever new stock I get I would like to get from you. You say in*your book that you will give your patrons the address of a good New York buyer. Will you please send me the address?—C. O., New Jersey. BRANCHING OUT. Please quote me your best figures on the following: Homer pigeons in pairs ready to go to work in lots of 20, 50 and 100 pair lots. Hempseed in bushel lots. Health grit in 100 pound lots. I have your prices of last year but presume there are some changes. I purchased 12 pairs of Homers from you last spring and they raised me about These are strong letters. Read them over. You want some assurance, when you buy pigeons, that you will be treated right, as these customers were. 166 12906 LETTERS FROM CUSTOMERS 1906 STORIES OF SUCCESS ON THIS PAGE ARE NEW. THEY WERE RECEIVED BY THE PLYMOUTH ROCK SQUAB COMPANY OF BOSTON IN NINE MONTHS OF 1906. a 60 young ones by the first of November.— R. W. H., lowa. . BLOOD AND HIGH BREEDING COUNT. Enclosed find draft for which you will send by Pacific express, Extra Homers, as per memorandum. Several weeks ago I ordered 15 pairs of -—. When the birds came I did not think they were much more than common birds. A friend in our town wanted somie breeders and I got him to try your birds. They came last night. There is a big differ- ence between the birds. My first birds do not show any white on bill to amount to any- thing and they are most all white or very light color. Yours show their high breeding. Blood tells, when you put them together. I[ sold mine at half price to-day to get shut of them. What I want is blooded stock or nothing. Please send me a good collection of assorted colors, blues, reds and checkers. I ordered one of your squab books some time ago and I think it the best I ever read on pigeons.—]J. A., Missouri. TRIFLING DEATH LOSSES. In January of this year I purchased 12 pairs of your Extras. They are now (April) in fine condi- tion and have hatched out 24 young ones, 22 of which are living and doing fine-—W. J., Massachusetts. SEVEN PAIRS WORTH $25, THIS ARKANSAS CUSTOMER THINKS. Writing you a few lines to let you know that I got the pigeons all O.K. They were all well. I got them two weeks to-day and out of the seven pairs, four pairs of them have built and are setting on eggs already. I would have written you sooner but wanted to see what they were going to do. I would not take $25 for the seven pairs. Sending the basket back this evening with the letter. You can put this letter on your list. I think it is the only one from Arkansas.—C. W., Arkansas. GOOD SHOWING AFTER THEIR 3000- MILE JOURNEY. Enclosed please find Wells Fargo Express money order for $1.70 for which please send me by mail post paid, one leg band outfit at your very earliest convenience. My birds received from you March 17 are doing fine. They got right to work and one month from the day I received them I had three pairs of squabs hatch. Since then one more pair has hatched and two more pairs are setting and two pairs building. I think that is a pretty good showing in six weeks for 10 pairs after travelling 3000 miles. I lost one hen. She got sick and I could not find what was the trouble. She did not have diarrhea, but just seemed to droop and die. The remainder of them are as fine as could be. Will you please quote me prices on nine pair Extra Homers to be delivered in June or July. Cannot tell yet just when I will be ready for them, but either June or July sure. Best wishes for your continued success.—E. a California. ARKANSAS CUSTOMER IS PLEASED WITH SQUARENESS. I received your Man- ual a day after I wrote that letter, and I received another one. I have sold both of them, and find enclosed $1.00 to pay for your extra one and another one for myself. You people treated me so well I won’t buy any Homers from anybody else. I was surprised at your squareness and have told every one about it and got them all a-going in the right direction. I was very, very much pleased with your Manual.—G. R., Arkansas. HIS MONEY TALKS FOR HIM. Last August I purchased 124 pairs of your Extras and am now in the market for about 375 pairs more. Iam also in need of some extra hens of the same quality. Can you supply same? Also let me know if you can furnish these birds in pairs in the following colors: blues, blue checkers and red checkers in any number I may desire. Please state your very lowest price on above number of pairs. Let me hear from you by return mail, as I am in a great rush for the birds.—S. T., Indiana. CANNOT SAY TOO MUCH IN PRAISE OF OUR HEALTH GRIT. Enclosed find $2.00 for 100 pounds of health grit. I find this grit the best on the market for pigeons. I cannot say too much for it as it keeps the pigeons in fine health. Although the price is high I would never be without it. I have quite a few people that want to get this grit from me. Can you let me have it cheaper, so that I can make something out of it? Answer and let me know.—R. O., New Jersey. BIG SQUAB FARM WHOSE OWNER BOUGHT HIS BREEDERS OF US. I visited a squab farm last Sunday and before I left found that the owner bought his breeders of your company, five hundred pairs. He has 1100 pairs at present and is making a fortune. After seeing this farm I was more than con- vinced that the Plymouth Rock Squab Co. is O. K. If I get as good a lot of birds as he has I certainly will be pleased. I am sorry that I did not figure on handling more birds than I did. Have built house to accommodate 100 birds. Enciosed find stamps for which please send plans and specifications for squab houses. No doubt you will receive a larger order from me in a short time. Will notify you in a few days when to ship birds. 3 Beware of anybody who tries to make a sale to you by running down the Plymouth Rock Squab Co. Insist that he show you letters hike these in proof of his claims. 167 1906 STORIES OF SUCCESS ON THIS PAGE ARE NEW. LETTERS FROM CUSTOMERS 1906 THEY WERE RECEIVED BY THE PLYMOUTH ROCK SQUAB COMPANY OF BOSTON IN NINE MONTHS OF 1906. I want to have everything complete before I have them shipped.—I. $., New York. HAS TRIED THEM AND KNOWS. Iam at present debating with myself and with some of my relations in regard to starting in the pigeon business. My folks are trying to persuade me that it is going to cost too much to start, and that I will not realize any great profits very soon. As I see, and at the best I can figure it out, it will take about $100 to start in with fifty pairs of breeders and build a home to accommodate them, getting the price of building down as low as possible with lum- ber at its present price. What I want to know is, do you think it would pay me to start and about how long do you think it would take to get back the amount paid out if I relied entirely on the birds? I think I could get it back in four months at the most, because I have three pairs I pur- chased of you in January, besides the young ones I have raised. I have watched and studied their ways and know something about them. I know how fast they breed, etc. Now am I right in my estimation as to the time it would take to regain my money and would you advise me to start if possible? My birds I have now are doing fine.—S. A., Massachusetts. MANURE FOR SALE. Will you _ please give me the address of some firm to which I can sell my pigeon manure? My pigeons are doing well this spring.—T. O., New York. RHODE ISLAND SUCCESS. I am enclos- ing money order for which kindly send me enclosed supplies. If this money order does not cover cost do not delay the grain but send me bill for extra. My birds are all doing finely. —B. O., Rhode Island. THIS IS THE KIND OF PLAIN TALK ONE LIKES TO HEAR. I am finding out for my- self if there was money in squabs and I have found it to be true by other squab breeders. I was to a man’s place this afternoon and he said he had no trouble in selling his squabs for a good price. I guess the only trouble is people are sleeping half the time. That’s why they don’t know much about squab breeding. If a fellow doesn’t believe in squab breeding, all he has to do is to open his eyes and look around. I’ve been to a couple of bird shows and have seen nothing to go ahead of your birds yet. My friend was saying what nice birds they had at the show, and I thought I would go down with him. We had to pay 25 cents to get in. After we looked at the birds, he said that mine would get the first prize if I would take them down. Then I found out that I have some of the biggest birds Is there anybody in your town who has failed at squab raising? in town. I would like to get some pictures taken and show you some of the birds I got from yours. I found your book to be a book anybody can read and knows what he is read- ing about. Everything is so plain—what a beginner wants to know about breeding birds. I was thinking of sending you my third order. Tf I do, it will be next week. Hoping vou are doing a good business. My birds are doing fine. Your birds are the best breeders and I won’t take any others.—S, C. H., Wisconsin. NEST BOWLS ALL RIGHT. Please find a money order for one dozen more of your nest bowls. They are O. K. Put them in the house one evening and on going in the next found that a pair had already taken posses- sion and started a nest. Have 11 pair setting on eggs and they are doing fine. I intend to purchase more from you later as I am going to build a unit to start this spring and enclose money for your plans for squab houses. Wishing you every success.—W. A., Massa- chusetts. ENLARGING. Enclosed find check for which please send me seven pairs of your Extra Homers and one dozen fibre nests. Send by American express. This time I would like to have different colored birds. The birds and supplies you sent me in Janu- ary came in good shape. I was well pleased with same. Am thinking some of putting in 50 or 100 pairs more this summer if I can arrange for another house.—H. B., Indiana. BEST EVER SEEN IN OKLAHOMA. Enclosed please find money order for which send me your best Extra Homers as specified. Send all blue-speckled birds, as shown on right of special offer sheet. Your last ship- ment of birds are fine ones and:every one that has seen them say they are the finest they ever saw. Trusting these will be the same or better and that I may receive them at your earliest convenience.—W. H., Oklahoma. BUYING MORE AFTER ONE YEAR’S EXPERIENCE. A little over a year ago, I bought 24 pairs of your pigeons. Now I wish to buy 300 pairs of your Extra Plymouth Rock Homers and am fixing a house for them and will be in shape to receive 75 pairs a month, say March 1, April 1, May 1 and June 1. I see that $1.70 per pair is your price in lots of 300 pairs and upwards. I should want the best birds as I believe they are the cheapest. Now if this arrangement is all right, you can let me know and I will send you $127.50 for the first 75 pairs. I want your best ‘birds.—E. F., Ohio. Some play at pigeons as they would with a new toy, then give them up. If they bought of us the trouble is with them and not with the pigeons. 168 ie as fo - Wen, Tey ate yea tiers te ths Beieds eta g Pet eeetag ce Be th het ~~ ‘ ey Rees -T . 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