The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1886-04-28
Pigeons and Their Prices.

L''uiiS plStoH-l'tnclcrS say tnat there
Is increased interest in the raising OF
pigeons, ,'particularly among the ladies,
who care for them ut odd moments ut
nome and obtain from the sale of the
birds considerable pin-monoy. A resi-
ucnt OF New Jersey, who is one of the
bcStknown pigcon-fancicrs of this co,in-
Try ana whose lofts of nearly five hun
drcd birds includes some of the hand
soonest ana most valuable in the world,
says
Every one of my birds knows me.
and whenever enter the loft thcy flock
around Most people have the idea that
pigeons must be bred in the dark. This
IS not the case, for it makes them wild.
All mine arc bred in the light in rlass
boxes painted white, about six bv cioht
inches IN size, and with hay inside for
the nest. a curious fact have noticed
about pigeons is their loyalty to each.
Let Il pair be once mated and they will
! never forSakc one another while alive.
How long do they live? Twelve wears,
| and keep up their full viror for that
period. We feed them on Canada peas,
wheat. cracked corn, and occasionally
little hcmpsccd The weight of a
pigeon varies from three or four ounces
to several pounds. The biggest figure |
have heard that was paid for Il pair of
pigeons in this country was $500. It
was given for Il pair of carrier pigeons, ;,
"Will you tell me something about
the different kinds of piwcons?" Or. Me.
Cook, u lover Of the bird. was asked.
anyone having owned pigeons of
any kind will know what is meant by
common pigeons They are not of any
distinct breed or color There are but
very few common pigeons now in
which some traces of the higher classes
can not be detected. At the same time
! believe that were Il flock of the So
called common pigeons kept entirely to
themselves for number of years color.
markings and other characteristics of
the higher classes would entirely disap-
pear and the birds would be more like
ly 10 resemble in color and shane those
they originally came from-thc Blue
Rocks. Next TO Il common pigeon. pcr-
haps the best known, al least by name,
is the homing Antwerp, which is tho
carrier pigeon, so called. 1t is the bird
known TO make long flights. The fam
tails arc special favoritcs The white
to breed, but they are also TO be had in
'i''|N' 'i'N'i, bi''p, lt'l tllNl NclIOW.
The two latter are rare, and easily
bring from SO to $50 pair Fans,
with fowl feathers. mottcd or checker
cd are not of much value. No breed of
pigeons has so many varieties and sub
varieties as the tumblcr pigeons, nor is
there a variety SO wcll-known that is us
yet SO little understood by pigcon-brccd-
ers. Many who own them expect them
to perform, whether tho birds are given
chance or not. Usually they arc kept
with lot of other birds and arc flown
with them. There are also many tun-
blcrS who do not tumble at ALL All Of
the short-faccd varieties are not sup
posed TO be performers, although | have
seen some tumble very we'll. Poutcrs
are the first selection of many prominent
pigcon-fanciers, and rarely is this bird
entirely abandoned for other varieties.
a Baltimore citizen who is an cnthusi-
aStic breeder of poutcrs has at present
probably the best birds of that variety
in the country. They are somewhat
difficult to breed, and good ones always
command high prices. Fifty dollars for
pair of iirst-class birds would not be
cNravagant in this country, and in En-
gland perhaps the same birds would
bring twice that amount and more.
remember that Mr.. Schcll, of Brooklyn,
had one he refused $3.50 for They can
be had in pure white, black, red, vel
low and Isabella. ~ J.. Ifal ana
EGprcSS