The Portland daily press., 1895-05-02

AOlCo eioo bbS p1ScOllS HAY nave lre6
entrance and exit. Arrange two sets of
perches across the top of the wire epclos-
ure, strew the floor with sand and fine
gravel, provide couple of feed basins
and earthernware water bowls, and nail
against the barn wall little boxes, or fit
into wire frames, fastened on the net
ting, earthenware cups, as proffers for
nesting.
Behold the pigeon house swept and
garnished, into which the first inha BIZ
Jants should be shut for at least twenty
four hours. Pigeons are natural colon
lists and yet obstinate home lovers, Tor
where they find the conditions III the
least comfortable and kindly there they
will settle down in content to rear their
young.
If kitchen garden lies near this new
made cote, or there is farmer friend
whose outlying cornield is overlooked
by the stable windows, have no fear of
complaints OF marauding birds from the
loft. Pigeons eat only what they find
lying on the surface of their feeding
grounds and do not dig. rs do the pirate
cock and hen. for the secrets Of the
sower In fact, if carefully fed in their
own loft. they rarely venture far from
the barns caves and roof. Vary the
prepared Diet with only such grass seeds
and insects as tempt well satisfied appe-
titles.
Cracked Indian corn and wheat serves
rs good reuglar diet for them, and
handful Of hemp seed makes them so
tame that when at intervals of two or
three days 1t is offered, all the birds,
with cooings and coaxing gestures, will
cluster fearlessly about the feeder
She who is their owner can teach them
to gather at her feet, on her shoulders,
arms and head by personally visiting and
inspecting their loft every day. She
will have it cleaned and freshly graveled
at least once in ten days, taking such
precautions against vermin as are fol-
lowed in chicken house. Every day
fresh food should fill the basins, from
which ali the old corn must be turned
out, clean water provided for the bowls,
and when pair of squads have been
disposed of the old nesting straw ought
to be burned and fresh lining supplied.
IG is by these simple precautions that
the pigeons are kept healthy, for barn
birds are usually stronger than any of
The fancy breeds, that are certainly beau
itful, but are more trouble, though they
hatch more profitable progeny than the
common kind.
The barn pigeon broods four. five or
six times in twelve months, lays two
eggs in a nest she makes of just a wisp
of straw, in box or bowl, and with the
aid of her mate matches her eggs in about
eighteen days.
The parents see to the feeding of their
young, who grow rapidly, and in two
months, or three at the most, are ready
for market. In five months q squad is
looking out for "a mate, and six months
after Matching pigeon is not fit to eat,
so tough has it become.
One woman who began few years ago
on Long Island to raise pigeons in con-
nection with her poultry farm bought
half dozen pair of common fowl. To
a neighboring hotel and the well-to-do
residents Of the country side she sold her
years hatch of squads, clearing $50.
The next year she invested in six pairs
Of handsome fan tails and tum blers at
81. per pair. The expense and trouble
of caring for these was scarcely greater
than for her first birds. since she only
enlarged the nesting capacity, provided
ground oyster shell for the daintier
palates of her new guests and gave them
prepared food of Indian corn, Canada
pease, wheat and millet. She let these
birds fly freely with the common pigeons
and as good fan tails will breed as many
as eight or ten pairs of squads year
her income exactly trebled. Just now
the poultry farm is in course of active
transformation into pigeon farm. Her
intention is to breed common pigeons for
trap shooting. Gun clubs pay as high
SO ana 60 cents per pair for birds five
months old and will take as many as $50
at time. From the harder breeds of
tumblers, pouters, fan tails, turhots,
etc., she will raise squads for market.
and is cheerfully confident that there is
no more agreeable. lucrative employment
yet found for women than working
among these f1ocks of ruffled, cooling,
gentle birds