The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1897-02-04
PIGEON SERVICE
Joseph MarSdGn an Enthusiastic
Homer.
BELIEVES in FORMING COMPANY
Suggestions as to Caring
and Training Birds.
In Six Months the Service Could
Be Established-Loft Will
Be Necessary.
BELIEVES In FORMING COMPANY

The editorial and subsequent articles
appeared in the Advertiser are not
without good results. A dozen different
gentlemen have expressed themselves
as enthusiasts on the subject and con-
Honolulu and the other islands could
be made a success within the next
year. Among the few who have taken
an active interest in the subject for
years past is Joseph Marsden, Commits
sioner Of Agriculture. AS member Of
the Legislature of 1892 he secured an
appropriation of $500 for the purpose
of buying birds and establishing sta
tions, but shortly after this was grant
ed he went to India, and on his return
the money had been expended. In a
conversation with Mr. Marsden yester-
day he said:
Il have studied the pigeons almost
as much as l have the trees and shrubs
of the Islands, and while my knowl-
edge is only theoretical, it is enough
to enable me TO talk fntelligently ON
the subject. Belgian birds are, of
course, the best, because the people
there have made business of training
them, and they derive pleasure and
profit in return. If the birds are good,
everything will depend on the training
and that takes time. In Antwerp much
attention is paid to homing pigeons
which are different to a certain degree
from carriers.
Il believe a stock company with a
capitalization of 81, 800 could be got
ten up here, and the business made
profitable at the end of two years.
Young birds may be had for So pair
and old ones for double that amount
1 would be perfectly willing to take
stock in the company, ana would do all
1 could to further it. We would need
a proper loft here, and l think we
should have a good stock of pigeons,
old birds, so that there would not be
too great a delay in establishing an
inter-island service. 1t would be adj
after a while, to take all the
birds out at a time and train them to-
gether; they could be drilled first on
land and in all directions. When that |
is done and the birds know their home |
it will be time to send them to sea. |
The first trial could be to Diamond |
Head. the next five miles further. and |
the third to Molokai. Steamers are al |
ways leaving for winuward in the !
morning and there would be no difficult |
ty in training the birds. For the Kauai |
route it would take longer, because it |
does not always happen that vessels !
leave in the morning, and it is impOs-
sible TO train them at night, for wher |
ever night overtakes them they drop. |
Birds under a year old should not
be flown more than 80 miles; after
that. 100 miles; two years old, 200 |
miles. and sos on. We could get Did
birds from California, and at the end |
of six months, probably, have them |
flying to Hawaii; in the meantime the |
young ones would be growing. for each |
hen should hatcn 10 squeakers in a |
season. a great deal OF care must be /
given 10 the loft in which the birds are !
kept. and il is necessary 10 en- |
ploy a man as caretaker. The room |
must be dry and we'll ventilated, out Of |
the way of cats and roomy; dampness |
is fatal to the birds. Wash the loft |
with carbolic acid or para |
fine. mixed or sprinkle kerosene oil |
around. but never on the birds. Fine
sawdust and a few straws should be
placed in the nest pans, and be sure
and have plenty of perches.
1T seems to me that pigeon serv-
ice would be of great moment TO the
newspapers, because they could get the
of vessels on the other ISL
lnds. But it would be of still greater
interest TO the agents of sugar vessels
hat are waiting here for a cargo, and
hose are the people who should be-
,ome shareholders. When I secured
he appropriation from the Govern
nent 1 obtained permission from the