The San Francisco call., 1901-10-06


cooing-that sounds easy. doesn'.
It?
Moreover, II sounds improbable.
You have already decided that it
is a pretty fiction and are moralizing on
the hirnsy illusions Of love in a cottage
Wrong. There is a man near Los An
geles who is doing it. He is not only
making living, but a good one. In fact,
he finds his billing and cooling proposition
nets him $4,000 per annum. Which is neat,
10 say the least.
He has pigeon ranch.
It is the only one in America, the largest
IN the world and il sends as many as 80
dozen squads to market every month. This
means q big business and enough TO keep
one man pretty well occupied. In Europe
there are small farms raising pigeons;
they are 70 Johnson's ranch what a Japa-
nese garden is to Golden Gate Park.
This is new industry in America. Most
industries are developed at the cost Of
many Z failure, but not so with this. 1t
has been paying almost from the first.
Il is owned by T. Y. Johnson living in
the suburbs Of Los Angeles. He started
out on q brand new industry in America
even now, and il is 4 giant in size, COM
pared with the pigeon ranches Of the Old
World
Mr. johnson has 1000 adult birds in his
gigantic lofts.
These pigeons produce over $50 dozen
squads a month
And they net their proprietor the COM
Portable income Of $1,000 per annum.
If allowed to breed ul.interruptedIy and
these pigeons and their offspring would
amount TO 10000 birds the irst year and
1,06o,o5o birds the second year.
Three years ago Rr. johnson purchased
eight acres Of land in the Los Angeles
River bottom. Upon il he constructed a
gigantic pigeon loft "a feet wide, 60 feet
long anS IS feet high. This loft is faced
on every side Of the exterior by ten tiers
Of nests. The interior is also devoted to
nesting. Eight narrow aisles afford the
passageway to their homes Of thousands
Of pigeons. On each side OF every aisle
The line Of nests extends the entire length
Of The building from floor TO ceiling. This
immense main loft has 5000 nests. The
nesting places are so oVercrowded that
many birds nest on the ground.
The ranch was originally stocked with
5000 birds, 2o90 Of which were purchased
from one man These comprised his entire
outfit, which at that time occupied the
largest pigeon ranch in the world. So re-
markably rapid was the increase of these
birds-each pair being capable Of produc
ing at least six pairs Of squads during the
Year-that additional quarters were built.
50 that now there are six lofts on the
ranch. each crowded to its utmost capac-
ity.
When the pigeons are six months old
they select their mates and 50 to nesting.
During the late fan, winter and spring
there are often as many as 400 dozen
squads produced monthly. though at the
present time, Deing molting season. not
over forty dozen are Matched monthly. On
an average go dozen squads are sent to
market every month. The market price
Of squads varies all the way from 81 % TO
s. per dozen. IN Los Angeles about So per
dozen is the usual market price. During
the season when they are scarce SQUADS
sometimes bring as much as $40 per dozen
The quantity OF food consumed by this
mighty host of pigeons is enormous.
Twelve sacks Of screenings, eight sacks of
wheat in addition to a great caldron Of
boiled meal. are eaten by this extensive
family daily. Three or four barrels of
stale bread soaked in water are given
during the week. 1t costs SIS a day to
feed the pigeons. The main requisite to
large. healthy birds and prolific increase
is an abundance Of food of the proper
character.
This gigantic pigeon ranch is conducted
upon scientific and systematic lines, All
the waste is utilized. The feathers Of
the $4,000 squads which have been dressed
and marketed during the year are sent to
the upholstery departments Of great fur
niture factories. From twelve to fifteen
V-agon-loads OF gusno-as much in each
load as two horses can haul-sre re-,
moved from the ranch every year.
Once every week the lofts are thorough
y disinfected with 2 solution Of carbolIc
acid sprayed from a large syringe. The