The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1906-01-31

The Dragon, the Duchess and the
Runt follow i'm the order named. The
whites are very prolific, but smaller
and more delicate. Some are crossing
the two with good results. The Bel
gians are very plump bird, but small
Ter than the American HOmers. The
Dragon is a larger bird than either
of the above, but it takes longer by
week to grow a pair of squads from
them. The Duchess are large birds,
but slow breeders, with heavy
feathers on the legs and feet serious
objection in picking.
The Runt is largest of all, but sell
dom produces over four pairs of squads
year. 1t is quite popular to cross the
HOmers and Dragons, the first cross
giving a bird larger than the former,
and with most of their good qualities.
What the future will be from subse-
quent crosses of this kind the writer
is i'm doubt A good pair of birds will
produce eight pairs of squads year;
occasionally nine or ten.
Feed, Etc.-FOr the first five or six
days the young are fed with curd
that forms in the crop of both parent
birds, called pigeons milk. Then they
are fed grain, carried to them in the
crops of the old birds. No fresh or
green grain of any kind should be fed,
as it is liable to sour in their crops.
Cracked corn is the basis of the ration.
with whole wheat, hulled oats, peas,
millett and other small seeds or grains.
They are very fond of hemp seed.
This should not be fed more than once
or twice week, except in the moult-
ing season. In addition to this they
should have oyster shells and gravel
for grit, as well as charcoal. A dish
of salt, to which they can have access
at all times, is absolutely necessary
for their health.
| They need plenty of clean, fresh
water to drink and some to battle in
during warm weather Tobacco stems
should abe kept in pile where the
birds can use them for nests. 1t is
said if these are always in abundance,
and the old nests are cleaned out and
| their contents burned from time to
time, there will be no trouble from
lice, the greatest enemy to profitable
squad raising.
| Marketing.-Th demand for squads
is continually growing. The scarcity
of game and the stringency of the
|
them to be much sought after for
banquets and like sumptuOus repasts;
sometimes as squads. while many are
served as quail, and other game birds.
Philadelphia takes a large number
of the MOrristOwn birds, the buyers
going there and contracting for them.
l was told that many find better
market in New York City.
| The birds are sold at about four
weeks old. Eight pounds per dozen
is the most desirable weight; a dozen
of this weight will bring from 50 to
$40. For poorer birds the price runs
down to So a dozen.
| The price seems to be tending up
ward, the demand growing more
rapidly than the supply. This will
doubtless continue as long as the
American people have good incomes
which they are spending more freely
than ever before.
| COnclusiOns.--WOul advise no one
to rush into squad raising with ex-
pensive houses and large numbers of
birds and no experience. Better, as
these people have done, get few
i birds and fit up such places as are at
hand Learn the business by expert
ence as it develops. For women and
those not able to do heavy manual