Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1908-03-26

women in this country can be found
than Miss Lillian Blythe. owner and
manager of homing squab lofts at
R,lphi, Ind. 1t would be difficult to
find any other outdoor work for wom-
en- that combines pleasure and pront
in the same ratio that is to be found
in rearing homing pigeons. One not
familiar with the business Will be
amazed at its possibilities. Having
heard frequently of the popularity OF
this particular pigeon loft. 1t was my
desire to see and learn for myself
about these birds that were being
shipped from the Atlantic to the
Rockies and were making an envia-
BILE record for their owner. Having
made known my desire, Miss Blythe
invited me to visit her. and as we
walked along the gravelled path to
the pigeon loft she told me that about
four years ago she decided to engage
in this industry, and at once fitted up
a large, unusued barn on the premises
ready for occupancy, and then pur-
chased five pairs of Antwerp homers
of reliable breeders. These birds
averaged nine pairs of young the first
year, and the flock Increased so rap
idly that before long they were given
seventy by seventy feet OF additional
room.
"Now we will be very quiet" Miss
Blythe said as she unlocked the door,
"and perhaps we can see the birds at
their bath" And so we did. 1t was
pretty sight, and 1t seems one
would never tire watching the lovely
creatures futtering AMI splashing
around in the water.
Here was one of the divisions OF
the "pigeon plant" with It's fountain
and cement catchbasin, automatic
feeder and two hundred pigeonholes,
each containing nest This room
as we'll as the others opened on to a
commodious "fy," inclosed with wire
netting and attached to the outside
of the building. "This Is the mating
pen," said Miss Blythe, "and contains
all the minated birds, both young
and old. Nothing but trap nests are
used for them to build or nest In.
When a pair mate and so to building
a nest they are trapped. examined,
and II not nest pairs, and If they seem
to be good In every way. they are re-
numbered, a record Is made OF them
ani they are put in the proving pen.
In this pen they go to work, and are
watched very closely. After they
raise several pairs Of young, II they
prove to be first class breeders and
produce a first class squad, they are
again trapped, remembered and
careful record is made OF them, ana
they are placed in the breeding pen.
This is our way of keeping out the
poor and improbable birds, and 1t
is the only way one can be sure of
getting only first class birds in the
breeding pen. The birds that do not
prove to be good breeders and good
feeders and do not produce first class
young are disposed Of to people who
buy them for pets. These 'culls'
should never be sold for squad rails
ing. They will prove disappoint-
ment to those attempting to raise
squads for market"
We went through five different
rooms, or pens, as they are called,
each used for a different purpose.
and each more fascinating thin the
last. In one room Miss Blythe placed
a four weeks old squad in my hand
and smiled when l asked its weight.
81 am really afraid to have you say
how much the squads weigh" she
said seriously, because the papers
| will question it and likely call me to
account for it," Finally she agreed
| to let me state that fifteen ounce
suuab was more frequently the rule
than the exception, while 1t was moth
ing unusual to find one that weighed
a pound. This she thinks Is the re-
suit of her plan Of feeding. I'VE keep
different kinds of grain,' she said,
"and salt, ashes, gravel, oyster shells
and fresh water in their feeding
places all the time. Through the
winter season the birds are given a
dry mixture consisting Of equal parts
| of whole wheat an1 coarse cracked
corn placed in an automatic feeder.
! In summer the proportion Is two
parts wheat to one of cracked corn.
! In addition to this there are at all
| times scattered over the floor German
millet, Canada peas, KafIlr corn and
occasionally little hempseed.'
You will readily see the reason for
her extraordinary results in squad
! raising. She is feeding in just as
scientific proportion as 1t is possible
| to prepare the food. Most breeders of
fine stock of any description nova
| days know how to formulate a bal
anced ration for their animals, and,
| / might add, some housewives are
| beginning to understand the neces-
| sity of scientific combinations of food
| for their families. We talk glibly
about balanced rations and reel off
hanks of figures about proteids and
carbohydrates and what not; but give
the pigeon chance to follow the
gift of his natural appetite" and he
will select just enough and no more OF
each element needed to keep his body
| in the very pink OF condition.
Miss Blythe is very emphatic in
her assertion that there is money in
squads. See what these figures mean:
1t requires about sixty cents year to
maintain working pair of pigeons,
and a first class pair will produce on
an average nine pairs of young a
! year. Dining on squads is for the
| ,-aah anlu lon the mann card IL Ia