Show RAISING SQUABS FOR PROFIT should purchase birds from some ane with whom he personally acquainted pigeons depreciate in value with age they are considered to be at their prime when three years old and there ane very few pairs that pay tor their feed after they are seven years old professional dealers in breeding stock have been known to buy these old pairs for from sixty to seventy five cents and then sell them to tha unsuspecting public as guarantee guar anteo mated birds which they certainly are at from two or three dollars a pair such birds as a rule will breed pretty well tor the first few months in their new quarters after that they are only a source of expense for this reason a man should buy birds from some one with whom he Is personally acquainted or else from some person who Is willing to give a guarantee not only as to the birds being mated but also as to age it they are mated birds there la no rea son why a salesman should not fur elsh particulars with them giving the numbers on the leg bands and if be has bred them which most bleeders breeders bre eders claim to have done he ought to be in position to give a fair estimate as to age but as there is no way of verify ing this statement the only safe plan Is to buy young birds and mate them yourself there are many varieties of pigeons that are used tor squab producers but probably the most common la the homer these are often crossed white dragoon cock with runts dragoons teals duch esses and maltese the runt la z very heavy bird the duchess alvea a feathered leg squab but has a tendency to increase the weight |