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Show RAISING SQUABS IS ON INCREASE Choice Meat Can Be Obtained From a Barsk-Yard Loft. FLESH IN FOUR WEEKS' TIME Space of Six Feet Square Will Accommodate Accom-modate Eight or Ten Pairs of Pigeons Ideal Arrangement Is on the Ground. f TO RETAIL SKIM f S MILK A SUGGESTION f f FOR YOUR TOWN7 X Stations for the sale of skim t j milk are soon to be established T in Hartford, Conn., as part of t the work outlined by the urban home demonstration agent em- J ployed by the state agricultural ij X college, co-operating with the 4 department of agriculture. The direct object of these stations X will be to supply a cheap and nourishing food and to demon- strate the value of skim milk -f as a tissue-building food. the tendency has been the other way. On a farm a flock of free pigeons, if not kept down by killing off the Increase, In-crease, soon becomes a nuisance, destroying de-stroying grain and doing a great deal of damage, especially on new-seeded ground. The remedy for this is to keep the pigeons under control and use the-young the-young birds, except the few needed to keep up the flock, as fast as ready for the table. By establishing the flock of pigeons in an accessible place, giving them a little feed occasionally in their loft, and keeping them shut in and feeding them when they could damage new-seeded ground, a farm flock of pigeons can be made to contribute con-tribute substantially to the meat supply, sup-ply, and still be prevented from doing any serious damage. The fact that rabbits are a cheap, substitute for the ordinary meats is likely to turn the attention of many more persons to rearing them, specialists special-ists of the United States department of agriculture believe. They can be kept in small and inexpensive pens and buildings and, like poultry, can be killed and prepared for the table on short notice. WHY NOT SKIM MILK ROUTES? To make use of a valuable food which has been very much neglected, the federal dairy division is urging dealers to consider seriously the advisability ad-visability of putting out skim milk on their regular milk routes. Consumers can help the movement by asking for this product. In the past many dealers have been opposed to the sale of skim milk on, the routes, fearing that it would curtail cur-tail the consumption of whole milk. It is believed, however, that many-people, many-people, if they had an opportunity, would use skim milk fof cooking and drinking in addition to their customary custom-ary quantity of whole milk. Skim milk sold in this way should be pasteurized and handled as carefully as market milk. It should also be labeled conspicuously con-spicuously to comply with local requirements, re-quirements, so that the consumer may be fully informed as to its true character. char-acter. Skim milk contains all the food ele-nnts ele-nnts of whole milk except the fat. It has a little more protein than whole milk, but because of the deficiency in fat. does not supply so much energy. When 4 per cent whole milk an average bulterfat content of market milk sells at 12 cents a quart, skim milk is worth 12.4 cents a quart as a source of protein. In energy value, skim milk is worth 6.3 cents a quart when 4 per cent whole milk is selling sell-ing for 12 cents. For food purposes pigeons are usually usu-ally classed with poultry. Culturally the-y are In a class by themselves, producing meat only, producing it very quickly and under conditions that do not admit of growing any other creature crea-ture used for food. While the Ideal arrangement for pigeons is to have their house on the ground, and a small covered yard called a "fly" connected with it, pigeon keeping may be carried on extensively in upper rooms, or lofts, with or without an open-air fly. Many flocks of pigeons are kept in large cities cit-ies in quarters provided for them in the lofts or on the roofs of buildings used for mercantile and manufacturing manufactur-ing purposes. A space six feet square, and high enough for the attendant to stand erect, will accommodate eight to ten pairs of pigeons for squab breeding. The birds mate and begin breeding when six to seven months old. Two eggs are laid by the hen. Then the male shares with her the duty of incubation. incu-bation. The young hatch in about 17 days. At four weeks old average good squabs will weigh about three-quarters of a pound each. Some of the larger ones will weigh over a pound at that age. A good pair of breeders will produce six or seven more pairs of squabs a year. As many as 11 pairs of squabs have been produced by one pair in a year. When production is high the female fe-male lays and begins incubation while she has young still in the nest, leaving the care of them to her mate. Raising squabs has greatly increased In cities in recent years. On farms Stop trie Farm Leak9. Every one knows what happens when water is put into a barrel that has stood empty in the sun for a while. The wnter leaks out between the staves. Many manufacturers hire men to study out ways of stopping such leaks in their business. It is said that a well-known automobile company offers a small fortune to any man who can save a few cents in the cost of building prominent parts of an auto. Just so in farming. The most successful farmer is the one who has the best organized business, which Is best adapted to conditions, and has the fewest "leaks." Every dairy farmer knows the Babcock test shows how much butter fat Is in a cow's milk. Much of the excellence of the rabbit rab-bit as food depends upon the cooking. cook-ing. As often prepared, It is dry and Insipid, while In the hands of an experienced ex-perienced cook It becomes all that a fastidious taste can wish wholly as palatable as the finest poultry. A special spe-cial requirement in cooking is that none of the natural juices in the meat be lost in the process. ' o 5 GET GOOD PIGEON STOCK; HOMER A O POPULAR VARIETY. O O O 5 Good breeding stock Is neces- q O sary to succeed in pigeon-rais- O ing. It is advisable to buy J? pigeons from reliable breeders O those who guarantee their stock, q O Many failures in squab-raising O have been due to poor stock q old pigeons past their period of usefulness, or perhaps too many O 5 male birds. There are a great O many varieties of pigeons, but q only a few are used In squab- raising. Tim Homer is generally O 2 considered the most popular va- q O riety. The United States depart- O ment of agriculture has a pub- llcatlon on squab-raising, Farm- O s crs' Bulletin OS I, w hich will aid q Hie beginner. O The decrease In the number of beef cattle in the United States, with the resulting high prices which have pro-vailed pro-vailed during recent years, has caused greater Interest to be taken In this Industry, In-dustry, and many men who have never raised beef cattle In the past are taking tak-ing up this Hue of work. |