r- PROFIT IN Quail Breeding ia for Fifty Cents ^^ ^-^ * ^X.\A . THe Tame Quail THE PET STOCK NEWS CHICAGO CONGRESS. T-w> Comes R6C^>*^ AUG. t5 190? Rrmtnam tttrw CL*S8 O-XXe. No. [wry 6. Introductory The pupils of the Peru High School listened recently to a most unusual lecture. Isaac W. Brown, of Rochester, Ind., widely known as the "Bird and Bee Man," talked on "The Ouail and Its Habits," and a pair of quails, alive and domesticated, was used as an illustration of the truths imparted by the lecturer. The quails were taken from their cage and placed upon it, where they sat dur- ing the lecture. They did not even make an attempt to fly away, and when Mr. Brown whistled. '-'tJobJwhite" they quickly answered his call. The quails wer|B_ raised "by "Professor Andrew J. Redmon, one of the high school instructors, who has one of the largest and best collections of birds i-n ladiana, . -. "I am the happiest liian in Indiana' to-day," said the lecturer, "because I am standing in the presence :of a pair of birds that have been domesticated. This is a-bsojute proof that the quail can be semi-domesticated and put to good use. "If the farmer would domesticate the quail we would not have to spray our orchards when they are in bloom in order to raise a crop of fine fruit. Quails would eat and drive away the insects. From observation I have learned that a quail will eat an insect every minute of the day. Take ten hours of the day and you'll find that one quail will get away with 600 insects. Usually there are twenty- five quails in a covey, and they would eat 15,000 insects a day. At this rate, with two or three coveys on each farm, it would not take long to rid the fields of the insects and insure us a good crop of grain. "Then in the fall what a happy and profitable pastime it would be to go quail netting, just as the English do fox hunting. The nets we once used were fifteen feet long, with one end and both sides open. On a wet day quails do not move about unless they are com- pelled to seek a place of safety. Whenever they roam about the mother goes first, while the young follow after her. The father re- mains in the rear looking for danger. One signal from him and the covey hides. "The quails after they are caught in the fall could be held in captivity until spring to keep them from starving and freezing to death. Then when spring comes they should be turned loose again to roam about the fields, to eat insects, and to whistle 'bob white,' PROFIT IN DOMESTICATED QUAIL. which means, 'Don't get lost, Mandy,' who is on the other side of the fence with her young, just out of their nest and with part of the shell still clinging to them." Clipping from THE PET STOCK NEWS, Chicago: The publisher of this journal is quite a lover of pet stock, but nothing appeals so much to him as quail, with their beautiful plum- age and winning ways. We delight in sitting, as the shades of evening fall, amid a flock of tame quail and watch their antics and listen to their merry songs. If there is anything in this world that will drive away the blues or a soggy feeling it is the don't-care-a-bit jolliness of the quail. He is a very hardy bird; only give him some- thing to eat and he is happy. After feeding about sunset, the quail each jump upon any slight, convenient elevation and sings you a sweet song about bobby white that has a peculiar soothing musical ting to it. When the bird stops singing, you call out an imitation, and seemingly with great vivac- ity he resumes singing, as much as to say, just hear me sing; I can sing, too! When the tune has been sung awhile all the quail flock together on the ground, and seemingly confab as to what to do next. One starts off at a brisk trot, and they all hurry up to go along, aimlessly to nowhere. They get to the end of the yard, and all come trotting back again, reminding us so much of the old sight so familiar of the band going from right of the line at dress parade in common time to the left of line, and then returning to the right at the quick step. Just as the drum major will turn his head and throw up his shiny baton as he passes the commander on the return at quick step, so the leading quail looks cutely up at you, just as much as to say, just see us do the parade, too. Then the flock will all break up, each quail seemingly going about his own business for a time, and one by one hie off to roost, just as the soldiers do. Quail roost on the ground, not on perches, as chickens do. They will range them- selves in a circle, about fifteen to the circle, heads all pointed out, making a formation similar to a rally by platoons in the military. On a cold night the young and feeble will be found in the middle of the rally, affording protection and warmth. Never use a stove, though, in rearing quail. Dry ground with straw makes good roost- ing places, outside in summer, inside in the winter. Quail are very free from disease. History of Quail Culture The culture of the quail as a domestic bird is of recent date. Althou<^h all those who brouj^ht quails to market knew that they found a ready sale and commanded a price far ahead of anything else in the poultry line, yet the idea to tame wild quails, to raise them like other poultry and see what could be realized from an enterprise of that kind, was universally overlooked. Little over two years ago a young man, the son of a well-to-do Mis.souri farmer, more by mere chance than anything else, fell upon the notion of taming wild quails. Being of too frail a body to fit him for general farming work and having no ambition for any study whatever, his father bought him a ten acre small fruit farm, eleven miles from St. Louis. Here he lived all to himself, from a moderate income of the small fruit. Having no desire to accumulate riches, he was satisfied. Friends he had few, and those few did not deserve the name of devoted ones. It must, however, be mentioned that nature, negli- gent and ungrateful with him on the one hand, had bestowed him with a particular talent on the other hand. This talent was that of a bird charmer. With him it was a matter of comparative ease to change, within a short time, all kinds of wild birds from an utterly unruly state, to a state of gentleness and confiding habit. Among his com- rades at school he was called not otherwise than "our bird charmer," .sometimes, more vulgarly, "our bird bulldozer." His little farm was all encircled by an Osage orange hedge. The hedge had been cut down the previous year, laying the tops over to one side. This, together with the grape vines, gooseberry, blackberry and other bushes. ■4 rRoFIT IN DOMESTICATED OUAIL. afforded an excellent abode for rabbits and all kinds of birds. Amonj:^' the latter were some cardinal crossbeaks. These he intended to catch, if he could, and tame them. He accordingl)' put up some traps; it was a few weeks before Christmas; snow and sleet covered the ground. When he went to take a look at the traps, on the following day, he found to his surprise, instead of crossbeaks, a lot of quails in one of them. Amused at what he had caught he at first did not know what to do with them, but soon decided that he would keep and tame them the same as though they had been cross- beaks. He accordingly turned a dr}- goods box into a ■ temporary quail-coop and fed them wheat and water. The next days brought him a few more quails, but no cross- beaks. They seemed to be afraid of the traps. Well, he thought, if he couldn't catch any crossbeaks he would be satisfied with quails. Couldn't he make some monev with quails, he reflected? The quail was, although not of as bright a plumage as the crossbeak, yet of quite acceptable appearance. He meditated a good deal on quails, and the more he meditated the more interested he grew. Wouldn't people buy a pair of fine tame quails simply for the beauty of having them around.-' Wasn't the quail a prettier bird than any of the pigeons? Wasn't the song "bob white," with its variations, about just as musical as the sonorous song of the canary? He ended his mediation with the firm conclusion to give the quail busine.ss a trial, and if there should be any money to be made at it he would abandon the culture of the thorny gooseberry and black- berry, connected with tedious gathering, and raise quails in their stead. On Christmas day his father came on a visit. He showed him the quails he had caught, and at the same time warmly expressed his belief in the profitableness of raising them domestically. His views had broadened on PROFIT I\ DOMESTICATED QUAIL. the subject. He spoke to his father with zeal and ardor in a way he never spoke to him before, and finally requested him to put up traps on the farm, and catch him some more birds. The father listened patiently to his son's fad, for such he considered it to be, but at the end hurst out into a hearty laughter. Yet he agreed to trap him as many quails as he could, warning him, however, to be cautious about this untried undertaking, and not neglect or ruin a sure income for a doubtful enterprise. By the time snow and sleet were gone, in January, his flock numbered about fifty birds, most of them having been caught by his father. From these he selected fifteen pairs, and sold the rest, all males. Fifteen pair he con- sidered sufficient to start with, at least he intended to trouble no one for more. He next converted one side of his room, having a win- dow in it, into a habitation for the quails, modeling it somewhat after a common hen house. The feed also was chosen the same as for chickens. The corn being in most cases too large for them to swallow, was boiled, and while soft cut into suitable pieces. This they relished exceed- ingly. Each time he fed he went inside. The quails were very wild at first, and made an immediate rush for a hiding place, which thev found in the dr}' goods box which had served as a temporary coop and which had been left standing in one corner. He went to the box, took them out one by one, petted them a little and let them go again. This he kept up until their wild nature had so far abated that they didn't start any more for the box when he en- tered. On stormy days, or days when there was nothing of importance to do, he sometimes spent a long time playing with his quails and petting them. By and by they grew very tame, and he could put his hand on them whenever he wished. When spring opened he built a large yard of wire net- 6 PROFIT IN DOMESTICATED QUAIL. ting, joining it to the quail house. At first he thought of building a new house altogether. Considering the matter, however, he again gave up this plan, for a change in their habitation might prove detrimental just at that time of the year, when, as he lielieved, laying season was near at hand. So he went to fixing nests. But how? That was the question. He had seen the wild quails' nests, but had never paid any attention to their construction. The only thing he knew was that they were completely roofed over. Taking this as a guide he made a kind of long narrow box, and divided it into fifteen little divisions, each division to serve as a nest. Bottom and sides were lined with grass, the bottom espec- ially well prepared with soft grass. This box he put in the darkest part of the house with the opening toward the wall, and with a bundle of grass beside it in case this sort of a nest shouldn't suit the quail's fancy. He wondered how many eggs they would lav, and how he was going to treat and feed the young brood when they came out. He wished he was a little better posted. Couldn't he, per- chance, obtain a book somewhere on quail culture to give him information? He intended to incjuire at a book store the next time he went to town. "A book about what?" said the man behind the desk, coming nearer. "A book about quails," he repeated in a low voice and a rather uncertam and liashful look. "My dear sir," replied the bookseller, "I have no such book and don't believe there is such a liook out. What do you want to know about quails?" He told him what he was after. "Well, feed the young birds Hungarian seed," the bookseller said. "It's the best you can give a canary bird and it ought to be good for (]uails, too. But wait," he con- tinued, "I have some books on poultry raising and maybe PROFIT IN DOMESTICATED OUAIL. ( you can find what you want in them. They are good. " He went to the further end of the shelves and com- menced hunting among a large pile ot papers, hooks and pamjihlets — evidently neglected literature--tor the object mentioned. "Here it is, " he said, striking a rather insignificant looking pamphlet several times against the counter to free it from dust. "Now let's see if it says anything about quails," he went on, running over the pages. "No, it doesn't seem to, but here is a heading 'P""eeding Young Ducks,' which might be of interest to you. Better take the book along and read it; it's only a quarter." He paid the tpiarter and went home. Somewhat discouraged, he sat down and took to the book. It was almost the first thing he read since tjuitting school. The more he read the more interested he grew, and bv the time he had finished it he arrived at the con- clusion of having gained some valuable knowledge. What was good for chickens, could not, very likelw be unwhole- .some for quails. He had fed too much corn, he was sure; he must feed more green stufi, more meat, some crushed bone; provide for gravel, a little charcoal, adustbath, look out for lice, etc., a whole lot ot things he had never thought of before. His first step was to get a supply of fresh meat. He tot)k his gun and went to the hedge for a rabbit. Within five minutes he had what he wanted. The rabbit was cooked, and a ])ortion of it — as much as they would eat — fed to the quails. It proved to be a delicac}' tor them. Eagerly they jumped and flew at his outstretched hand to snatch the rare article. With utmost delight he looked on. He compared the wild unruly stock of a few months ago with the birds now Ijefore him, with their gentle de- meanor, their gay habit. He reflected what a sight it would be, when, instead ot thirtv, his flock should numl)er by the hundred. This, of course, was anticipation, count- PROFIT IN DOMESTICATED QUAIL. in.y; chickens before they were hatched. But let us wait. Since stu(lvin<4 his liook he had a guide, and was gov- erned liy it. li it was not exactly the right way to treat quails, it was certainly the best mode he could adopt for the present, until experience and observation should teach him dilterent. One day, early in the morning, the quails were un- usually noisy. Leavjug his work and stepping up lightly to the quail-house he peeped in. There was a big stir, and every appearance of something important going on. While some of the quails were sittmg on ]ioles, others were rushing in and out ot the small divisions in the long nar- row l)ox he had made for nests; others again were busy at the little grass stack in the corner. There remained no doubt they intended to build nests, and evidently had a conversation on this subject. He made up his mind not to chsturb them at present, and it was not until several days afterwards that he attempted to discover what they had been doing. Five of the little divisions in the box were completely shut up, save a vei"}- small opening m the center, scarcely large enough, in his opinion, to admit of a (|uail passing through. Carefully pushing the grass a trifie apart he looked m. Lo' three eggs in the Hrst nest. He examined all the nests. F'our had eggs, one was empty. The next week more nests were finished, and the week following every one of the little divisions was shut up, a sign that all the (|uails were laying. The next thing now to look for was the young brood. How manv would there l)e.-* With some disquietude he awaited the day of their arrival. But they came, and in the same order the quails had commenced laying. Cute, lively litttle birds, they were needing no lessons to pick up their feed after leaving the nest. From fifteen eggs on an average in a nest, four- teen on an average were hatched, about two hundred and ten in all. To prevent quarreling, he put each pair with PROFIT IN DOMESTICATED QUAIL. 9 the young brood into a separate pen, made of wire netting, with a small coop in each pen. This worked admirably. He fed according to his book, and four times a day. The young quails grew finely, and he became more fond of them every day. Each day he took them out of the pen, petted them a while, and put them back again. This he did to rid them of any trace of wild nature which might still exist. What seemed tedious work to others was simply play for him. Having been told that quails had two broods a year, he separated old and young quails as soon as the young had attained a fair size. The sjecond brood was almost analogous with the first one, with the exception that two (]uail hens did not lav. This figured some, of course, but everything else being all right, it was nothing to be worried over. His Hock now numbered nearly four hundred birds. Of the first brood some were lost, but not many. Disease of no kind was amongst them. The pet cat was the enemy perpetrating all the mischief. Although vigilantly watched, it was con- stantly preying upon them, and had to be banished from the place. Four hundred birds! What was he going to do with them? Would it be better to keep them all and raise a large flock a year hence, or would it be better to sell a portion and see what the new enterprise he had embarked in really amounted to financially? After deliberate con- sideration he decided ior the latter. But how was he go- ing to sell them? As common poultry for the market? Some, yes, but not all. Those fine gentle birds that he could trust to run about at their own free will without needing to have any fear of their escaping, that would fly upon his shoulders and take their grub from out of his hand — these were, indeed, too good for that purpose. They should sell l)y the pair if they could be disposed of 10 PROFIT IN DOMESTICATED (^)UAIL. in that wa}'. Of the first brood he had three dozen male birds left after mating eighty-one pairs These three dozen he brought to town, early in November, receiving four dollars a dozen for them, there being no quails in the market at that time. Quails, domesticated, sold alive in boxes, the same as chickens, was something new, causing quite a sensation. He could have sold many more dozen at this price, had he wanted, but he preferred to wait and see how they would go by the pair. Four dollars was cer- tainly fair money, yet he thought, even at half this, it would pay much better to raise quails than small fruit, not to consider the greater ease and the pleasure. Several days afterwards he again started for town, tak- ing with him three of the choicest pairs. What success he would have was yet an unsolved problem to him. He was a poor talker, he knew, with manners more awkward than comely and unless the article he handled should be taking and saleable in itself, he would be in a rather bad fix. He had scarcely drove out of the gate when he heard his name called. Looking around, he observed his father coming up the road in a buggy with another man sitting beside him. It was a man from Oregon, an intimate friend ot his father, who had formerly been a neighbor, Init was now engaged in mercantile business at Portland. Pxith were agreeably amused when they saw the quails ui the cage, and learned that he intended to sell them by the pair. But they were surprised when upon entering the yard they beheld the large flock of cjuails he had raised, and noticed the manv arrangements he had provided for them, comfortable, useful and convenient. (His father had not seen him since his visit on Christmas). Intending to also show them the gentleness and docility of the birds, he went and got some feed, opened a pen containing one dozen choice pairs, then sat down on a box standing close by, and called them. There was an immediate stir in the I'Rdl-IT IX IKI.MKSTICAI'KI) IJI'MI.. 11 pen. Half runniiifi;, half flvinti;, they rushed out to his side. After thev had picked up all the strain they took a recess in part on his lap, |iart on his shoulders, and some Hew on his hat, until he was almost completely covered with bircl,^. "Well, I declare," said the t^entleman from (_)re^on, lookino'on with admiration, "it that doesn't beat all I ever dreamed could he done with (piails. When I was a bov I considered the quail to be the most noble liird under the sun, l)ut that it could be l)rou,y;ht'to a docihtv like this went beyond my imaiiination. How lonj^ have \'ou been train- in.i^- these birds?" He told him that it was less than a \-ear, and how he had proceeded, but that there was nothing extraordinary about it. "All this accomplished in less than a vear, and from wild stock," he exclaimed with astonishment: "mv Ijov, you area bird charmer, indeed. When I left here, twelve years a.t;;o, I believed vou would never be Ht tor anything, but I see I was mistaken, and I am i^lad ot it: but have vou fixed upon a price.-'" He told him that he had not. "Well, chari^e ten dollars a pair. These fine tame birds, <^ood either for breeding or tor pleasure, are worth it, and \-ou will get it, too." His father shook his head at this, with a chnibtful smile upon his tace. "\'es, vou will get it," continued the Oregon friend: "these gentle quails will delight almost everybody. But, as we have ke])t you from selling birds to-daw sup]iose we both tr\- the business to-morrow.-'" \\'ith gratitude and jov he accepted this oiler, for now he saw the ol)Stacle removed that l)ut a short while ago was burdensome to him. Forty pair he could spare, and at ten dollars a j-iair what an amount of nioncv it would be! Gentlv he renioved the (juails trom his lap, shoulders 1*2 PROP'IT IN DOMESTICATED QUAIL. and hat, where they had remained during the conversa- tion, bringing them back to their pen, the gentleman from Oregon watching him with an expression of surprise on his face. With his father still doubting the success, both started for town the following morning, taking with them forty pairs, divided into two suitable wire cages, and put up at a stand in Union Market. The day previous the friend from Oregon, who was not only a generous and upright person, but an able business man as well, had rented this stand and also made arrangements for an advertisement to appear in several of the morning papers, running thus: pERSONAL-In passing through Union Market ^ don't forget to take a look at the flock of tame quails in the stand near the southeast corner. A large pasteboard sign "Tame Quails," was also put up. From morn till night the stand was crowded with people, not all buyers, of course, but people who wanted to satisfy their curiosity, who wanted to take a look at what they had never seen before — a tame quail. In two days the forty pairs were sold, realizing four hundred dollars. The buyers belonged to no particular class, but were men and women occupying different sta- tions in life and following different callings; old and young alike. This seems sufficient evidence that the culture of the quail could be pronounced a prosperous business, and was no longer a doubtful enterprise. Believing it to be such, he discontinued the cultivation of small fruit and has since followed quail raising exclusively, devoting all his time and attention to it. He introduced birds from dif- ferent states and bred them with his other stock, after they had been thoroughly tamed. He now has a mag- nificent flock of domestic quails, with a yearly income of upwards of four thousand dollars. Although he could easily doul)le this amount by increasing the number of PROFIT IN DOMESTICATED OUAIL. 13 birds, yet he does not do it. More birds would mean more work, more work would require more help, and this is what he dislikes. He prefers and loves a life of solitude. "The way I am conducting; my business now," he says, "is a pleasure for me; if I have to engage people to help me, it will rob me of all enjoyment." The only aid he has is an aged gentleman, whom he has know since early boy- hood, who attends to the quails during his absence. Taming tHe Wild Quail There are people with whom it is a task attended with comparatively but little difficulty of taming all kinds of wild birds and animals. They have a certain way, a talent of quieting the shy and averse nature towards man, char- acteristic ot all wild stock, and bring about a gentler in- clination, a state ot toleration at first and finally one of attachment. Although this way, this talent, may consist and certainly does consist, in the most part, in trifles only, yet it is an attribute not so readily acquired by a person not the possessor of such a talent. The introducer of quail culture, is naturally gifted with this talent, and for him the taming of wild l)irds is simply pleasure, accomplished within a very short time. He has been taming a number of wild quails from Oregon last winter. The first step to be taken in taming a wild bird is to convince it that you are not going to do it an}- harm. Han- dle it as gently as possible, stroking it lightly over its head and back; talk in a half aloud, half whispering tone to the bird all the while you hold it in your hand, stroking it at the same time. You can also imitate to perfection the quails calling each other with all the different changes. The best way is to have two boxes of a size only moder- ately larger than the number of quails they are to contain. 14 PROFIT IN DOMESTICATED QUAIL. Lathe the boxes in front, and in case of hot weather the rear also, lest the quails might suffocate. Place them where you are more or less around, and transfer the quails at least once every day — oftener if time permits — from one box to the other, stroking them gently on head and back. Feed wheat and water. Wild quails will eat or drink very little, it anv, the first days ol captivity. If after two weeks of close captivity their wildest nature has somewhat abated, and they can be removed from one box to the other with- out much resistance and flutter, then put them into a larger box, lathing it as described. It is ahvaj^s better, however, to keep continually handling them and take them into your hands at least once or twice a week, and pet them a little. When feeding call them, use some kind of a name, or word, no matter what it is, it it be only "come! come!" They will soon remember it. It is also advisable to oc- casionally skip one or two meals, and let them hunger a little. This will teach them that they are dependent on you for their sustenance, and will greatly aid in bringing about a gentler disposition. Dependence! It is the same thing with man, too: ■■Wliose bread I eat. his song I sing." After they have been in this second box for a month or two, according to behavior, they may then be moved to spacious and permanent quarters, consisting of a yard, made of wire netting, with a coop attached. This con- tinual changing from one place to another, may appear to some as being altogether unnecessary. If the quails were not intended to remain in the first box, why not bring them at once to a place where they could remain? To what end all this extra trouble? We must consider that we are dealing with wild nature and that we are trying to get this wild nature accustomed to something it never was ac- customed to. This wild bird we are taminy a Hen If the eggs are hatched with a hen, the same course of feeding should be pursued with the exception only, that the young brood, from lack of instinct of the hen, must be attended to by yourself while they stay in the nest. Do not disturb the young brood for thirty hours after they are hatched. Then gently remove the hen and proceed as follows: Take a small stick, or, what is better, make a wooden spatula, the size of a lead pencil, only flat, and with this put a small portion of the feed, which should be mixed rather thin, but not too thin, down every little fel- low's throat. This is easily done, for as soon as you ap- proach with the spatula, they will throw their mouths wide open. Always use the spatula for feeding, never the fin- gers. After all are fed and the hen has received some food also, replace her, for the little fellows, with their somewhat unnatural mother, must be kept warm for the first days of their life. Should the weather, however, be very hot, and there be danger of them suffocating, leave the hen ofT the nest during the hottest hours of the day. Feed three or four times a day. Water they need none, for there is plenty of moisture in the food for their suste- nance. As soon as they abandon the nest all danger is over. They may then be allowed to run around with the hen, or, which is far preferable, be enclosed in a pen, where they are safe from all kinds of marauders, as rats, cats, skunks, chicken hawks, etc. We omit to mention anything about eggs hatched in incubator, as our experience is too limited in this direction. All the reports that have come to us, though, from the few that have tried incubating the quail egg show success, and Ave deem the plan perfectly feasible, with a good machine and proper care and attention. 26 PROFIT IN DOMESTICATED QUAIL. How Quails Bxiild TKeir Nests Quails build their nests in high grass, wheat fields, or among hedges and bushes where there is an undergrowth of grass. The nest is so completely hidden that unless one comes very near, almost stepping on it, and the quail rushes out, it is passed by without being discovered. A quail's nest is easily made. Construct a box four inches high, four inches wide and five inches long, leaving it open at one of the long ends. Then take a handful of grass, and divide it well all around, bottom, sides and top, press- ing it tight. After this, line the bottom with soft grass, and your nest is ready. Place it in the quail house with the opening toward the rear, a few inches away from the wall. Have a door or loose board in the rear to conven- iently get to the nest. Information on Mating of tHe Quail Among flocks of quail (we mean those raised from a set- ting, fifteen or sixteen in number), there are always some which are larger and handsomer than others, and some which are more prolific layers than others. These should be particularly selected for breeding, and the birds of one flock mated with the birds of another flock not akin. Fol- lowing these simple rules the quail has been much improved since the introduction of quail culture. The domestic quail is larger, of more uniform size than the wild one, and a much better layer. If, however, anybody intends to raise the quail on a very large scale, and in the most part as common poultry only, this careful mating is not as essential. Inbreeding may be carried on successfully for years, especially if the start was besun with well mated stock. Starting with wild PROFIT IX DdMEynCATED ()L"AIL. stock it is advisable to procure quails from different gangs, and afterwards mate the young birds of the one with those of the other. THe Fertility of tHe Quail Egg The fertility of quails' eggs is about one hundred per cent. With the exception of the first egg laid, which is generally infertile, there is scarcely an egg that does not hatch. This is when the quail mates in pairs, which is the nature of the bird. We have been repeatedly asked, can you send us a trio? How many females can we keep with one male bird? We must say that we do not know; it has not been tried. We are making some experiments, how- ever, in this direction. TKe Quail Has Its Enemies Among these may be enumerated: The chicken hawk, rats, cats, skunks, possums and minks. The worst enemy of them all is the pet cat. It is the pest of all pests, the sneaking rascal ever lurking for its prey. The sooner it receives its dismissal the better — the next pond, or some similar place. You can not raise cats and quails at the same time; you must abandon one of the two. The cat is bad on chicks, but it is much worse on quails. We often receive letters about thus: "Can we not get another pair of tame quails? Last Sunday we all went to church, but forgot to look after the cat before we left the house, and when we came back, etc." No contagious diseases have so far made their appear- ance. Occasionally a quail dies, but it is not often. It is sick for about a day and then is dead. Owing to the rare occurrence of the malady, however, it has not been fur- ther investigated. The best safe^juards against disease 28 PROFIT IN DOMESTICATED QUAIL. are fresh air, cleanliness, wholesome food in suitable va- riety, pure fresh water in clean vessels, combined with comfortable quarters. Where these conditions prevail, sickness is not very liable to enter. Vermin, lice in par- ticular, should be looked out for. Paint the houses in- side and outside as indicated under "Houses and Pens," and cover the bottoms of the houses, and when the quails roost on shelves, these also with a thick laver of road dust. Is It MucH Trouble to R.aise Quail? We are often asked is it much trouble to raise quails? Can quails be raised as easy as chickens? We must an- swer that we can not designate what is meant by the word easy, without further explanation as to the amount of care and attention that has been bestowed upon chickens. Nothing can be achieved in this world without some trouble. Chickens can be raised easy enough, that is true, and quails can be raised easier than chickens, that is true, also. The ([uail can live on a little grain and water, as far as that is concerned, but this is bad practice, produc- tive only of poor results. Give it liberal treatment, make its life comfortable, satisfy all its wants as near as possible, and you will have a fine healthy bird, full of life, vigorous and prolific; a bird that will not only delight yourself, but will delight everybody else. The culture of the quail is, in our opinion, connected with much less trouble than in the rearing of chickens, if they are properly attended to. It is not hard work, it calls for no muscular strength, it is only steady work, especially if transacted on a large scale. Any diligent person, endowed with a moderate degree of patience, though the body be frail, can perform all the work that is required. The main trouble arises when eggs are hatched with unnatural mothers, but this can readily PROFIT IX DOMESTICATED QUAIL. '29 be overcome with patience. It takes patience to feed the Httle Ijirds when they are in the nest, and it takes patience to remove the hen from the nest durin^:^ hot hours and re- place her attain when it gets cooler. Patience and regu- larity are the main requisites of the business. We think the cjuail is worthy of the very best attention which can be bestowed upon it, even though it should make some trouble, for there is no other branch of the pet stock business which pays as well as quail culture. There is splendid money to be made at it, whether you raise them as common poultry for the market, for breeding purpose or for pets. You will find buyers everywhere, more buyers than you can furnish stock. Some will buy them for their beauty, some for their tfesh, and some for both combined. The Hesh of the quail is the most palatable and savory meat there is. It is a perfect delicacy. But aside from its delicious flavor, it is also of the easiest digestion, and on this account is invaluable for invalids and those suffer- ing from a weak stomach. And in connection with light work and profitableness, quail culture can also be pronounced, at the same time, a pleasant business. In fact we know of no other industry combming so manv ]ileasant sides with less unpleasant ones. The law does not interfere with the selling of domestic quails at any time of the year, no more than with domes- tic turkeys or the ordinary domestic chicken. It only forbids the killing of wild quail at certain seasons, as is detailed on the three following pages, for the purpose of preventing these birds from being exterminated. The domestic quail is readily distinguished from the wild one; hence there is no danger of mistaking the one for the other. In conclusion, we would say that continued up- to-date information about quail breeding is published in The Pet Stock News, Chicago. Send for a free .sample. 30 PR(.>FIT IN DOMESTICATED OUAIL. Dig(est of All tState Game I^a^w^s At considerable effort the publisher of this book has compiled the following digest of all laws now in force relative to the protec- tion of quail in its wild state in the different states. This, of course, has no bearing on the domesticated quail, but is printed to show the times of year that the wild quail can be killed and sold in com- petition with the domesticated one, thereby naturally affecting the prices of such. The highest prices can be obtained for the home- bred quail out of the wild quail season, of course. Alabama — Can kill and sell wild quail from Nov. 1.5 to March 1, in- clusive. Arizona — Can kill and sell wild quail from Oct. l-'i to March 1; un- lawful to destroy wild quail eggs at any time of the year, or kill or have more than twenty-five wild quail in any one day. Arkansas — No general law on wild quail protection. Can not be killed at any time in White and Jackson counties, except for home and individual use. California — Unlawful to possess or kill wild quail between Feb. 1 and Oct. 1. In season not more than twenty-five wild quail can be killed in any one day. Colorado — Unlawful to hunt or kill at any time of the year wild quail in this state. Connecticut — Wild quail must be killed between Sept. MO and Dec 1, inclusive. Delaware — Unlawful to kill wild (}uail between Nov. l-"i and Dec. :il, a queer law. District of Columbia — Can not possess, kill or sell wild quail between Mar. 1.5 and Nov. 1. Florida — Can not hunt or kill on the public domains wild quail be- tween Mar. 1 and Nov. 1, and in season not more than twenty- five per day. Any person on his own premises at any time can kill as many as he chooses, inside his own land. Georgia — Can not kill wild quail between Mar. 15 and Nov. 1. Can be trapped on your own land at any time, though. Idaho — Can not trap or destroy wild quail between Dec. 1 and Oct. ol. Illinois — Wild quail can be destroyed by land owners at any time if necessary to protect crops or property of any kind. A five-year PROFIT IN DOMESTICATED OL'AIL. ^31 law, expiring April, I'JO-i, is operative in Illinois to protect wild and game animals, not permitting any of them to be killed at anytime till then; but wild quail are omitted in the list, said to have been an oversight by the lawmakers. Indiana — Can not kill wild quail between Jan. 1 and Nov. 10, and then not' more than twenty-four in any one day. Unlawful to sell wild quail at any time of the year. Indian Territory — No person save Indians can kill wild cjuail at any time of the year, and they can whenever they feel like it. Iowa— Can not hunt wild quail between Jan. 1 and Nov. 1, and not on a public highway in season. Kansas — Wild quail can only be killed in the month of December. Kentucky — Wild quail can be killed only between Nov. lo and Jan. 1. Long Island i special law i — Wild quail are protected from Jan. 1 to Oct. yi, inclusive. Louisiana — Wild quail eggs and nests protected all the time; wild quail can be shot Oct. 1 to Mar. 1. Maine — Wild quail can be hunted only between Oct. 1 and Dec. I. Maryland — Nov. 1 to Jan. 1 is the time to go after wild quail in this state. Massachusetts — Can kill wild quail only between Oct. 1 and Dec. 1. Michigan — Open season for wild quail is between Oct. 1 to Nov. :iO, inclusive. Minnesota — You can shoot wild quail only from Sept. 1 to Nov. 1, state public parks excepted at all times. Mississippi — There is no general state law; hunting is prohibited on Sunday; local boards of supervisors regulate the quail matter. Missouri — The wild quail must be shot between Oct. 1 and Jan. 1. Unlawful to net, trap or pen quail at any time now. Montana — At present wild quail are protected the whole year around. Nebraska — The wild quail is at present protected the year around, same as Montana. Nevada— Can not kill wild quail at all till Sept. 1, 'o:i. New Hampshire — Open season to kUl wild quail is between Sept. \'> and Dec' 15. Eggs and nests always protected. New Jersey- -The wild quail can only be shot in November and De- cember of each year. New Mexico — Can kill the wild quail only from Oct. 1 to Mar. 1. New York-The killing season is from Oct :!1 to Dec. 10 for wild (]uail, but entirely prohibited in certain counties until ''}-i. AUG 1 5 1902 Am IS m2 - AUG. 15 1902 .32 PROFIT IN DOMESTICATED QUAIL. North Carolina — The wild quail can be shot Nov. 1 to Mar. 15. Some special county laws, though. North Dakota — The wild quail can not be killed till after Sept. 1, '0.5. Ohio — Open season to kill quail is from Nov. 1(J to Dec. 1, a very short period. Oiilahoma Territory — You must kill your wild quail between Oct. 1.5 and Feb. 1. Oregon — Must be killed between Oct. 1 and Dec. 1, except that in some counties wild quail are protected the whole year till Oct. !■), '0.5. Pennsylvania — The open season to kill wild quail is between Oct. 15 and Dec. 15, and they may be trapped from Jan. 1 to Feb. 15, but must be released alive in the same locality in the following spring. Rhode Island — Must kill wild quail between Oct. 15 and Dec. 15. South Carolina — Can not be shipped out of state and must be killed from Nov. first to April first. South Dakota — Wild quail must be shot between Sept. 1 and Jan. 1. Tennessee — Wild quail can only be killed for profit from Nov. 1 to Mar. 1 by persons on their own lands. Texas— Only be killed from Oct. 1 to Mar. 15. Utah — Protected the whole year till state is stocked. Vermont — Open season from Sept. 1 to Jan. 1, and not more than five quail per day can be shot. Virginia — Must be killed between Oct. 15 and Jan. first. Washington — No wild quail shall be killed till 1903. West Virginia — Open season to kill, Nov. 1 to Dec. 20. Wisconsin — Open season for killing the wild quail, from Sept. 1 to Dec. first. Wyoming May be shot Aug. 15 to Dec. first. Yellowstone Park — Ouail killing very strictly prohibited at all times in the limits of the park. LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 003 422 168 6 4