Szirácsik Éva (szerk.): A Magyar Mezőgazdasági Múzeum Közleményei 2018-2019 (Budapest, 2019)

Zubor Ferenc: A szervezett magyar galambtenyésztés szakirodalma és tárgyi emlékei a Magyar Mezőgazdasági Múzeum és Könyvtárban (1918-1945)

The expert literature and artefacts of organized Hungarian pigeon breeding in the Museum and Library of Hungarian Agriculture

FERENC ZUBOR

The origins of organized pigeon breeding in Hungary date back to the establishment of the Columbia Pigeon Fanciers’ Association of Budapest in 1882. Even though breeding goals in the period 1882-1918 were quite varied, the organization was dominated from the beginning by homing pigeon breeders. In January 1904 the foundation of the Columbia Homing Pigeon Sport Alliance gave a significant boost to the separate organizational and sporting life of homing pigeon breeders. The Ministries of War and Agriculture made increasing efforts between 1918 and 1945 to improve the country’s homing pigeon stock, as well as to develop expert literature popularising the sector. Not surprisingly, as pigeon breeding was not only significant from an economic point of view: apart from the improvement of the required breed characteristics of fancy pigeons the military possibilities recognised in homing pigeons was an important factor. Both the Agricultural History and Agricultural Science departments of our Library keep a large collection of textbooks and periodicals related to the pigeon breeding literature of the period. The Original Photographs, Art and Numismatic Collections of the Museum and Library of Hungarian Agriculture all keep several unique artefacts related to pigeon breeding.

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