Farm and Garden.

Alexandra Herald and Central Otago Gazette, Issue 376, 23 July 1903, Page 7

Farm and Garden.

I OBISINAL ARTICLES. PRACTICAL DUCK BAISING. to raise ducks ope must be in jIwlP earnest an< i pre ferably enthuMAW siastic. Early spring is the time to raise ducks, rather than later, as the hot days of summer seem to have a bad effect on the eggs. Choose the place for the nests on the ground, with fresh sod for the foundation. Cover lightly with straw, and form the nests with the hands. Hens are much better sitters and mothers than ducks. It is best that the hens should have their nests for sitting in a part of the house removed from the other fowls. The hon does not seem to evince any surprise; that the eggs do not hatch in 21 days. She evidently does not reckoa the days vexy wnll, for she will sit faithfully for the 28 days that it tak«s the ducts' eggs to incubate. See that the hens have something to eat every day, but do not feed' heavily. Fresh water should always be before them, also ashes for duatinj-r, and it is best to thoroughly dust the h*ns with insect powder when first taken off the nest. The last week of incubation the eggs should be sprinkled several times with warm water. What joy when the first little head peeps out from under its mother's wing. But they are wild, and seem born with more dread of man than are chickens. For the first 24 hours they need nothing but brooding and a little water; after that for several days they should have only well baked johnny cake, moistened with sweet milk or water, and at all times plenty of water to drink. It is best to supply the water in low flat dishes, so that they may have the pleasure of paddling in it. Of course the water must be removed to keep it clean. Ducks should never be fed without water, as they cannot swallow their food without it. They should never be shut up for the night or any length of time without water.

Ducks should always be provided with shade. It is considered that the hot sua is at times as harmful to them as the chill, of which any one who raises ducks always dreads, They should not bfi allowed to get. wet and chilled until feathered. Even after that period it is better to protect them during a severe storm. Continue the diet of cooked corn meal until four weeks old, varying with a little moistened bread, milk curd, &u ; after that period one can begin to use any food that ia suitable for chickens.

From the first let the ducklings have plenty of grass and green food. Give them aleo an opportunity to catch flies and bags. It is wonderful the amount of bugs and flies they will consume; aad it is said that there is no bird, except the goose, that is so fond of good pasture. Care should ba exercised in feeding them with new corn when first busied. They should get used to it gradually. Like other birds, ducks must be provided with grit of some kind. That there is money in duck-raising has been well demonstrated by those who are in the business. It is an occupation aa well suited for women as for men. A woman with perhaps the assistance of a young boy could do all the work required on a small duck farm, but a woman alone could easily care for from fifty to one hundred ducks without any assistance, if she be comparatively strong.