The Pekin Duck.

Te Aroha News, Volume V, Issue 206, 11 June 1887, Page 4

The Pekin Duck.

Concerning this bieed of ducks W. Goodwin, junior, of Market-Drayton, writes to the Livestock Journal as follows : — Tins massive, handsome variety of duck is -disappointing from an economic point of view. True, ib is the best of layers, and when young grows very rapidly ; but it docs not ay on fle.-h early or fast enough to kill as fat ducklings, and is far from first-rate in quality when full grown. But as a cross with other varieties it 13 very valuable. I bought some young birds last Christmas for distribution as volunteer prizes, crossed between a PeUin drake and Rouen duck that weighed 13-ftb per couple when dressed, and which at Od. per Ib., the price charged, panic to the respectable sum of- 10s 4&d per couple. They were not prepared in any way, but killed straight out of the farmyard. A fortnight since there was quite a sensation in our market, and I was sent for to see a wonderful cross between a duck and a goose I found an immense diake, a cross between the Pekin and the o'd blue Lincolnshire Fen duck. It was quite a young drake, in rather poor condition, but measured fiom the point of the beak to the tip of the tail two feet nine inches, and weighed when dead, after being bled, fully 1)$ Ib. Several poultry-keep-ers thought it must be a half bred goose, but its parentage was quite evident to those accustomed to the bieeds, and tho duck with it of the same cross was not at all out of the common line.