Feb. 3, 190S.] Agricultural Gazette of N.S.W. 157 



experience, and woulrl have had an ciiiial chance of succl'ss had he started 

 a jeweller's sho]i. Some find tlic wurlv too hard and tiie hours too long; 

 others expect too nmcli, and fail to realise that even when a poultry farm 

 is doing well it reipiires a ])retty extensive one to keep a house and family 

 after paying the feed liill. cartages, conunission, ikv. Then disease gets 

 into some of the farnis early in their existence, and good-bye to profits. 

 Laving competitions also have done harm, in that they did not show the 

 actual net profit. Tlie surplus over the food bill was called profit, but it 

 was not ; there was all the labnur, cartages, wages, commission, A:c. 

 Neither did the sixty or 100 lieiis hiy all the eggs credited to tli:'m. Tliere 

 were many deaths, as in every poultry flock ; for everyone that died 

 another was supplied from tlie owner's yard ; so that in place of 100 hens 

 laviu"- so manv eu^s, often it took 120 hens to lav tlie number. The 

 poultrv farmer does not get his laying fowls supplied to him free, and 

 when deaths occur there is no one to replace them as at the competition. 

 1 must remark that all the ]teople who start poultry farming about Manly 

 do not go wrong. There are several doing nicely, and although not in a 

 big wav are perhaps making more actual cash than those who advertise 

 themselves so much. The successful ones I refer to are not in a big way, 

 but that time will come. Poultry farming is a business that cannot be 

 rushed, and those who tlo not expect too much, manage intelligently, have 

 l)atience, and can afford to wait, will liave their reward." 



Chapter VII. 



The Eggs and Meat. 



As has been seen, the large majority of the ducks kept are Muscovies, 

 This is due to the fact that the market demands them. There is always 

 a sale for English ducks at a price, but young Muscovy drakes are a 

 standard article for which there is a demand every market day in the 

 year. Those marketed from " (ilenbrook " fetched tliroughout the year 

 from as low as 5s. ."Jd. per pair ; the highest price received was 10s. Dd. 

 Muscovy ducks do not attain the size of the drakes, 6s. per pair being the 

 highest price received during the year, and as low as 3s. "hi. per pair. 

 English ducks are kept on account of l)eing considered better layers than 

 the Muscovies and do not g.) broody. At one time there was a bit of 

 a boom on a cross between the Muscovy and English duck, Init it did not 

 last long. The poulterers did not like these mules; and it is not a matter 

 of what one cares to breed, it is what the market demands. There are 

 between fifty and 100 Indian runners crossed with English ducks on the 

 farm. They are good layers, and the eggs larger than the pure runners, 

 but the ducks are inferior for market ijurposes. 



Fig. 11 illustrates a flock of Blue Orpington ducks. Tliis breed was 

 first imported to the State in 1895, and has formed portion of the Glen- 

 brook stock for several years, and are kept principally on account of Ix'ing 

 excellent hiA'ers, and large-framed ducks as well. The drakes show a 



