426 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



row, and should be thinned first to six and then to twelve to sixteen inches. 

 The plant is practically winter proof, and can be left out and used right from 

 the field till New Year's, long after every vestige of any other green stuff 

 has gone by. 



I sow kale about the 1st or 15th of July. By raising a few rows of kale 

 and having the use of it till January, a poultryman will save many a bushel 

 of roots, and will keep his fowls in good condition. The heads of kale or 

 rape may be hung up in the pens so that birds can help themselves, but by 

 cutting them up, stems and all, a good deal more will be gotten from them. 



CARING FOR DUCKS. 



Miss Florence Ford, Moran, Kansas, m Poultry Culture. 



I have seen and read so many letters on chicken culture and how much 

 profit they are to the farmers and must say all is true. But then we seldom 

 ever see anything said of the poor old duck. Ducks are much like geese, 

 they are more often condemned and despised, then praised. Not many good 

 words are spoken of them especially by the men. Although they furnish us 

 good, soft pillows and nice downy beds to lie on when our days work is done 

 and we are so very tired. Then, besides all this, think of the eggs we get 

 from them when they are properly cared for. Ducks always bring a very 

 good price on the market, and they destroy great quantities of insects and 

 crawfish. They work for their own living when there is anything to be 

 found and when in a healthy condition. Our ducks are off as soon as they 

 are let out of the poultry pen and are seldom seen around the yard until late 

 in the evening unless the sun is very warm and the weather dry. Then they 

 come to the shade during the middle of the day. This is an ideal duck 

 season for old ducks as they are fond of water and they can have plenty to 

 swim in this season. But while ducks are fond water, they should have 

 good dry roosting places with dry floors, as damp cold houses are death to 

 them. We have found while water is very essential for duck raising they 

 would be better off if not allowed to have water to swim in all the time, 

 especially before feathered or when very small. We have also found the best 

 way to treat the young ducklings is to keep them in a pen free from water 

 except what we give them, feeding four or five times a day or oftener if neces- 

 ary, until they are well feathered and made to roost in a dry house at night, 

 free from dampness, as ducks are just as liable to take roup as any other 

 kind of fowls and when once a flock is attacked by that dreaded disease they 

 are never so strong again, but they may seem to be all right. It will crop 

 out in the next generation. I have always found it is "easier to avoid the 

 disease than to cure it. " We had a small flock of ducks two years ago, and 

 when fall came they were strong and healthy. The following winter was 

 cold and wet. Our ducks were compelled to roost in a damp poultry house 

 all winter. During the winter the drake took cold in his eyes and seemingly 

 had a slight attack of roup. We kept him for breeding purposes and the 



