i6o 



Journal of Agriculture. 



[8 ^Iarch, 1907. 



after that three times. The food is all good and sound. During the 

 first week, the food is given fairly dry and crumbly, and after that moist. 

 Bran, pollard, vegetables, and root crops are the .staple foods. Skim 

 milk is used, and all food is scalded with Ijoiling water and allowed to 

 cool before feeding. Grit and green food are given liberally, and are 

 always at hand. The grain used is wheat and barley, which are mixed 

 with the soft food. The troughs are always well cleaned out after each 

 meal, and care is taken to have all other surroundings perfectly clean. 

 The ducklings are placed in pens according to age and size, and this point 

 is strictly adhered to right through. The feeding is on a very liberal 

 scale, and the fattening process is completed in from ten to twelve weeks. 

 The cost of the food for ten weeks runs into is. 7d. per pair. The 

 weight of the ducklings at this age will aNerage from 9 to 10 lbs. per 

 pair. At the average price of 6d. per 11). live weisfht this would return 

 4s. 6d. and 5s. per pair. Adding the value oA the eggs (which would be 

 about ikl. each) to the cost of food, would make the outlay is. lod., 



PEKIN AND AYLESBURY DUCKLINGS. 

 10 weeks old. Average weight, 6 lbs. Fattened by Mr. P. Briggs. 



leaving a margin of from 2s. 8d. to 3s. 2d. per pair. The cost of housing, 

 attention, &c., would not l)e large, especiallv when a large quantity is 

 kept. At the early part of the season, ducklings would bring up to 7|d. 

 per pound for local consumption; but this would only be for a limited 

 number. 



It must be remembered, however, that on no account should a breeder 

 tiv to rear more stock than he can hou.se, keep, and look after properly. 

 This fault of over-crowding, accompanied often bv under-feeding, is re- 

 sponsible for many failures in both ducks and poultrv. 



A Successful Breeder. 



Mr. P. Briggs, of South Brighton, whose name is a household word in 

 connexion with the breeding of pure-bred Aylesburv and Pekin ducks, 



