II Dec, 191 1.] Farm Blacksmithing. 795 



(8) Keep ducks away from creek at night-time, otherwise many eggs 

 Avill be lost. 



(9) Ducks should always be locked in at night, and kept on an abso- 

 lutely dry, soft floor. They lay best under these conditions, and the eggs 

 are easily gathered. 



(10) To breed healthy ducklings, avoid the heavy, fattened show birds 

 which lay but few eggs; even these are usually infertile. 



(11) Never hurry the laying ducks. It usually injures them; sometimes 

 seriously. When handling ducks, never hole them by the wmg. 



(12) When sickness attacks ducks, it is useless to doctor them. The 

 best remedy for duck ailments is plenty of sliced raw onion in the mash, 

 and an absolutely dry, soft bed. 



(13) When Runner ducks for egg production are desired, have four 

 to five ducks with an unrelated drake; two ducks and one drake usually 

 produce too large a percentage of drakes. 



(14) From the beginning of July to the middle of September is the 

 t»est time to secure the strong embryo germ 



(15) Ducks for market should be fed well; feed as much as possible 

 — up to ten weeks. They pay best when fattened before they commence 

 to shed the young feather. 



(16) Grain is best scalded or placed in the water vessel. The safest 

 time for grain meal is midday, and then not more than three times 

 each week. 



(17) It costs 2\f\. for each i lb. of duck flesh at thirteen weeks. 



(18) Ducks should never be permitted to run with fowls. They 1x)th 

 do better in pens by themselves. 



(19) When fowls and ducks are allowed to drink from the same vessel, 

 an outbreak of disease may be expected. 



(20) Birds with crooked backs, wry tails, and similar defects should 

 not be bred from. 



FARM RLACKSMITIILXG. 



(Continued from page 743.) 



George Baxter, hisiructor ni BlacksmitJiiug. Working Men' s College, 



Melbourne. 



V. —WELDING. 



The fact that iron can be joined together by heat and pressure alone, 

 without loss of strength, makes it far more vaUiabit- than it otherwise 

 wouhl V>e. It lik<'wise affords the smitli ample oppnitunitirs of tlisplaying 

 his skill c'ind ingenuity. 



Welding is undoubtedly the most important part of the blacksmith's 

 art. but one who jwssesses any talent at all is not likely to be unsuccessful, 

 if he has a forge, fuel, and iron of any size anci shape. He could, foi 

 instance, make a lx)lt or hinge out of old horseshoes, tyres, or p.irts of 

 any old machine simply because iron can be welded. Small bars can l>e 

 made into pieces of larger st-ction. by doubling the bar over and over until 

 a sufficiently large lump is ma<le and then raising to a welding heat and 

 h.Mnnn-ring down. Steel c.in be joined to iron, as in tin- rase of re-pointing 

 j)loughshares. j)i(ks. crow-bars. &c. 



