444 AGRICULTURAL REPORT. 



ibr Uic Loudon markel. Supplies arc Ibrwariled i)y rail, twice ii \yeck, 

 tli(5 sliipmeut iVom Aylesbury oftcu rcacbiug- sevcial tout?. More than 

 i:20,000 per year arc returned to tlic neighborhood for these fowls. In 

 January, ISTU, the eggs brought 8 shillir^s per dozen. The ducks are 

 chiefly raised by cottagers, who make a good living, and it is not un- 

 usual to find 2,000 to 3,000 young ducks in one cottage or its adjoining 

 premises. The great point of the business lies in forcing the fowls 

 rapidly and skillfully. After the first week in ]^ovcmber they are forced 

 on with stimulating food, barley-meal, tallow-greaves, whole barley, 

 &c. Soon after Christmas they begin to lay. The eggs are placed un- 

 der hens, and when they are hatched one hen takes charge of three or 

 four broods. A large proportion of the ducklings die. They are fed 

 on boiled eggs, chopped fine and sprinkled with a little meal, and after- 

 ward boiled bullock's liver, cut fine, is mixed with the food. But little 

 water is allowed. After the ducks are about three weeks old they re- 

 ceive barley-meal, tallow-greaves, &c., and in six or seven weeks are fit 

 for market, weighing 2 pounds to 3 ijounds each. 



Statistics of egg consumption. — The American Poultry Gazette reports 

 414,034 barrels of eggs received in New York City during 1871, con- 

 taining 25,912,210 dozen, worth $5,661,973.85. This account does not 

 include small packages and eggs brought in by marketmen and others 

 living near the city, which, it is estimated, would swell the value to over 

 $8,000,000. 



The Chicago Times, a few months ago, gave a detailed statement 

 of the receipts of fifty-seven dealers in that city, for the year ending- 

 July 31, 1871, amounting to 4,662,500 dozen ; estimated receipts of 

 other dealers, 4,000,000 dozen; making a total for the year of 8,662,500 

 dozen. 



COEN-FODDEE. 



Corn-fodder. — Mr. E. H. Simmons writes the Germantown (Pennsyl- 

 vania) Telegraph that, on June 3, he drilled 12 quarts of corn in rows 

 2 feet apart on one-third of an acre of mucky land, manured with 1^ cords 

 of fine manure. He cultivated twice, taking one-half hour each time, 

 his man following him with a hand-hoe ; total time in cultivating and 

 hoeing, three hours. The corn grew 10 feet high, and was cut up just 

 as the tassels began to blossom ; it made 300 bundles, averaging 20 

 pounds green and 8 pounds dry, being at the rate of 7,200 pounds of 

 dry fodder per acre. This dried fodder, he judged from his own ex- 

 perience, to be worth more for feeding to milch-cows than the best hay, 

 ton for ton. His cows ate it perfectly clean, and gave a large flow of 

 milk while kept upon it. 



" B. K.," of Peekskillj New York, states that in the last part of June, 

 1871, he cut three tons of hay from 24- acres, and early in July plowed 

 this area 7 or 8 inches, harrowed smooth, and drilled mixed western 

 corn in rows 4 feet apart, sowing 2 bushels per acre, covered the drills 

 with fresh cow-manure, laying the latter 1 foot wide and 3 inches deep, 

 and covered this dressing lightly with earth. The cultivator was run 

 through the corn four times up to August 10, and no hoeing was given. 

 September 10, he cut the corn with a sickle, laying it crosswise with 

 the rows, and let it remain for five days, then tied in bundles and 

 stooked on adjoining grass-land. The corn-field was immediately re- 

 plowed, smoothed, and seeded to timothy. The corn stood in stook for 

 two mouths, when, being well cured, it was housed. The stalks were tall 

 and slender and the corn was eaten clean, without machine-cutting, fur- 



