148 OUR DOMESTIC BIRDS 



grower had to have Pekin Ducks. The production increased 

 very much after the introduction of the Pekin Duck, but the 

 growth of the industry was still retarded by the impossibility 

 of getting all the hens that were needed to hatch the eggs. 

 Several incubators had been invented, which hatched very well 

 for those who had the skill to operate them, but which, in the 

 hands of unskilled operators, spoiled most of the eggs placed in 

 them. About 1890 appeared the first incubators with automatic 

 regulators that really worked so that the ordinary person could 

 manage the machines successfully. One of the New England 

 duck growers who had invented the best of the machines used 

 before this time was already growing ducklings on quite a 

 large scale. On Long Island, where most of the duck farms 

 were located, the farmers were hard to convince of the superi- 

 ority of incubators for their work. Indeed, the only way that 

 they could be convinced was by practical demonstrations right 

 on their own farms. The first incubators used there were ma- 

 chines set up on trial by a manufacturer who had invented an 

 incubator which was very easy to operate. This man went to 

 the duck growing district, placed machines on various farms, 

 and went from farm to farm daily to attend to them, until the 

 farmers were fully convinced that the machines would do what 

 was claimed for them. In a very short' time the artificial method 

 had displaced hatching with hens on the commercial duck farms, 

 and the business was growing amazingly. Within ten years 

 there were many farms producing from 15,000 to 20,000 ducks 

 a year, and a few producing from 40,000 to 50,000. One man 

 on Long Island, who operated two farms a few miles apart, 

 sometimes grew 80,000 ducks in a season. Those who were 

 successful on a large scale became moderately rich. Without 

 exception the successful duck farms have been built up from 

 small beginnings by men who had very little capital to start 

 with. Some of these farms have been operated on a large scale 

 for twenty years. 



