FATTENING DUCKS. 119 



small yards, and not allowed access to water for 

 bathing until a month old. In winter they never go 

 out of their yards until killed. Prom the time they 

 are hatched until ready for market the ducklings are 

 fed upon all the wholesome food they can digest, and 

 at ten weeks old dress about 10 lb. the pair. 



As showing what can be done by feeding, the follow- 

 ing may give an idea, namely, celery-fed ducks. These 

 ducks, if forced quickly, are Uke rapidly grown lettuce 

 and radishes — very tender. Their market was originally 

 made on this tender, fat condition, without the use of 

 celery to add to their flavour. Mr. Rankin of Massa- 

 chusetts claims to have introduced them on the market. 

 Fifteen years ago, he says, the strong flavour of ordi- 

 nary ducks put them in the category of second-rate 

 poultry, and he had difficulty at first in selHng 1,500 

 in the course of a year on the Boston market. They 

 are now known in New York markets as Boston 

 ducks. The wholesome food, of course, changed the 

 quality of their flesh, and now the supply is not equal 

 to the demand. They are fed with celery finely cut 

 and mixed vsdth their food for probably a month 

 previous to killing. There is no distinct taste of celery 

 in the flesh, but its union with the natural qualities of 

 the duck imparts a flavour that is simply delicious — 

 little, if any, inferior to the celebrated canvassbacks, 

 which feed on wild celery. The guinea-fowl has lost 

 probably fewer of its peculiar flesh qualities by domesti- 

 cation than any other fowl, and a guinea-fowl two-thirds 

 grown is a great delicacy, but it is not to be compared 

 with a well-grown, celery-fed duck. 



