vouch for his work and his integrity, if my memory is correct 

 with regard to A. P. A. law. He says the ducks of the English 

 penciled type are "the greatest layers of the age." He admits 

 that there are a few strains of the Amerjcan Standard birds that 

 are "really great layers," but says, in general, that fanciers have 

 given their strength to getting color till many strains are "worth- 

 less" for egg production. 



Mr. T. F. McGrew, whose judgment is considered very good 

 said this, under date of October 4, 1911, in a letter to me: "The 

 proper solution of the problem would be to have tzvo varieties 

 and not to try to push out the fawn and white ivith the other 

 variety. I am at a loss to understand why it is that people who 

 are interested in Indian Rmmer Ducks cannot sec that the laced 

 (or penciled, as you prefer) should be classed as a separate va- 

 riety of Indian Runner Ducks." 



I am indeed glad to have such a deliverance from a man 

 standing so high as Mr. McGrew, on this question. But I trust 

 that Mr. McGrew and all others will remember that it was the 

 sustained and determined effort to discredit the Penciled variety 

 utterly in this country which set its advocates upon the up-hill 

 work of saving it to the United States farmers. 



Mr. Walton says that, leaving color entirely out of the 

 question, either as to eggs or the feathers, "the most erect, quick- 

 running type of Indian Runner is the best foraging and laying 

 duck in existence." The level-bodied varieties, he states, "can't 

 touch it; but, it does not lay 340 eggs in 240 days, nor does it 

 usually lay .330 in a year, and what is more, it doesn't tell lies, 

 and it doesn't ask any one to tell them for it." 



During the past two years, the general attitude toward the 

 English Penciled Runner has become more and more favorable, 

 as the performance and the facts about Standard, color, history, 

 etc., have become better known. A goodly number of the best 

 judges, and constantly increasing numbers of breeders now stand 



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