more. This must be discounted a little by the fact that "an egg's 

 an egg," and, for strictly table use, three hens' eggs will "go 

 farther" than two ducks' eggs (usually serving three persons,) ; 

 though the eaters will not get the same amount of nutrittient. 

 There is also the old prejudice against ducks' eggs to be reckoned 

 with. Judging by intrinsic value alone, when hens' eggs bring 

 forty cents in a firm market, Indian Runner ducks' eggs should 

 be worth sixty cents. Whether we shall ever attain to this as a 

 permanent standard of comparative values. I am unable to 

 prophesy. At Easter, there will be no difficulty in doing it; at 

 other times, until the market is firmly established, we may, per- 

 haps, find it necessary to take a price from five to ten cents above 

 the market price of hens' eggs at any given time, or less than this 

 at some seasons. 



I know of one case in which in New York market, a breeder 

 sold Indian Runner eggs in crate lots, at 17c and upward more 

 than the going price for fine hens' eggs. This was at Easter time, 

 and several years ago, even before all eggs were as high in price 

 all the time as is now the case. I know, too, of a certain physi- 

 cian, practising in a small town, who recommended Indian Run- 

 ner eggs for his patients, as preferable to hens' eggs. In that 

 city, the Runner eggs have brought at least five cents more than 

 hens' eggs, regularly, through some years and down to the pres- 

 ent time. This does not seem enough, but when we remember 

 that the Runners are more prolific than hens, that they lay during 

 a longer average period, and that they will thrive on coarser feed, 

 with less coddling, and with cheaper housing, the argument in 

 favor of the Runners is pretty strong. 



There is one point about selling which I want to make as 

 emphatic as possible. This is : the sellers must ignore the preju- 

 dice against duck eggs — a relic of a careless age, or poorer ducks 

 — except when obliged to meet it through the inquiry of a possi- 



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