The City Market for Runner Eggs 



CHAPTER XII 



Although in the year 1912 over 1000 breeders of Indian 

 Runners had been listed as selling eggs for hatching, the interest 

 in these birds as fancy stock has been such that few of them 

 have yet reached the great markets of New York City. I have 

 had it in mind for nearly two years to do a little advertising 

 for the market trade in New York City, not as a private venture, 

 but for the sake of the general producers in the country. It is 

 poor policy, however, to work up a call for which there is no 

 supply ready, and the conditions do not seem even yet ready 

 for this move. When they are, I think the Cumberland White- 

 Egg Indian Runner Club will take it up. 



During December 1912 and January 1913, I spent a pare 

 of two days in the Commission district of New York City, aim- 

 ing to find out all that commission men could tell me or were 

 willing to tell me, about present conditions and future prospects 

 for the Runner products, in this ultimate market for large sup- 

 plies of produce of every sort. I learned a number of most sur- 

 prising things — many of them things of the sort of which one 

 says, "Wonderful, amazing — IF TRUE." For instance, I learned 

 from these same commission men, that the Runner duck weighs 

 on the average, only two and one-half to three pounds alive! 

 I learned from one very positive informer that the real difficulty 

 in selling Runner ducks in market lay in the fact that they were 

 so much like the Muscovy, the drake being too large for the mar- 

 ket ! I learned that the Runners were greatly like the Muscovys 

 in appearance, the heads being rough, etc. ; also, that the natural 



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