DUCK DOLLARS 15 
By a process of evolution under their control by selection through 
a series of years, they have produced a market duckling which is much 
sought after. In 1909 they began tying up their duck- , . 
lings for shipment with red and white tape in which the Hred-wath 
trade-mark “ Weser Duck” is woven at intervals of two Special Tape 
inches. This gives each duckling, as displayed in market, an individu- 
ality, and prevents substitution. Buyers call for the tape-marked duck- 
ling accordingly, and prefer it to all others. 
The Webers n> doubt could make more money by selling direct to 
buyers, as the best eggs, fowls, butter, etc., are sold, but they are satis- 
fied to sell to marketmen and wish to avoid further details. 
They formerly shipped to New York as well as Boston, but for the 
last two years they have sold only to Boston, and wholly to two firms. 
These firms contract to take the entire output. The 
Webers contract to furnish no specified amount, but to Sell Only to 
ship what they are able. There are many other firms of Middlemen 
marketmen both in Boston and New York which are eager for the Weber 
ducklings, and the Webers could sell a number practically unlimited, 
but 45,000 ducklings a year have represented their capacity. For the 
season of 1912, they have reserved 1,000 laying ducks and are installing 
now (September, 1911,) a new large-sized incubator with a capacity of 
24,000 eggs. The smaller incubators are being taken out and stored. 
This will give them for 1912 an estimated output of 75,000 ducklings, or 
28,000 more than their best previous record. From this output they 
expect to make a profit for the year 1912 of $35,000 to $38,000, or about 
as much as the whole plant is worth. 
They claim for their strain more eggs per year and a higher fertility 
than any duck farm of which they have knowledge. For example, in 
1909, they say they marketed from 7oo adult layers more ducklings than 
another breeder who saved 1,800 adult layers. The following two 
records, they claim, never have been equalled, namely: (1) In 1909 the 
marketing of 47,000 ducklings from 700 layers; and (2) in 1910 the 
marketing of 40,000 ducklings from 500 layers. In other words, each 
adult duck produces for them eighty-five ducklings in 
the ten months constituting the season. Their eggs A Wonderful 
have a high fertility, hatching ninety to ninety-five per Record 
cent. 
In August, 1910, they had seven men working on the farm besides 
themselves. The Webers count on one hired man to care for 6,000 
ducks. Other farms are said to require about double that number of 
hired help to produce equivalent results. ; 
The market price of ducks paid to the Webers has risen five cents 
a pound since 1906, or twenty-five per cent., which has more than paid 
for the advance in feed. 
The Webers receive at best wholesale from thirty-three to thirty-five 
cents a pound. They get most in January, February, March and April. 
Beginning about May 15th, the price drops, and from July on is from 
twenty cents a pound. The lowest price in recent years has been 
eighteen cents a pound. In the hard times of 1892 and 1893, the lowest- 
