110 
AMERIOAJsT AG-EIOTJLTTJRIST. 
[Maboh, 
Ducks.—Duck Houses. 
BT D. Z. EVANS, JR. 
Ducks require rather more care thau they gen¬ 
erally receive. Under good treatment, and where 
there are sufficient Avater privileges, they can and 
do pay better than almost any other kind of poultiy 
bred for market purposes. Fig. 1 shows one of the 
oldest forms of duck houses, still largely used, as it 
is cheap, easily made, and is neat and comfortable. 
It is merely a night shelter, and is too dark for 
them to remain in any longer during every twenty- 
four hours than is absolutely necessary. A very 
convenient size to comfortably contain tAventy or 
twenty-flve ducks, is eight feet long, four feet 
Avide, and four feet high at the peak. A hinged 
entrance door is in front, and if desired a large 
one can be made of part of the house roof. Being 
merely set upon the ground, it can be moved from 
one part of the plat to another, Avith little trouble. 
For large ones, some have the sills made like sled 
runners, and move them with a horse. One-inch 
common pine boards ansAver Avell, either tongued 
and grooved,or battened over the joints to shed rain. 
—Fig. 2 is a very good and inexpensive duck house. 
About half of the south or southeastern front is 
sash, hung on “loose-butt” hinges, so as to be 
open or closed, or to be taken off without remo\’- 
ing the screAVS from the hinges. Size, ten to twelve 
Fig. 1.— OLD FORM OP DUCK HOUSE. 
feet long, four to five feet Avide ; front hight three 
feet. The roof having small inclination, needs to 
be well jointed, and the joints battened, or tarred 
sheathing paper used, to prevent leakage. If de¬ 
sired, the posts for the front corners can be planted 
in the ground, Avbich will give firmness, and cost 
less than framing.—Fig. 3 shows a more substantial 
and more expensive duck house. Length, eight 
feet, or longer if desired; four feet Avide; hight. 
Fig. 2.— AN INEXPENSIVE DUCK HOUSE. 
five feet in front and two feet in the rear. It has 
a sash tAvo by five feet in the front, which should 
face the south. A door for the ducks is made in 
one end ; and a large door for the breeder’s use in 
the opposite or the same end. For the cheapest 
construction, set corner posts in the ground, thus 
saving framing. If there should ever be occasion 
for removing, the posts can be sawed off at the 
ground surface.—Figure 4 presents a still more 
Fig. 3.— A MORE SUBSTANTIAE DUCK HOUSE. 
expensive duck house, which may have either a 
round or double pitch roof. Making it seven feet 
high, gives about two feet space above the eaves 
for a pigeon loft, where many a fine bird can be 
reared. This may be covered Avith tin, or sheath¬ 
ing; canvas (good second-hand Avill do) thorough¬ 
ly painted before and after it is applied, Avith any 
good outside paint, will make a substantial, dura¬ 
ble, Avind and waterproof roof. Sash should oc¬ 
cupy most of the south end, to admit Avarmth and 
light. A large door is in the north end ; the duck 
entrance can be placed where most convenient. A 
A'^entilator in each end at the peak, is needed for 
Fig. 4.— DUCK HOUSE WITH ROUND ROOF. 
the health and comfort of the ducks. The writer 
has occasionally learned to his cost, that a hook 
and padlock are not an unnecessary ornament. 
Why Farmers Fail to Raise Melons. 
Many farmers in the more Northern States fail in 
the melon crop. The vines grow, blossom, and 
bear fruit perhaps, but it is small and poor in 
quality, often unfit for cattle feed. This frequently 
occurs in the same locality, and on the same kind 
of soil, Avhere a skillful gardener raises melons of 
good size and finest flavor. No doubt melons can 
be grown more easily in a southern thau in a 
northern climate ; but it is true of this crop, as of 
many others, that it reaches its highest excellence 
in the northern limits of the belt Avhere it will 
mature. For example, the Valley of the Connecti¬ 
cut Kiver, especially in Hartford county, is some¬ 
what famous for its fine Avatermelons. There, as 
in soTiie other localities, the facility for marketing 
them by a near navigable stream has led to their 
cultivation as a staple crop. But certain it is, the 
sandy alluAuum abounding in that valley is admir¬ 
ably adapted to melons. A common cause of 
failure Avith this crop, is the lack of sufficient ma¬ 
nure. One puts a shovelful of manure under the 
seed, without care for the rest of the ground 
Avhere the roots are to penetrate and seek most of 
their food. The melons are gross feeders, and re¬ 
quire much water to supply the abundant juices 
and large evaporation from their extensive leaf sur¬ 
face, Avhile the northern season is none too long 
for them. They grow with great rapidity in hot 
Aveather, and the most must be made of the sum¬ 
mer months, by supplying them Avith all the food 
they can appropriate; it should be broad-casted 
Avith plenty of well-rotted stable manure, and ploAV- 
ed as long before planting as possible, that it may 
be well diffused through the soil. Early in August 
we visited a garden where the melon patch, about 
a quarter acre, had received twelve cartloads of 
manure, of about a half cord each. The melons 
apparently never suspected they were not growing 
in the tropics. There Avere plenty of them, and of 
Cassabas, and Nutmegs, beautiful to the eye, and 
melting upon the palate. There is great satisfaction 
in raising fniits perfect after their kind, only pos¬ 
sible in northern climates, with abundant manure. 
Another trouble with many farmers is indifference 
to good seed. A melon is a melon with them, 
Avhether it is a scrub or a thorough-bred that has 
had a gardener’s care and been raised from select¬ 
ed fruits for a dozen years. There is as much 
difference in melons as in other products of the 
garden. Tbe old-fashioned musk-melon, that was 
popular fifty years ago, is hardly worth raising. 
A Avell-grown “Nutmeg,” or “Cassaba,” or 
“ Black Spanish ” watermelon is a feast of fat 
things, that lingers in memory. Like begets like 
in the melon patch. Fighting bugs, giving room 
for the spread of vines, thinning the plants to two 
in a hill, and frequent cultivation, are other im¬ 
portant points in this husbandry. Melons of the 
best flavor and in plenty, for home use and market, 
are within reach of every farmer two months in 
the year. Look after the seed and fertilizers now. 
Red Hogs.—Their Standard and Future. 
COL. F. D. CURTIS. 
The breeders of red hogs have organized an 
association, uniting the New Jersey family, called 
“Jersey Beds,” and those of New Tork, known 
as “ Durocs.” The latter have been mostly bred 
in Saratoga county, though quite common in Wash¬ 
ington and Rensselaer counties. The name agreed 
upon is Duroc-Jersey, which unites all interests, 
Giving a foundation broad enough for all concerned. 
The following standard adopted, is more for the 
typical hog, than a representation of the red hogs 
as they are now generally bred. The true Duroc- 
Jersey hog should be long, quite deep-bodied, not 
round, but broad on the back, and holding the 
width well out to the hips and hams; the head 
small, compared with the body; the cheek broad 
and full, Avith considerable breadth betAveen the 
eyes; bone, not fine nor yet coarse, but medium. 
The legs should be medium in size and length, but 
set well under the body and well apart, and not cut 
up high in the flank or above the knee. The hams 
should be broad, full, and well down to the hock. 
The neck should be short and thick, the face 
slightly curved, Avith nose short, the ear rather 
large and lapped over the eyes ; the tail thick at 
the beginning, and tapering to a point. A growth 
of hair of medium fineness, usually straight, but in 
some cases a little wavy, with few if any bristles 
at the top of the shoulders. Color red, vaiying 
from cherry red, or even brownish to light yellow¬ 
ish red, with occasionally a small fleck on beUyand 
legs. The darker shades of red, without the black 
flecks, is the type most desirable. Disposition 
gentle. When full grown, should dress from four 
hundred to five hundred pounds ; pigs nine months 
old should dress two hundred and fifty to three 
hundred pounds. 
It will not take long to bring the Duroc-Jerseys 
up to this standard, and when it is done they 
Avill go to the front and stay there, as one of 
the most profitable breeds. The crossing of 
the tAvo families together with the united 
blood already in them, will give them stamina 
for years, and prevent the “ running out,” 
Avhich always follows in-breeding, and too long 
continuous breeding in a direct line. There is 
room for this breed, which can now under the care 
of the association be improved, and also be made 
thorough-breds. There has been a great deal of 
loose and mixed breeding of red hogs, which has 
given them a set-back where specimens have been 
introduced, as people seeing them supposed they 
were true types. The Duroe Jersey hogs are 
in the hands of men of character and experience, 
who Avill unite their skill and experience to per¬ 
fect the breed, and to push it well to the front. 
Fattening Coop for Poultry. 
The Avriter has found the following very con¬ 
venient: Dimensions, eight feet long, three feet 
Avide, thirty inches high in front, and tAventy-four 
inches at the rear. It is made of inch-thick boards. 
The interior may be divided into tAvo compartments 
when desired. The front has at the bottom a board 
tAvelve to fourteen inches wide, hung on hinges, to 
be raised for feeding. This may be cut into two 
separate pieces, and four hinges be used; The 
above space is slatted for ventilation ; the entire 
roof is made in tAvo sections, either on hinges or 
arranged to slide, so as to be easily movable for 
cleaning out, or removing the fowls. If not planed 
and painted, the rough boards should be well 
Avhite-Avashed in spring and autumn, both to pre¬ 
serve the structure, and promote cleanliness and 
freedom from insects, as well as for appearance. 
