7 
tion must possess this quality or they will suffer at the hands of the 
judge. Birds raised for exhibition purposes must be guarded against 
too much exposure to the sunlight in the summer. Of course, these 
delicate points are of no consequence to the market poulterer other 
than to show the true type of the breed. 
For farm purposes the Aylesbury is to be recommended, second only 
to the Pekin; it possesses the many good qualities of the Pekin, and 
can be bred with almost the same success. The advantages claimed 
for Aylesbury are the ease with which it is acclimated, thriving in every 
country and climate; its early maturity; its great hardiness; its large 
size; its great prolificacy, and the real beauty which it possesses. 
Kaisers recommend for raising exhibition birds one drake to two 
ducks, or two drakes to five ducks, all being allowed to run together. 
Duck raisers who raise large numbers for market breed them as they 
do Pekins, using from four to eight females to one male, according to 
the season of the year. Fresh blood is introduced every year to keep 
up the size, and breeding stock is seldom kept longer than the second 
or third year. 
The Aylesbury being an English duck, it will be of interest to note 
the methods employed in their native place for raising them, as given 
by an English writer in the following statements: 
In and about the town of Aylesbury very many of tbe cottagers maintain, each of 
them, a set of ducks, about 4 ducks to a drake. These they keep in any outbuild¬ 
ing attached to their dwellings and, failing such a place, in the cottage itself. 
From them the “duckers” (dealers peculiar to the trade) collect the eggs, and 
generally bargain with the owners for their whole supply at a given rate for the 
season. They begin their collection in October, and the contract is often made for 
the w r hole produce up to June. The breeding stock of a “ducker” who does an 
average trade consists of six drakes and twenty ducks; these all run together, and 
the brooks and ponds are looked upon almost as common property. They are sepa¬ 
rated at night, driven up to their respective homes,, well fed and warmly housed. 
The eggs which were laid during the nighttime are set, as soon as possible, under 
large and attentive hens, for which purpose good Dorkings and Cochins are consid¬ 
ered best. The ducks themselves are never allowed to sit, though they may desire 
to do so, as the result would be almost certain failure. 
Thirteen eggs comprise a setting, aud these are easily covered by a large hen. 
Hens are set either in fish pads, small hampers, or, in what we have found most service¬ 
able, the round boxes in which cheeses are packed. In the bottom of these is placed 
some lime or wood ashes, and then a nest of hay or some soft straw; there the hens must 
be kept as quiet as possible. Special care must be taken to guard against the intru¬ 
sion of rats or other vermin by which the hen mother may be disturbed and, as is 
often the case, the whole setting be destroyed thereby. The period of incubation is 
twenty-eight days, and during the last week of that time care must be taken to sprinkle 
the eggs daily with lukewarm water, which softens the shells, so that when the time 
comes for the duckling to make its appearance it has not much difficulty in breaking 
through its covering. When the young are hatched they should be left with the 
hen until well nestled, well dried, and strong enough to stand. Many scores of 
ducklings are lost by inexperienced persons through their impatience to remove 
them from the nest. The little duckling is at first clad with soft, yellow down, 
which gradually disappears as the feathers grow. After a few days, three or four 
broods are put together with one hen, which is quite able to take care of them all. 
