_ pany is formed for the purpose of ¢ 
1 Ocr., 1901.] QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. 399 
_ Having seen the process of preparing the food, we next visited the. 
Incubating-house. Here there are sixteen incubators of different sizes, varying 
from a capacity of 100 to 400 eggs. They consist of the Prairie State, the 
Wooden Hen, Eclipse (by Ellis and Dobeson), Excelsior, and Petaluma. All 
these are self-regulating. In these incubators there were some 3,000 eggs, 
in all stages of development, in a temperature averaging 103 degrees. In 
Some, the young ducklings were just emerging, their late lodgings being “‘to 
let.” In others, the birds could be seen by the aid of the egg-tester_ wriggling 
about in their narrow quarters, whilst in others again the head, heart, and 
membranes of the forming chick could be clearly seen. The most exquisite 
cleanliness is observed here as elsewhere, and it was justly observed that there 
is more mess visible in a town allotment enclosing fifty hens than was to be 
seen in any part of this farm of 3,000 birds. From the hatching-room the 
ducklings are passed on to their foster-mother in the “ nursery.” 
This nursery is divided into ten roomy pens about 10 feet long by 8 feet 
Wide, with cemented floors covered deeply with clean hay. At the head of each 
pen is a wooden chest with glass doors opening onto a passage at one side and 
onto the pen at the other. ‘These chests are the foster-mothers, and are warmed 
by a lamp placed underneath, by which they are kept at a temperature of 85 to 
90 degrees. Hach pen has a feeding-trough surmounted by something like - 
a toast-rack, into which the ducklings can put their heads to feed, but cannot 
get in and spoil the food. ‘The water-troughs are covered with wire-netting 
through which they can get their bills and heads only. For twenty-four hours 
after hatching, the ducklings are allowed no food. After that, they are 
regularly fed eight times a day. ‘There is a door to each pen, opening upon the 
hursery run, in which the little birds bask in the sun. Each pen is devoted to 
ducklings of a certain age. As they grow, they pass from pen to pen, until in 
about five weeks they are promoted to the large outer yards. In all, there are 
here sixteen runs and yards, and beyond the creek are two large yards for 
Muscovies and Pekins. 
Another range of duck-houses is being built higher up the hill, and an 
experiment is being made with “ruberoid” for the sides and roofs. Hach of 
these houses is provided with a fairly large run enclosed by a low wire-net fence. 
There are no nests. The ducks lay their eggs during the night all over the 
aying-yards, and they are all collected by sunrise in the morning. Our illus- 
tration shows part of a morning’s collection. The whole is under the care of 
Mr. William Grave, who, eight years ago, was a student at the Hawkesbury 
College, New South Wales, and who not only thoroughly understands his 
usiness, but is a perfect enthusiast in the work. A very short inspection 
suffices to show that he is the right man in the right place. Compared with 
poultry, ducks are comparatively free from disease, consequently a duck farm 
Will pay the owner when a poultry farm might not prove successful. 
It is intended to bring the numbers up to 10,000, and then to commence 
exporting. 
Pigeons are about to be bred in large numbers in extensive ayiaries. They 
require little attention, breed freely, and are a source of considerable profit. 
Our illustrations are from photographs taken by Mr. F. C. Wills, artist to 
the Department of Agriculture. 
This is what The Field has to say on poultry farming :—There has recently 
Come under our notice the prospectus of a proposed new poultry company, 
With a capital of £10,000 in shares of £1 each. It sets forth that the eom- 
ultivating poultry farming in all its various 
ranches, and states that under suitable conditions it is a very lucrative industry. 
£ the promoters of this company had called attention to one single example of 
a ace Ole poultry farm, they would have done much more to recommend their 
Scheme than by publishing general statements of this kind. We have never 
een able to discover the existence of a poultry farm which has been carried 
on for two years with success... The allusion to the large number of eggs and 
