THE SEMI-WEEKLY TRIPUNF NORTH PI ATTF, nfrraqka
jlNTEl
INTENSIVE DUCK RAISING ON LARGE SCALE
Pekln Duck end
Trom Weekly Letter. United States De
partment of Aprlculturo.)
Tho number of commercial duck
farniB in the country 1b Increasing
Bomowhnt, It is said, but tho produc
tion of ducks on general farniB Is do
creasing, especially In tho middle
West. The last census reports show
that ducks were kept on only 7.9 per
cent of tho farms In tho country. Tho
demand for ducks' eggs Is more lim
ited than for hens' eggs, and tho de
mand for tablo ducks at good prices
Is, to a great extent, confined to tho
largo cities and is not nearly as gen
eral as tho demand for chickens or
fowls. For this reason it is advisable
to study tho market conditions before
making any large investment in ducks.
On tho other hand, in a now publica
tion of tho United States department
of agriculture, Farmers' Bulletin 697,
It Is said that intensivo duck farming
on a large scale has been more suc
cessful than Intensive chicken raising.
Tho Pekln ducks, which are kept ex
tensively by commercial growers, are
less subject to dlseaso than chickens,
and artificial methods of hatching and
rearing have been used very success
fully with them. On general farms
ducks can bo raised with success and
at a profit, though as a source of in
come they do not appear to bo as well
adapted to average farm conditions
as other fowls. Hitherto farmers have
rarely given tho necessary care to tho
feeding and marketing of their duck
lings to securo any largo sharo of tho
trade in fancy green ducks.
It is this trade which attracts tho
commercial duck farmer. A green duck
Is n duckling which is grown rapidly
and marketed when from eight to
twelve yeeks old, weighing at that
time from 4 to 6 pounds. This
rapid growth is made possible by an
abundance of care and good feeding,
Tho highest prices are paid early in
tho spring, but, as has already been
said, the domand is chiefly from tho
lnrgo cities in the East and on tho Pa
ciflc coast. As a matter of fact, many
farmers market their ducks in the
fall at a lower prlco per bird than
green ducks bring In the spring.
Tho Pekin breed of duck is kept al
most exclusively by producers of green
ducks. It is estimated that the cost of
raising a ten-wcek-old Pekln duck is
from five to six cents a pound. In tho
wholesale market, when marketed
from April to November, they bring
Indian Runner Ducks.
between 12 and 30 cents a pound. The
cost of picking them is placed at from
five to six cents each, but this 1b prac
tically covered by tho value of tho
foathors, which bring from 40 to 50
cents a pound when cured. Each duck
yields about two ounces of marketable
feathers.
Ducks may bo fed on tho rations
recommended for fowl and chickens,
but better results aro usually secured
by feeding more green and vegetable
feeds and a larger proportion of mash.
Ducklings do not need feed until they
aro from twenty-four to thirty-six
hours old. After this they should be
fed for tho first week five times a day;
after that, four times a day until they
aro two or threo weoks old, and there
after threo times dally until they aro
marketed. Tho first ration should con
sist of a mixture which contains equal
parts by meosuro of rolled cats and
bread crumbs, with 3 per cent of sharp
Band mixed In tho feed. When about
three days old this feed Is changed to
equal partB of bread, rolled oats, bran,
nnd cornmeal. After tho first week
the ration should bo changed again to
threo parts of bran, ono part each of
low-grade wheat flour and cornmeal,
10 per cont of green feed, and 5 per
cent of beef scrap, with about 3 per
cont of sand or grit. Tho amount of
beef scrap Is gradually increased until
It reaches 15 per cent by the end of
Ducklings.
tho third week. Tho proportion of conv
meal Is Increased for tho ducklings
to bo mnrkoted and the bran decreased
as tho tlmo for marketing tho duck
lings approaches.
Tho fattening ration, which should
bo used for two weoks before killing
consists of threo parts, by weight, oi
cornmcal, two parts of low-grado flout
or middlings, one part of bran, one-
half part of beef scrap, 10 per cent
green feed, and 3 per cent grit. This
mash Is fed three times daily. The
green feed is sometimes left out ol
tho ration during tho last week of fat
toning, as it tends to color tho meat,
but it is easier to keep the ducklings
in good feeding condition if it is in
eluded. Boiled fish is sometimes used
in placo of tho beef scrap, but this
should be discontinued two weeks be
fore tho ducklings are killed, in order
not to impart a fishy taste. Whero
milk is available at a sufficiently low
prlco tho rations recommended for
milk-fattened chickens would produco
a well-bleached milk-fed greon duck
Celery seed Is also used, as this is
said to flavor tho flesh.
For the general farmer who Is moro
interested in obtaining eggs than in
producing green ducks for tho market
tho Indian Runner Is a good breed
This duck holds tho same relative po
sitlon in tho duck family that tho Leg'
horn does in the chicken family. It
lays a good-sized white egg, consid
orably larger than a hen's egg, and is
declared to be a small eater, a good
forager, and hardy.
At the present time tho keeping of
ducks for eggs Is an industry which
appears to bo growing moro rapidly in
tho South than elsewhere. A good de
mand for these eggs exists at Easter
time, when tho prices are usually sev'
eral conts a dozen higher than for
hens' eggs, but during tho balanco o
tho year tho average prlco for tho two
has been about the same. Recently,
however, tho introduction of tho In
dlan Runner has helped In building
up a trado in first-class ducks' eggs
These eggs should bo marketed fre
quently, as they depreciate in quality
moro rapidly than hens' eggs. Tho
possibilities of securing a market
moreover, should be carefully invest!
gated, for it is only in certain places
that good prices can bo secured for
fancy ducks eggs.
On commercial duck farms most of
tho hatching is done in incubators, for
tho Pekln and Indian Runner rarely
sit. On farms where no incubator is
available, tho egge are usually hatched
under hens. Tho period of incubation
is a week longer than that of hens'
eggs, and, for this reason, tho hen
must bo woll cared for. While ducks
are easier to brood artificially than
chickens, they may also bo raised suc
cessfully under hens. In tho latter
case, it is better to 'conflno tho hens
nnd to allow tho ducklings frco range.
Birds that aro Intended for sale as
greon ducks, however, aro not usually
allowed much range, but aro fed heav
ily and forced for rapid growth. Tho
brooders and brooding systems used
for chickens give good results In roar
ing ducklings, although tho latter do
not require as high a temperature.
CATCHING HOOK IS VALUABLE
Device Is Almost Indispensable
Poultry Yard Especially Good
to Capture Sick Fowl.
In
Tho problem of how to catch a hen
has nt last been solved by tho Unl
vorslty of California. "It Is, rb a rule,
very difficult," writes Professor
Dougherty and his collaborator, W. E.
Lloyd, "to get closo enough to a fowl,
especially ono of tho moro active and
nervous breeds, to pick hor up with
one's hands. It generally happons
that when one roally wants to catch a
certain fowl sho simply won't Jet ono
get within arm's longth. With the
catching hook ono can slip up closo
enough with much loss wear and tear
on both attendant and fowl."
Ho declares that whero used with
normal caro not to closo tho hook too
tightly nor to Jerk tho fowl too sud
denly, such a catching hook Is almost
Indlsponsablo In a poultry yard and
particularly valuablo for removing
promptly from a pen any sick fowl
which, might soon spread disease
through the flock.
Poultrymon That Succeeds.
Tho poultry breeder who studies tho
condition of his fowls and gives them
comfortablo surroundings Is tho man
who succoods and haa very few sick
fowlB. '
matmomi.
D
1 n. ORCAS dreaded Valentino's
dny tho most of all. Pink cel
luloid hearts and bluo-rlb-boned
gowgaws that other lit
tle girls received with blushes and
giggles from tho boys across tho alslo
woro not In her lino.
Dorcas did not tnko after her moth
er, Mrs. Carter always explained whon
apologizing for her daughter's wall
flower tendencies.
Dorcas was liko her father thin,
brown, Berlous oyed nnd sensitive. Her
father's side of tho houso also was to
blamo for hor natno, which tho school
children derisively shortenod to "Dor-
ky." Tho namo belonged to Mr. Car
tor's aunt, n killjoy sort of a person,
who sent Dorcas union suits and mlt-
teuB nt Christmas time.
Although Dorcas, being cloven yenrs
old, had undorgono llvo ordeals of tho
Valentino box, Mrs. Carter never was
ablo to understand why hor daughter
camo homo each tlmo without any
trophies of masculine adoration.
Sometimes Dorcas fancied her moth
or had been liko Clara Jano, a freckled,
tomboy clrl. Whon Clara Jano was
winked at she immediately waved her
hand in tho air indignantly nnd blurt
ed out, "That old Happy Finncgnn'B
winkin' nt mo, and if you don't mako
him stop I'll slap his face "
MIsb Stanton interrupted, sentenc
ing tho impotuous Clara Jano to fit
teen minutes' stay After school for her
rudeness.
But at 4:15 Clara Jano found tho
same freckled urchin who had winked
his blue eyes at her waiting outside to
carry homo her books.
And so It camo Fobruary 13. Mrs,
Carter mado tho discovery at the din
nor table.
"Why. honey." sho exclaimed de
lightedly to Dorcas, and Bpeaklng in
tho confidential tono of ono girl to
nnother, "honey, tomorrow's Valon
tlno day. Have you laid in yours yot
for tho box?"
"I got them this nfternon," tho child
replied, trying to speak naturally,
"You did? Why didn't you toll mo?
Who are you going to send them to?"
Dorcas replied with hor eyes still
on her plate:
"Miss Stanton, Aby Morgnn, Gene
vieve, and I've got a llttlo one for
Mose, tho janitor. Ho never gets any
"If I Could Just Get One Valentine
From a Boy."
and ho always Axes our box up In tho
morning nnd ''
"Oh, but dearie," Interrupted her
mother, "What about tho boys? I was
hoping they'd send you some this year
and if they do you'd feel cheap not re
mombering them. Why don't you send
Happy Finnegan ono, anyway? Why,
when I was In school "
"My dear, would you mind getting
mo another cup of coffee?"
Mr. Carter had seen Dorcas sudden
ly cram bread between hor quivering
Hps and a vision of his own sensitive,
bashful boyhood came before him
As quickly as sho safely could, Dor
cas slipped away to bed.
"If I could Just get ono valentlno
from a boy," Hho pleaded in her pray
ers, "I wouldn't ask for anything else
for a long, long time. It's not for my
self, but for mother. I can't dlsnp
point her again tomorrow."
Below In tho sitting room Mr. Carter
suddenly lost Interest In the cmbrol
dery club.
"1 bollevo I'll go aown to tho drug
Btoro and get a Jigar," he told his
wifo, handing her tho ovenlng paper,
Its pages neatly turned to tho dry
goods advertisements.
How long it took to get tho cigar,
Mrs, Carter did not know. Sho was
asleep when her husband camo home,
and ho never explained to her that he
had ylslted five drug stores and ended
up with a call at tho back door of the
llttlo shanty bolonging to Mose, tho
school janitor,
A spirit of Santa Claus anticipation
filled MIsb Stanton's room tho next
morning, Llttlo girls with bobbed hair
took llttlo girls with braids and big
bc-WB in corners and showed them
fancy creations of lace and ttssuo pa
per, nnd pert round-faced llttlo girls
tittered whonovor ono of tho boyB
across tho alslo tramped in smiling
consciously with a queer-shaped pack
ago under his cont.
Tho nrrlval of Happy Flnncgan, his
coat having a mysterious square ef
fect in front, was tho climax of tho
morning. Coradoll and Clara Jano,
tholr nrms about each other, smiled
knowingly, each confident in hor own
mind that his smllo, his blush and his
squaro-shuped box woro for her. Hap
py hadn't decided yot htmsolf.
At last, finding that Billy Evorott
was Bending nn expensive winged Cu
pid to Coradoll, ho sont his gem to
tho samo shrine.
Tho drend of tho box oponlng hnd
grown upon Dorcas all day. It was bnd
enough to sit for forty-flvo minutes
whllo ovorybody was being showered
with valentines. But facing hor moth
or afterwards hor blondo, dimpling
mother who would cotno running to
meet her nnd whoso fnco would fall
like that of a disappointed child when
"I Got the Beautlfullest Valentine
of
Anybody In School."
she saw only tho llttlo tokcnB from
"Miss Stanton and tho girlB."
As tho distribution began, Dorcas
sat, resignedly, hor brown hands fold
ed, trying to llguro how many minutes
until it would bo tomorrow.
"To him that hath shall bo given"
is always tho rulo of a school valentlno
box, and oven Miss Stanton's tactful
caro in providing hnnd-painted cards
with quotations for tho loss popular
ones couldn't oven things up.
For Dorcas luck went a llttlo better
this year than usual. Genevieve, hor
soatmato, gavo hor a star-shaped mis-
sivo in a big box liko tho boys sent,
and Abby, whom sho hnd helped for
two years in arithmetic, sent hor a
string of red hearts, each ono pierced
with a silver arrow.
Tho box was nenrly empty now.
"Miss Dorcas Carter." Tim waB call
ing tho last valentlno In tho box. Then
ho pulled nnd tugged und, tearing
away part of tho tissue paper drnpo
rles, drow forth a big white box, al
most as wido and long as tho valen
tine box itself nnd which would havo
mado two of tho ono containing Cora
dell's pink violin.
Back at her seat sho undid tho
knotted Btrlng with trembling fingers.
Then sho lifted tho lid. Tho children
crowding about hor desk wero silent
at first In nmazoment nnd then, MIsb
Stnnton joining thorn, they burst Into
a chorus or "ohs and "alis.
In a bed of cotton lay a sparkling
heart-shaped affair. Billows of pink
chiffon woro draped about It and out
side of this wero paper laco ruflleB. At
ono side was a sheath of celluloid ar
rows tipped with gold and, attnehed to
these, a small card bearing In gold let
tors, "To ono I lovo." On tho back of
thlB was printed in a half-easy, half-
labored masculine hand, "From your
secret ndmlrer."
Dorcas wondered how sho over got
started homo that night. Long after
tho dismissal boll rang children crowd
cd about her desk pleading for "Just
ono moro look," and "only a weeny
touch." A half dozen at least, boys as
well as girls, begged for tho prlvllego
of carrying It homo for hor, and just
as she stood hesitatingly trying to de
cido, Happy picked up the box and,
marching resolutely away with It, com
manded Dorcas to "hurry up and como
on."
"I'm goln' to cut out tho fellow that
sent It," ho announced.
Mrs. Carter waited expectantly at
tho Bittlng-room window. Sho saw
them aB they turned tho corner nnd
was out to meet them. Dorcas, with
one glad rush was at her mother's
side, her arms outstretched, hor ehy
ness vnnlsheu,
"I got tho beautlfullest valentlno of
anybody in school," sho cried out.
"and now, mamma, you'll bo happy
it'B from a boy "
Happy, grinning with both prldonnd
embarrasBtuent, followed with the box
"It's some valentlno, MIb' Carter,'
ho said. "Dorky's suro got somo guy
going. But he was too bashful to seo
her homo."
Mrs Carter dimpled. It was tho big
event of her llfo. Sho was receiving
hor daughter's first admirer.
in tho kitchen Mrs. Carter urged
cookies on Happy until he declared ho
"was ready to bust."
Later, with Dorcas on her lap, sho
congratulated her llttlo daughter on
hor beautiful valentlno.
"It's Just liko a valentlno I got whon
I was a girl," Bho said, Ellon Thomp-
iou In tho Kansas City Star.
New Party Dresses
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aqtf - zaazr: 1 111 :jiai
Pretty drossos for llttlo girls aro
mndo of tho finest of cotton mntorlals
nnd occasionally chiffon taffota Is fig
ured In as avallablo for their drosslost
frocks. But tho beautiful refinement
of sheer whlto wash fabrics, coupled
with tho daintiness of laco and tho olo
ganco of handstltchlng makes drcsscB
uko thoso shown above alwayB a
happy choice.
Tho party frock shown on tho
pleased llttlo maid at tho loft is mado
of lino whlto not flouncing. Ub lower
edgo is flnlshod with small scallops
and sprays of llttlo embroidered fio-v-
ers. A narrow rulllo of tho edging is
set on to tho plain not underskirt and
tho full "slipover" with baby walBt Is
worn over It. Tho sleeves aro moro
ly short rufllcs of tho edging.
A plain slip of pink chiffon taffeta
Is wor. under the not, and a pink
sash of satin mcssallno ribbon ends
in a butterfly bow at tho hack. Of
courao a pink hair bow reminds ono of
a blossom, in the llaxcd curlB of its
proud and happy woaror.
For tho older girl a dross of whlia
organdio is chown in which narrow
val laco and hand embroidery appear
to best ndvantngo. This llttlo frock
1b In two ploces, consisting of a short
skirt mado of two flounces sot on to u
long plain undcrbodlec, and a straight
hnnglng blouso finished with hand cm
broldory nt tho bottom, which falls
Diversity of Style in Bodices
r ' ' f ' ff
w '11? . wm
Just na a suggestion, and by wny of
a reminder of tho great diversity of
styles which have boon accepted dur
ing tho present season, ono of tho
straight bodices h shown nbovo. It 1b
mado of satin, oxcopt tho alcoves,
which aro of laco, nd 1b worn with n
skirt of net nnd lace. Although tho
skirt is made separate tho effect of
the frock, with this bodlco. la of n
ono-pleco garment.
Thoro Is a panel nt tho back of this
bodlco which extends altnoBt In n
Btralght lino from tho neck to a point
bIx lnchos or moro below tho waist
lino. At tho front a voateo, nnrrow
at tho top, widens as It extonds down
ward and merges Into a wide girdle of
tho satin. Tho glrdlo la also gradu
ated In width, growing narrower na It
becomes a Hash, knotted, with hang
ing onds, at tho back.
Tho Bides of tho bodice aro sot on
to tho panel at tho back and tho vest
at the front, with a llttlo fullness guth
ercd Into tho scnmB. A deop collar
of net Is narrowed over tho ahouhlora
ut I becomes a little casrado of not at
for Little Girls
over tho sash. Tito mouso ana mo
undorbodlco both fasten In tho back.
Tho blouso Is mado with a small
squaro yoko of val Insertion, edged
with laco, Bet into a doopor yoko of
tho organdio, which Is covorod with
lino tucks. Tho body of tho blouso is
fulled Into this yoko nt tho back and
front and hangs in oven length all
round. Largo unoven Bcallops follow
tho outline ol tho l'ower motlfB which
nro ombroldored at tho bottom edgo.
Tho two llouncos on tho undorbodlco
which form tho short skirt aro edged
with narrow val inBortlon nnd edging
In lino quality. Tho insertion Is lot
Into tho full, throo-qunrtor length
sleovcB, as shown In tho picture, nnd
thoy nro finished with n band mado
of tho val insertion nnd edging.
This dross Is worn over a slip of
whlto organdio, with rulllo of lino em
broidery nt tho bottom. Tho Bash of
taffeta ribbon Is tacked to tho under
skirt and fastened with a lint bow
having short ends nt tho back. An
ambitious bow, liko it In color but
odgod with a narrow border of black,
redeems tho braided hair from Its
plain and stnld appearance It la largo
enough to flaunt a happy frivolity as
tho koynoto of tho tollotto.
Since tho American occupation of
Hawaii, tho lopor population has been
about halved
ench sldo of tho V-Bhapcd neck in tho
front.
Tho sleeves nro merely flounces of
laco ovor short foundation alcoves of
net, nnd reach not qulto to tho elbow.
Even thus abbreviated thoy provide
renlly moro sloovo than falls to tho
lot of ovenlng gowns. A moro capo
oyer thq Bhouldor, of tullo or wisps of
tullo supported by shoulder straps,
simply suggests sleeves In thoao. Thoy
aro worn for no purpose other than' to
onhauco tho beauty of tho arm.
Gowns designed on lines that aro
straight fr m the bust to a point bo
low tho hlp3 nro to bo found among
thoBo mado for afternoon as woll an
for ovoning wear. And It happens that
this Idea Is found In garments of much
distinction. For remodeling a frock
of net or laco, or for providing an
extra bodlco by wny of change, tho
modol shown in tho plcturo will provo
Ub worth,
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