Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1885-11-21


The question of how much land is re-
CURED for raising poultry may be answered
by saying that on tract exceeding an acre
Mr.. Rankin cleared profit of 81 ,575 from
duekhngs. His adult flock consists of
thirty five ducks, and the profits average
$45 for each duck. or more than is realized
from the same number of dairy cows on
many farms. He uses the Pekins, but
thinks cross between that breed and the
Aylesbury superior to either parent. His
adult ducks are allowed large trough,
which fresh water constantly flows, which
is used for bathing purposes. The number
of eggs last year was 140 from each duck.
The eggs were Matched in incubators, from
which 5000 ducklings were raised to the
age of from ten weeks and marketed, the
price received in the Boston market being
80 cents per pound for these that came in
early, and IS cents per pound for those that
were late, the average price being % cents
per pound.
AS ducklings grow much faster than
chicks, and are subject to fewer diseases,
they not only reached the market in short
time after being Matched, but the percent
age of loss was very small, which, OF
course. is due to the careful attention they
received. They also come into market
after chicks are low in price. They attain
the weight of from eight to ten pounds per
pair at the age of eight weeks, being ready
for market in three months from the time
the eggs are put i'll the incubator, four
weeks being allowed for incubation. This
extraordinary weight shows an increase of
half pound week from date of birth for
each duck, but as they increase faster as they
become older, until maturity, those oversix
weeks of age increased at the rate of one
pound per week. The cost of raising each
duckling to the age of eight weeks was five
cents per pound. the average price per
pound for each duckling being twenty-five
cents. Mr.. Rankin's profit was seventeen
cents per pound and by calculation it will
be seen that the 5000 duclllings produced
over 1900 pounds of meat, which yielded
over $1,000. Other expenses, such as
quarters, attendance, etc., reduced the
profit to $3.50, or S45 as the produce of
each adult duck of the thirty-fve. The
young ducks had no access to water, ex'
cept for drinking purposes, and were fed in
the same manner as chicks, except that
they require more animal food, and must
be fed often, owing to their rapid growth.
Mr.. Rankin's experience is valuable to
all who are interested in poultry, and few
excellent lessons are taught. In the first
place but little land was required, and in
the second place he discarded the scrubs,
using the best breeds to be found, which
are pure white in color, with yellow legs
and beaks. The young ducklings were
killed and sent to market dressed, each
yielding from an ounce to two ounces of
feathers, at 80 cents pound, which paid
the expenses of preparation for market.
There is no secret in Mr.. Rankin's success,
as all that was required was to attend to
them as business. In fact, he makes it a
business, just as dairyman gives his cows
his attention, and finds that it pays. He
does not attempt to conduct some other
business and " look after his poultry in
his spare time, but is with them early and
late. The figures given here are the profits
from duckings only. He matches and raises
thousands of chicks, however, using incu-
bators entirely, and does not think it diff
ficult matter to make poultry paw.
GENERAL NOTES.
Wire is going to be used for fences and
devices should be invented for making
fences more safe for stock. If cattle were
in a close lot or corral, with a wire fence
and it were struck by lightning, all of the
stock would stand chance of being killed
A few dollars spent in aids to con-
duct the electricity to the earth would
be cheaper than paying insurance pre-
miums to insure stock. With such an in
oli uIlltHt dS IiSululllS-IOu peuuleTS carry
with them to make holes to put down their
be put down ten feet, which would be a
good conductor and save the lives of valua-
bic stock. Let farmers who have valuable
stock inclosed by wire fence think of these
ideas.-[Des Moines Register.
Very many of the spring chickens sold
in this city, says the New York SIN, are
raised on sunhower seed. At many points
in New Jersey there are chicken farms,
where chickens are raised by the thousand.
Many receive their first start in life from
the incubator, and when large enough are
put ON a diet of sunfiower seeds, which are
full of oil and very fattening. The sun
flower gives very little trouble to the
farmer, as it is a hardy plant and grows
without cultivation. Some farmers plant
three or four acres of sunfiowers, and such
fields have surprisingly gaudy appear
ance. The perfume is sickening, but when
turned into spring chicken the sunhower
becomes pleasing table ornament.
Grapes may be preserved in fresh state
until January, February or March by a
very simple device. Before the fruit is
fully ripened cover the vine with a gunny
sack, tying the sack snugly about the bot
tom. In adjusting the sacks the ends of
the canes may be cut away if necessary.
Thus protected the fruit will ripen gradu-
ally, and continue to draw enough sap
from the vine to keep perfectly fresh sew
eral months after the usual time of matur-
ing. Some grape-growers in the immediate
vicinity of the large cities make good
speculation BY sacking their vines and
selling the fruit out of season, when it COM
mands 3 or cents more a pound Hay
wards Journal.
The greatest drainage enterprise ever I'M
dertaken in Illinois is now advancing at
the rate of 400 feet a day in Piatt county.
The entire length of the drainage canal
will be fifteen miles, the width thirty-five
feet, and depth seven and half feet. The
course of the canal is through large tract
of low, flat prairie, subject to overflow in
every wet season, and having no natural
drainage. The work will reclaim 10000
acres of the richest farming land in the
State, and will greatly enhance the pro-
ductiveness of at least 1000 acres more.
Poultry breeding is universal. and very
important adjunct TO peasant life; statistics
are not to be had, though the product is
valued at 100, 100000 roubleS. The people
are great egg consumers, and yearly export
more than 100,000,000. The preferred breed
is not known it is only known that the
millions of large eggs and poultry coming
to st. Petersburg are from beyond Moscow.
Estimates based on the annual egg produc-
ton indicate the existence of 81, 100000
chickens.-[Orloff.
Much of the swill fed to pigs is allowed
to become too sour before using. This is
particularly the case in warm weather IL
sours faster than is supposed, passing SOON
er from wholesome nutritious feed to alco-
hol, and then to vinegar. 1t should stand
only long enough before using for the meal
to become thoroughly soaked, and but
slightly soured; never until it carries a
bead " or bubbles rise and burst on the
surface.-(Country Home.
A box of figs packed by d. H. Burnham,
Riverside, Los Angeles county, was sent to
w. T. Coleman, of San Francisco, who said
of them: They compare most favorab.y
in style and flavor with the best imported
Smyrnas, and are certainly the finest figs
we have ever seen packed in California