The Newtown bee., 1889-09-06
sTRATroRD.
RIVERSIDE DUCK FARM.

STRATFORD.
 RIVERSIDE DUCK FARM.
 The Riverside duck farm of Willard k. Miller has reached the capacity of it's present quarters and he is reducing stock, hoping to be able to sell it, that he may embark in the business more extensively elsewhere with W. T. Eastman, who has recently been associated with Mir Miller, after an experience of several years fit ting up breeders in the New England and Middle States. This is Mir Miller's fourth year in the business, the second on an extensive scale and his fowls com mand ready sale among the epicures of the shore towns along the Sound, easily commanding more than the market price. His present quarters have a large capac- | ity, d novice would think, being capable of accommodating 10000 ducks in the duck season from New Years to July l, | 10000 chickens in the chicken season | from October to July and from 1000 to | 2000 geese, which are ranked most profit able of all, since they eat more grass and 
 | lings have gained over pound a week, weighing l5 pounds when l2 weeks old. Ducks, chickens and geese alike are matched in incubators, which is some thing new in goose culture. There are seven Monarch incubators, made by James Rankin, with d capacity for 5000 hens eggs or 1000 duck eggs. These in- cubators are heated by hot water warm ed by kerosene, automatic ill operation and are kept at temperature of l03 de- grees. The eggs are turned by hand twice day. After the ducks are hatch ed, they are put into brooder pens for | two or three weeks, where heat is sup piled from boiler kept running the year through, the warm air being mixed with fresh air brought in by pipes from the outside of the building. Ducks require more work than chickens, but are found 1 to be hardier and but few of those hatch ed are lost. They are kept in warm building until they begin to feather out and are then confined in dry, open runs surrounded by wire netting. Ducks in- | near streams of water nor mud, as that would make the flesh strong and fishy. In heavy rains and showers, they must be looked after, or they would stand with their bills up in the air and drown. Feed is supplied in abundance, for the young ducks are killed for market when 10 or II weeks old, before the pin feath- CTS get started. They will average near ly five pounds dressed at that age. The best of the flock are sorted out for breed CTS, the test being the purity of plumage clear yellow color of the bill, perfect shape of the head and reddish yellow legs. One man is kept busy picking through the Summer and he will pick 4t !. to 50 ducks or GO hens in a day. Int duck feathers bring 60 cents poune and pay the expense of picking. Mi Miller's choice among ducks for marke . is the Pekin, whose pure white plumagt makes them noticeable feature of tn, r landscape. He also has Rouen ducks
 prize birds and the finest ill the State Brazillians and Museovys. He prefer
 Plymouth Rocks among the different va
 rieties of chickens, marketing them at sil weeks and employs others to hatch som'
 of his supply. The raising of geese is ;
 new venture, but 90 goslings have beel
 raised, this season and they have proyet profitable investment. Emdens arr ! ranked highest, but there are few Chin' : and African geese on the place. Thes'
 % to pot when l5 weeks old. These ar
 mics of poultry require number Q
 buildings: X two-story feed house an' : stable, with boiler in the basement;
 brooder house 250 feet long by b wide $ supplied with the Hammonton system
 breeders, though Mir Eastman prefer
 box breeders for cold weather; q he
 house 5Ox15 feet and two other building
 7OxlS feet. The farm cannot supply tn
 demand upon it, the August prices fo e ducks ranging from 16 to IS cents 7 pound, though the earliest ducks ofte
 bring 50 and 60 cents pound. The se . cret of success here has been faithful
 hard work, excellent care and the best Q
 feed, especially ground for them. Blu {. they have reached the capacity of thei ' present quarters and want to cross thei
 Rubicon to larger fields of success.
 The Nichols brothers have roofed tn s barn of Seymour Curtis.
 Edgar Osborne laid the floor for M - Ordner's house on Cupboard hill, afte q which the family moved in while h
 shingled over them and completed tn
 building.
 Charles Birdseye SIlitfen's children ar the ninth generation in direct descen X from John Birdseye, who came to Strat 2 ford from Milford ill 1641 and the fanlil 7 has many historical souvenirs.
 \ James Smith has painted the Edward place light brown with darker trin
 mings and has also painted fences for e R. Teach. Thomas Melton works wit q him.
 Rev Mr Ives, as appropriate to tines n days of celebration, read the report of s. conference of churches held here i'll 182
 during the pastorate of Rev Dr Joshu Il Leayitt, at the preparatory lecture, la
 Friday.
 nl Mrs Ruland of Brooklyn has visitt
 her sister, Mrs c. B. Snifien.