The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1905-02-22
DUCKS IN CHINA.
The way They Are Raised ana How
They Are Got 10 Maskaf.


| They Are Got 10 Market.
What would an American duck farm
er think OF swimming his flock to mar
kst7 That 10 the regular method en-
ployed By the pouitrymen who live
along the great waterways Of China
The Chinese are very fond Of duck
Nearly every farmer keeps q few fos
Bis own use, but along the rivers rails
ing them for market 10 a profitable
business.
In American ducks raised for market
have very little water in which "a
swim and play. The pouitrymsn do
not think II 10 good for them TO have
much exercise. II hardens their mus
cles and makes their hssh tough and
not 30 good TO eat.
No instead Of swimming oil day in
ponds or lakes or streams the ducks are
kept shut up in small pens. whore they
have no room TO waddle about and can
only stand still and cat and grow fat.
Then, when they are in prime condi-
ton, they are killed and dressed and
shipped to market In barrels, and their
feathers make an additional source of
income TO the poultryman.
The ChInaman, however, Ia quite con.
tent 10 let his ducks have as much e.
ercise as they like. and they get O great
deal hunting for their food, OF which
they receive only small supplies from
the pouitryman.
One result Is that the Chinese duck
Ia good. strong swimmer, and that 10
q fortunate circumstance for the poul-
tryman when II comes time to 20 to
market.
He does not live on railroad. II he
did, he would not be liksly to use II,
for 10 him IL 10 q newfangled device for
the spread Of evil. lie knows, too, a
more economical method than putting
his ducks In crates and paying freight
on one Of the river boats. Time does
not moan much to him, and he can az
ford to spend few days. II necessary.
In going TO market.
When be picks out the ducks he
means TO sell, the Chinese farmer ties
the leg Of one to that Of another with
stout cord and continues the process
until the whole lot Ii bound together.
Sometimes there are hundreds thus
fastened I'm one fock.
II 10 not easy 70 make such a fiock
swim together or follow the direction
desired. The farmer takes his boat
and starts to drive them, sculllng be-
hind or drifting on the current and
beating the water with long bamboo
poles to make them swim along ana 10
the right way. II the farmer has a
large family and two or three boats.
40 that his sons can help. be can usual.
ly manage 70 get his ducks to market
without outside aid, but II he Is not 80
fortunate he viii Join with other duck
raisers and herd the focks in combine.
ton. iSE scr f1 ssnpaG
Thus II not infrequently happens that
thousands Of ducks will be swimming
along down the Yangtse, apparently in
one flock, with a. dozen or more sam.
pans drifting behind them, filled With
men, women and boys, thrashing the
water with bamboos to hurry on the
ducks.
II is hard enough to make dock OF
hungry, foolish ducks swim on about
their business when there is plenty OF
room and no interference, but that sci. |
dom happens on Chinese river. Usual. |
ly these streams swarm with clumsy, |
Junks, and on the Yangtse |
there Ia great deal Of steamer traffic.
The friendly junkmen will almost al
ways help the duck herders to keep the
fiocks clear Of the boats by heating the
water with bamboos, but steamers
have neither time nor inclination for
such bother. and so It sometimes hap
pens that flock is cut in two by
steamer. Then there 10 a great deal Of |
trouble and excited talk before the fiock
can be reunited and got peacefully on
lts way again.
Sometimes also II happens that ducks
of one nock get mixed up with those Of
another, and then there is a dreadful
angle and snarl. But the patient Chi
nese get them separated into the proper
docks again at last and all 60 cheer.
'ully together to market. Youths Com.
na nion