Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1905-07-06
DUCKS IN CHINA.
The Way They Are Rnisc,l aud How
They Are Got To Market.

er think of swimming his flock to mar
ket! That is the regular method en-
ploycd ty the poultrymcn who live
along the great waterways Of China.
The Chinese are very fond of duck.
Nearly every farmer keeps Il few for
his own use. but along the rivers rails
ing them for market Is Il profitable
business.
In American ducks raised for market
have very little water In which to
swim and play. The poultrynlen do
not think II is good for them to have
much exercise. 1t hardens their mus
cles and makes their flesh tough and
not so good to e:t.
So instead Of swimming ull day in
ponds or lakes or streams the ducks are
kept shut up III small pens. where they
have no room to wuddlc about and can
only stand still and eat and grow fat.
Then, when they are i'll prime colldi-
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 Chinnman, however. is quite con
tent to let his ducks have as much on
ercise as they like, and they get Il great
deal hunting for their food. of which
they receive only small supplies from
the pontryman.
Is a good. strong swimmer and that il
fortunate circumstance for Tie poul
trymNn when it comes time to ,,o to
market
He does not live on railroad III he
did, he would not be likely to use II.
for to him 1t is II ncwfanglcd device for
the spread of evil. He knows too, Il
more economical method than putting
his ducks In crates and paying freight
OH one of the river boats. Time does
not mean much to him, and he can af
ford to Spcsld :: few days. il necessary.
In going to market.
When he picks out the ducks he
means to sell, the Chinese farmer ties
the leg of one to that of another with IL
stout cord and continues the process
until the whole lot is bound together
fastened In one flock.
1t is not easy to make such flock
| swim together or follow the direction
desired The fnrmcr takes his boat
and starts to drive them, sculliny be
hind or drifting, OH the current and
beating the water with long bamboo
poles to mike them swim along and go
the right wny. III the farmer has .
large family and two or three bonts
SO that his SONS can help. he can usual
ly manage to get his ducks to lnnrlSe
without outside aid, but II I've Is not 81
fortunate he will Join with other duel
rniscrs and herd the flo.ks In cOmbinn
ton.
Thus it not infrcu,nntly happens that
thousands OF ducks will be swimming
along down the Ynngtse, apparently III
one flock. with dozen or more sam
pans drifting behind them, filled with
men. women and boys, thrashing the
water with bamboos to hurry on the
| ducks.
1t Is hard enough to make a flock Of
hungry, foolish ducks swim on about
| their business when there is plenty Of
room and no Interference, but that sell
dom happens ON Chinese river. Usual
ly these streams swarm with clumsy
unwiclhy junks, and on the Yangtse
there is Il great deal Of steamer traffic.
The friendly junkmen will almost ai-
ways help the duck hericrs to keep the
fiocks clear Of the bonts hy heating the
water with bamboos. but steamers
have neither time nor inclination for
such bother, and No 1t sometimes hnp
| pens that Il flock is cut in two 10y n
steamer. Then there is IL great deal Of
trouble and excited talk before the flock
can he reunited md got peacefully on
Its wny again.
Sometimes also II happens that ducks
Of one flock get mixed up with those Of
| another, and then there. is II dreadful
tanglc and snnrl. But the patient Chi
ncsc get them separated into the proper
| tlocks again ut last, and all go cheer
fully together to markct-Youths Com
panon.