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A Chinese Duckery

A Chinese Duckery image
Parent Issue
Day
9
Month
April
Year
1880
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

A Chinese duckery is an establishment, eitlier aüoat or on shore, devoted to rearing or feeding dueks, which, are, in most cases, salted smol:ed and hawkod about the 6trcets of the large towna. I was mucli intercRted in observing the mode of treatment, The (1 ucks were hatohed out by hot sand, and divided into lots af ÏOO to 150. These are taken to a stream as far down as it is poftsible, and there a tempornry fence of wicker work is erecled, incloging about tweniy feet square of the siream and its bfinks. - The duoks are placefl inside this, and soon toildlc out into the stream and come on shore again to sit under mat shedaon the bank. which are required to keep the sun ofi" theni. When they are to be fed.a clean mat is laid down on the bank, inside the fpnee, and in the middle of the day, uudcr the shade mats. On this is strowcd rice, boiled and mixed with sweet potatoes, etc, and made into the consistency of dry dough ; this the ducklings nibble at running to the stream whencver t.hcir little throats get choked, so as to got a drink and olear to commence again. In a sniall way I tried to improve on the Chinese plan by giving them their food mixed soi'ter, but it turned out a miserable failure. The ducks, when shakiug their hcads, splattered the food over each others' backs, where it stuck, and they did not thrive. I was mach (truck with the way in which the Chinese seemed to know exactly how inuch the ducklings wou ld consume at one foeding, and how little waste there was. A little boy generally attended about flve lots of 150 or 200 ducks, and large streama are made to bisinoh off into maller ones, so that eacfV lot could have a fresh run of clean water coming down on them. When the feeding was over, the feeding mats were lil'ted and washcd bclow the second fence, and up to dry for next time. Whcn the ground where the ducks were fenced oecame dirty, which took place in four or iivo days, in spite of all precautions to keep it clean, the lower l'ence was ghiftea above the upper one, and the ducks put into it; this gave them fresh, clean ground,and they seemed to thrive to perfection. As the ducks grow,two lots of 150 are puttogetuer, then two iota of 300, and so on; theoxtentof tencing being increased, and a boy dispensad with, the time between feeding is extended and labor sa ved. When grown, they are herded in flocks of some thousands by a man carrying a long bamboo rod, and hc moves them from rico íield to rice lield, whcro they puddle .iinong the mud and are fcd" lor ahnost nothing. They ilways get a tit-bit when they como home to their sheds at night (which are floored with dry earth, liequently changed and uscd for manure) tliismakes thein very anxious to get home, and they are quite as anxious to get out in themoriiing-, knowing there is nothing to bc expected at home before night. According to the list just published by the Imperial Admirallty of Berlin, the Germán navy at the present time comprises 8 iron armor-plated frigates and 1 ii-on armor-platcil corvettes, ]0 corvuttes, 2 gun boa ts of the Germán Albati-oss class, and Beven of the iirstclass, and 19 vessols lor coast defence, viz. : 1 iron armor-plated vcsscl, 8 iron annor-platod gunboats, 0 torpedo boats, and 4 gunboats of the secondclass. In addition there are 7despatch boats, 2 transport ships, and 10 school ships; and engagod in harbor service, 9 steamers, o barrack ships, and Spilot boals and flro ships - irmking :i T:ind totnlotitü. Tliey are also building 1 ifon-plated corvette,8 iron-platcd funboais, and 1 wooden corvetM)9. Amonjf tli8 Hglitingarmoi'-plated Mgates, tlic Gonnan Aihuir:ill y, sinulurly eilOUgh, siill includes the Grossei' Kurfust, wliicli s:ia! moro thau a ycar and a lialt'ao óff Folkostone.

Article

Subjects
Old News
Ann Arbor Argus