Show DAIRY AND POULTJIY I INTURBBTINQ OHAPTCHS FOR OUR RURAL nCADERB Ilow lynerfoittist rareeneirto 11wrato Tile lueliartinent of the rnionA I rw IIlolt as In tile car at 1110 Math nail Poultry UIHNO the pant Fi few year now and 0 I I again I reference I hare been made to 1 a variety of duck V called the Indlnn I Ilunner anti when tmvellng In Cumberland Cum-berland and North Lancashire I have 1 been surprised to Per the large number num-ber of this variety vari-ety of waterfowl kept Tho mine Is true to a more limited I extent In some pnrti Southern Ireland When In I conversation with farmer and farmer wIre morn especially la Cumberland Cum-berland I learnt that they pin their faith strongly to the Indian Himnrr declaring this to ba tile moil profitable duck known This Is due to the fact that tho production of CRK is I their chief object table qualities bring a secondary second-ary consideration A few particular with regard to till variety will bo of Interest tip 10 the present time Information with regard to the origin of the Indian Itunnrr has been very scant and even now wo cannot point to any definite particular I respecting I them I nor wheth ur they are bred In any foreign I rounlry In n small brochure taunt by Mr J Donald of Wlgton Cumberland It li I stated that about fifty j ear ago a drake and three duck were brought from India In-dia to Whltehnvcn by n en captain but aa the term India even today and to a greater extent fifty year ago may mean any place east of tho Capo of Good Hope this doe not hall its ne to the definite port of hlpment or purchase pur-chase I not not without hope that till < article may lend come reader In Ala to make Inqulrle on the subject Mr Donald states that ills same captain brought over a further conilgnmcnt n few years later but that they were not known to their Introducer by any ipe clal or distinctive name having limply attracted Ills attention when ashore by their nctlvo habit and peculiar penguin pen-guin carriage The first ipcclmcnt brought over and wo believe the second also were Presented to omo friend In West Cumberland Cum-berland In whoso hand they remained absolutely for many year Hut with that desire for sharing In a good thine which la I characteristic of the Cum brians n hrgo demanl rapidly sprang up for stock and thui they nine ills terminated themselves through that and the adjoining county Tho name chen to them Is I first because they arc supposed sup-posed to < avo come from India and second that they have a running gait hence we have reached the com bination Indian Runners A breeder of this variety says that he consider Indian llunner Iho best payIng pay-Ing variety of duck to keep except when reared absolutely and entirely for the table For Hint purpose they are undoubtedly amill 3 to 4 Ills each when fully I grown WhIU they do not readily falUn Hi i > very nice eatIng eat-Ing and the I i i To resembles the flavor of wilt i la I much totter Mil more mill i i At len or twelve week old tile Indian Hunner Is III Under Un-der no n 1 young chicken The flesh la I partlcolared the neck and shoulders creamy white and the rest of the body much darker tho dividing line being I very clear and distinct As already mentioned It In I nl n layIng lay-Ing duck that the Indian Runner excels and to I aid to average 120 to 110 egg per annumwIthout any special I feeding but dimply when given hard corn morning morn-ing and night When worm are easily found they require very little food other oth-er than this I The rget < Ire of fair size white In shell of Rood flavor and I not nearly so strong aa Is I usually tho ease with duck eggs Mr aillctt Inform 5 me that he has ten Runner duck which have laid 11t6 egg from January let to May 30th of the present year which considering the severe frost which prevailed ailed during the drat three month Is I n remarkable result I Tho highest average was slxt > ono eggs from ten duck In one week An n rule If properly I prop-erly grown these duck commence laying lay-ing when about ne month old nnd If they aro hatched In May and Juno will begin to lay before the severe vvenlhcr arrive and continue cxe production right throughout the winter Early hatched tlurki are llnblo to moult In the autumn and this means fewer rgcs In the colder I month Ducks hatched the first week In March hate been known to commence the first week In August and It Is I more desirable to bring them out to that they will begin In November Five ducks can bo run wllh one drake anti tho eggs are remarkably fertile Indlnn Runners are uonsltteni bill as In most other breeds In which the maternal ma-ternal Instinct Is suspended exception ore found to thin rule but cannot bo relied re-lied on for sitting purpose In appearance the Itunner I Is lengthy and lightly built I with clone compact plumage The toro part of body Is I elevated ele-vated and the head carried high This typo is I found to be Ibo best lajcr The following Is I a description of the characteristic of the Indian Runner Book BrIght orange In color with n triangular tip of Jet black but aa age advance the orange color become spotted with ollvo green and finally assume a dark olive green color especially espe-cially In ducks the drake retaining the orange much longer Head Of the drake above the eye a very dark brown with a slight patch below the eye on each side these mark Ing being neatly rounded oft behind wthe 100ttnlrb Nock Pure white dawn to near the shoulders which with the breast Is I of a beautiful grayishbrown Under part black and wings pure white Tall Drown with curled feather white and for about two Inchca above thn tall the feather are a very rich dark brown Lew Orange color The duck has similar markings to the drake except that the colored part are n sober brown like a very light Rouen duck In summer the drake as Is I the case with Kouens assume a color like that of the duck on back shoulder and chest but Is not aulta so light In color The bead also becomes of a more dowdy = color 1 without that brilliant latter i which characterize the winter I plumage plum-age He also laws 1 the curled feather In his tall which are not replaced unit i after the autumn moult Hdwanl I I Brown In London Live Block Journal II I I I |