COUNTRY LIFE
The Obliging Duck "Most philosophers," says Sherwood Anderson, " must ha,.e been raised on chicken farms." Yet the desire to retire to the
country and " keep a few hens " remains one of mankind's mot persistent ambitions. Those who think of putting that idea into practice before eggs become both scarce and dear next winter might, however, consider the many advantages of the duck. The duck, it seems to me, was designed by nature for those who are incapable of facing the complex problem of the common fowl. Where the hen is a profoundly stupid creature whose brain never seems to expand after chickenhood, the duck is remarkably intelligent, communal, comic and, above all, extremely obliging. It lays its eggs, with none of the clacking fuss of the hen, before ten o'clock in the morning. It then departs for the day's water exploration and returns for tea at half-past four. After tea it goes off again and comes back for bed at dusk. As a supple- mentary to its pond-diet it needs a simple meal of mash and another of mixed corn per day. It responds by laying large eggs at the rate of something like 30o a year, and a duck egg, in spite of some prejudice, is excellent eating. For beginners, the Khaki Campbell breed, delicate fawn in colour and more consistent for winter laying, is recommended.
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