It is only within a few years that the public at large have become awake
to the importance of the poultry interests in the country. Formerly it
was supposed to be of insignificant proportions compared to the beef and
pork product. But recent statistics show that the poultry interests in
magnitude not only exceed either of the above, but are vastly on the
increase year by year. Yet, strange to say, the supply, enormous as it
is, does not keep pace with the demand. As a natural consequence, we are
obliged to import millions of dozens of eggs from Europe, and carloads
of poultry of all descriptions from Canada. (December 21, 1888, a train
of twenty refrigerator cars loaded with dressed poultry, aggregating 200
tons, arrived in Boston from Canada,--$50,000 worth of dressed poultry
at one shipment.) Still the demand goes on. Our large cities, which form
the principal market for poultry and eggs, are growing larger every
year. The rich men who inhabit them are growing richer and more
numerous, and are always ready to pay the poulterer a good round price
for a first-class article. Good poultry has not only become an every day
necessity to the well-to-do classes, but is a common article of diet at
least six months of the year on the workingman's table. It is everywhere
recognized by physicians as the best and most palatable, as well as the
most wholesome and nutritious, of all our flesh diets.
Duck Culture an Important Industry.
Duck culture now assumes a most important part in the poultry business,
and yet, until within a few years, people did not suppose that ducks
were fit to eat. But now the public appetite is fast becoming educated
to the fact that a nice, crispy, roasted duckling of ten weeks old is
not only a dish fit for an epicure, but is far ahead of either turkey,
chicken or goose. As a natural consequence, the demand for good ducks is
rapidly increasing. One of the principal poultry dealers in Boston
assured me that his sales of ducks had nearly doubled each season for
the past five years. Twenty years ago, when growing less than 1500 ducks
yearly, I was obliged to visit the city markets personally and tease the
dealers to purchase my birds in order to secure anything like
satisfactory prices. Now, with a ranch capacity of nearly 20,000 ducks
yearly, I cannot fill my orders.
Pond or Lake Not Necessary.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account