The husbandman, farmer and grasier's compleat instructor. Containing choice and approved rules, and directions for breeding, feeding, chusing, buying, selling, well ordering and fatning bulls, cows, calves, rams, ews, lambs, swine, goats, asses, mules, &c. : How to know the several diseases incident to them, by their signs and symptoms, with proper remedies to cure them; : as likewise all griefs, and sorrances what-ever. : Also, a treatise of dogs, and conies, in their breeding, ordering, and curing the distempers they are subject to. : To which is added, The experienced vermine-killer, in particular directions, for taking and destroying all sorts of vermine in houses, out-houses, fields, garden, graneries, and other places. / By A.S. Gent.

Of breeding, feeding and fatning Ducks, wild and tame.

Ducks are profitable for their Eggs and Flesh, yet there are of these far more wild then tame; yet such as keep them, finds the advantage; for they are great shifters, as well as devourers, and will eat any nasty thing; as Guts, Frogs, Spiders, and sometimes Toads, as well as loose scattered Corn; being ever diligent to seek for their Food; they are great layers once a year, and when she sits, you must give her Meat that she may not ramble for her Food, for then she will not quickly return again; and Offal-Corn, and scalded Bran, with water, is suffi∣cient; as for her sitting, hatching, and feeding the Duck∣lings, observe the same rule as for the Goose; you may easily fat them with any Corn, Chickens guts, and the like, which may be done in a Fortnight or three weeks,

Several People keep wild Ducks, accounting them better feed than those bred at home; but in this there is trouble; for you must have a convenient place, Walled or Palled in, with a Pond or Spring in it; and covered over, if you give them their Wings, with a strong Net over it high raised, or Archwise bending Poles, with Turfs of Oziar, and Baskets, and other Covertures for them to shelter and breed in; with secret holes and creeks for their other conveniency, to retire; and so delighting and feeding in this imprisonment, they will lay and breed, and want no more attendance, than to he fed twice a day with Oats, scalded Bran, Fitches, or the like; and in this manner you keep and feed Plover, Widgeon, Sheldrake, and others.