The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1880-02-10
AGRICUL rUR

GEESE.-GeeSe are more profit ,ble to
raise than isgenerally supposed, owing
to tho fact tilat they are grass eaters,
and require less grain than most other
fowls. a flock Of geese turned loose
! upon Bermuda pasture in which there
is plenty Of water will keep in good
order and require but very little attcn-
ton. About laying and "sclting''
time IN the spring they ought to be fed,
ana the goslings willrequire some feed
but generally speaking, the old geese
Will get along very we'll on green feed.
They clay" and ''sct" very early in
the season, and a goose is The most per.
sistent f"setters" on record. She will
I often remain on the nest three or four
days without mOrScl of food; and
when she fully makes up her mind to
set" there is little use arguing the
case with her. Take all her eggs away
and she will "set" on a brickbat, or ON
nothing at all, with interest not in the
least abated. Fill up her nest with
stone, or logs, or old barrels, and she
will continue to "srt' beside the pile.
She is a setter that never faltcrs until
she has worn herself down to Il mere
skeleton, and even then she appears to
give 1t up very much against the grain.
In order that the eggs shall be fertile
there should be at least one gandcr to
each four geese. When the gosIings
are hatchcd out the mother should be
confined from running ut large Tor II
few days; otherwise she will injurr
her young by running them too much
through The cold dew of Il morning.
And it is not good for them to go into
water until they arc about one week
old. They should have all nc water
they rcqhirc TO drink, but none to
swim in. Their food should be corn
meal mixed with water to Il thick dough
linked with buttcrmilk instead of wa
ter will be still better. After they are
OLD enough 10 run freely at large and
crop grass, they will not rcqui +. much
food, though Il little every morning will
De oi great advantage to them in the
way Of stimulating rapid growth.
WHEAT FOR CHICKENS -Evcry far
mcr has noticed that about the't time of
wheat harvest, if the fowls are allowed
the ruin of the fields and barnyurds,
there is material increase in the u.n.
supply. think the second fact is tic
natural result Of the first. have fed
corn, oats, barley, bucKwhcnt, flax and
Sunllowcr seeds, and have found moth
rs >f'"i w " iiVlS " ilcal us lNOtl IDl
fowls. For young chicks it seems cs-
pccially adapted. After two or three
days Of feeding On soft food the young
chickens will pick up thu wheat greed
lily, anu will thrive on it as on nothing
else. Growing chickens have large
demand for lime, and especially bone
material, and this is more nearly sup
pllcd IN whole wheat than in any other
grain. IL wheat were two dollars Il
bushcl it would still be the cheapest
ircd for young chicks. Farmers can,
however, ccOn0mizc by feeding wheat
screenings and damaged wheat, which,
though unsuitable, is nearly rs gool for
chicken feed. In feeding screenings,
II lhrrc are many Weed seeds, nuc a.
lowaucc should bc made, as they a.c
not so nutritious as The wheat. som"
Kinds OF weed seeds are hurlful to
chickens; but these they will reject If
tcu whole. Grinding weed seeds is OF
liltlr benefit except to get rid Of them,
and this might better be done by fire,
as they are of little worth. Last win,
ter we had several bushels Of wheat SO
badly damaged by rain in harvest ila,
II was condemned rs worthless cXrcn
Tor stock feed. Ii was given quite H.
befa'ly 10 the hens, alternating with
corn, and though the winter was very
nhthvoraOle Tor egg-pro'luction, the
mems commenced laying early and have
produced much larger quantity than
ever before. attribute this to The ,!n-
magcd wheat, and shall see that wheat
IN some shape is supplied TO the fowls
hereafter.