Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-02-04

means. In the time when brisk work
is required in the field the men should
be well fed. There is economy in
afording field hands the best of food
when hard work is required of them.
Salt meat and fish are not suited for a
steady diet during warm weather.
Fresh meat is wanted at least one part
of the time. It is cheaper to raise
chickens for the purpose of supplying
the farmers table during the summer
and early fall than to buy fresh meat
of a butcher. 1t takes less time to
Kill some chickens than TO ride to
town to procure fresh meat. By hav-
ing chickens hatch out at different
times of the year some Of them will be
In a condition for food whenever
fresh meats wanted for the table.
For a Sunday dinner st any time
during the fall or winter there is
nothing that surpasses good turkey.
Every farmer should raise at least
twenty of these birds for home con-
sumption. The raising of geese is
greatly neglected by farmers. a prair-
lie farm that contains slough is one
of the best places that can be found
for keeping geese. During the sum-
mer they will live almost entirely on
grass, and make rapid growth. Dur
ing the summer they will live almost
entirely on grass, and make q rapid
growth. At other times OF the year
they will eat almost everything that
is usually fed TO pigs. Their feathers
are valuable in farmers family for
making pillows and cushions, and
their oil is superior to anything else
for applying to harness. A young,
fat goose makes most excellent
roast. A large flock of geese can be
raised on almost any farm with very
little trouble or expense. It may be
necessary to keep them up while grain
is ripening but they will endure con-
hnement as well as any kind of fowls
1t costs, but little to fence an acre of
land, on which geese can be kept at
such times as they would be likely to
do damage to growing crops. It
seems singular that so many geese
can be kept at such times as they
would be likely to do damage to
growing crops. It seems singular
that so many geese are kept in all
large towns III the West and that so
few are seen on Western farms.
A Goose Farm
There is a good ranch On the eastern
shore Of Virginia, covering nearly
5000 acres, over which the feathered
occupants, nearly 5000, are free to
roam. The farm is devoted exclusive
ly to producing the raw materials
needed for the fine down quilts. Sew
eral species of geese are bred, all of
them being however of American lin
cage. The largest specimens are the
swan geese, and the plumage of all is
of snowy whiteness. The birds are
regularly fed with corn or other grains
and are given the utmost freedom
cosistent with the prevention of stray
ing and loss. Herders are employed
to keep a watchful eye on them, and
sheds for shelter are provi ded in case
OF 1nclement or especially severe
weather, but the birds very rarely use
them.
About every six weeks the pIucking
takes place. Only the breast and por.
tlons Of the sides are touched, the
feathers of the back, the wings and
the tail being left intact. 1t requires
nearly 100 average geese to furnish
pound of down, though the smaller
feathers, which are also taken, weigh
much heavier. These feathers, how
ever, form an entirely separate grade
from the valuable down.
The average life OF q goose is said
to be 40 years, and they produce from
$40 eggs per annum, a large proper
ton of which are Matched. A bird
Matched in February is in condition
for plucking the following August,
and so on thereafter every or weeks.
The feathers are packed in sacks. and
sent to the Philadelphia factory.
where they are trimmed, washed,
steamed, and 9th erwise prepared for
their legitimate use.