Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1886-02-04

means. In the time when br;sk
is required in the field the men lb "UTk
be well fed. There is econon,r
affording field hands the best ~ ~. u
when hard work is required ~ b,oOU
Salt meat and fish are not suited se'
steady diet during warm wesRas
Fresh meat is wanted at least one s'r'ei,
of the time. 1t is cheaper 10 PAR pafI
chickens for the purpose of SUNLESS
the farmers table during the sun;rg
and early fall than to buy fresh l rooe.
of butcher 1t takes less tiaa a' q
kill some chickens than to r;do
town to procure fresh meat. Rv ~
ing chickens hatch out at diifaren.
times of the year some Of them viii
in condition for food whensvSs
fresh meats wanted for the table
For Sunday dinner at anv tim.
during the fall or winter tbera A !
nothing that surpasses a good tIrkev
Every farmer should raise al Iesys,
twenty of these birds for home cos
sumption. The raising of geese! !.
greatly neglected by farmers. 4 nrai.
lie farm that contains a slough Is ona
of the best places that can be fonnJ
for keeping geese. During the sn1o
mer they will live almost eRtirelv ~
grass, and make rapid growth. DIR.
ing the summer they viii live almost
entirely on grass, and make a rand
growth. AT other times of the vesr
they will eat almost everything tbot
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 a most exceleSt
roast. A large flock of geese can he
raised on almost any farm with verv
little trouble or expense. Ii NAV he
necessary to keep them up while grain
is ripening but they will endure con.
finement 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 10
do damage to growing crops. Il
seems singular that so many geese
can be kept at such times as thew
would be likely to do damage 10
growing crops. 1t seems singular
that so many geese are kept in all
large towns Ill 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 10
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 inclement or especially severe
weather, but the birds very rarely use
them.
About every six weeks the plucking
takes place. Only the breast and por
tions 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 a
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 goose is said
to be 40 years, and they produce from
$40 eggs per annum, 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 s 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.