Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1897-08-20

Many Eastern raisers prefer to sell
their gcslings to agents OF the tatten-
ers who drive about the country with
carts aud collect geese. ducks and
chickens. They thus get them out
Of tbs way quickly and avoid having
to- pick them.
There is some little rivalry among
the BUYERS as to which shall first put
fine dressed geese on the city markets,
and tie grower who has goslinSs that
are extra early and large gets fancy
price for them, ard does not have to
keep or feed them long, The dealer
sometimes pays 81 each for the very
earliest. and sometimes takes them
as young as four weeks. Most OF
them are bought at six, or eight weeks
old, and the grower is paid from $l.25
TO IS cents for them. The bulk of
them 60 to the city markets in June
and July, aud the price received for
6rst.class eastern goslings weighing
from eight to ten pounds is from 80
cents to % ccpts per pound in June.
Later they bring less, and sometimes
not more than l6 cents, but average
about IS cents'through the season.
The fatteners keep these goslimgs,
feed them to get the quickest growth,
and fat and kill them according to the
market demands. Usually none are
dressed except on order, unless the
market price is very high. They are
kept i'll large enclosures In which are
sheds for shelter, aud are fed green
rye, oats and corn fodder freshly
mown, as well as whole corn and oats.
Some fatteners havea many as 10, 900
seesc on their place at one time, and
the noise such number make can be
heard by near neighbors, to say the
least. When they have attained the
proper size, aud it is desired to fatten
them, they are yarded more closely so
, they cannot roam about, and fed moth
| ing but a mass of corn meal and beef
scraps. This is put in troughs in
generous quantities What is not
eaten within 30 minutes is removed.
If food stands before them continually
they lose their appetite for it, and ca.
much less. Plenty Of sharp sand aud
gravel is provided for them, as well as
abundant supply OF water Rotten
wood is relished by them at this time,
and evidently contributes much to
their thrift. Crushed charcoal is
probably the best substitute. While
they are being fattened no bran or
green food is given them.
/ 4 y. -
heartily three times per day, but iii
damp, snltry or wet weather they lose
their appetite and are fed but twice
daily. If allowed to get too fat, left
too long in the fattening pen, they
shed their feathers and grow thin.
They must be killed as soon as " fit. .
Ifnew feathers start the appearance
of the dressed bird is injured. Two
weeks is the time usually allowed for
fattening them, but some keep them
in the pen II or Is days. Those that
fail to fat are removed aud put on
gas pasturag4 for one OF two months
before they are again put i'll the pen.
Young geese to be killed for market
should never be plucked for live feath-
ers. 1t spois them for the market,
makes their flesh dry and dishgures
their skin,
They are killed, dry picked and
shipped, to market. as are Pekin
ducks They are harder to pick than
ducks, however. Professional pickers
are employed to do this work. Some
breeds pick harder than others. Emb-
dens pick the easiest aud their feath
ers sell for most. The Africans car
be picked readily when young, but
are hard to pick in the fall without
disfguring them. Brown China Cos
lings pick the hardest of all in the fal
and must be scalded in order to re
move their feathers without tearing
then to pieces, Samuel CUshman II
Albany Cuitiyator,