The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-05-21
PROFIT IN THE ETRACTABLE
 GOOSE AND HER OFFSPRING
Leading Features in the Breeding of Geese for Feathers and Meat-Ease Quick Growth, and Their Quick Growth ,and Their Freedom From Disease
nr MI. l.. LONGFIELD

Author and Practical Poultryfhdh'
 The Emden is the general utility breed. Ganders are good husbands and protec- tive fathers. Laying begins in February Matching claims the gravest importance, Goslings are thrifty and not menaced ny disease. Food needs are simple-plenty of era ss and water. plus corn. Feathers add to value Waterfronts desirable, put rot necessary.
 Every fowl has it's staunch aoVocate Judging from the ratio reared OK various kinds the goose stands third in popular estimation In consideration of It's ln- trinsic qualities this is surprising or all poultry, the goose is hardest. It runs the gamut of temperature extremes Tn temperate climates undisturbed. Where as chickens. guineas and turkeys must be environed with watchful care lest os- ease assail The gosing early acnleVes indenendence. Of all the ills to when the former are heirs, it claims no inner itance. Pip, gapes, roup, cholera ana their kind pass by the goshng. u Is because it is a genuine vegetarian? Pro- vide the gosling with water, gooo rahse and a. home at night, and It IS hapPily sufficient unto itself Notnlns else out strips its babyhood proportions With sIch seven-league boots as the Sosllng. 1oaaS it greets you, fresh from the shell' d plump, talkative, response bunch or gol- den down; next week, a faded, gaWky creature wobbles to meet you clumsy yet still trustful and friendly
 There is something substantial ana practical about the goose, a certain re- liability that should commend It to poul- try raisers apart from its pro1ltaple aspect. The flighty guinea and the ire sponsible turkey at times try the poultry raiser's soul sorely, The goose, quiet and capable with her healthy brood after the first few weeks, is dependable and trust worthy.
 In goose raising as much importance attaches to the selection of a variety as with chickens. The demand ot the near est market usually swings the decision. In New York Philadelphia and Baltimore, the white command best prices alive. Consequently, nearby sections favor breed of this color. Of the seven vari- eties three are most common The large Toulouse is prolifit, but it's gray feathers are inferior The Chinese goose, slender and white, perhaps brown, With knobbed bill is noisy and small The Emden seems to be the general utility breed, for besides it's abundant thatch of white fathers it weighs almost as heav- fly as it's gray relation, the Toulouse
 SELECTING THE BREEDERS
 flock may number from three geese and one gander to 90 geese and 10 gam ders, dependent upon the farmers re- sources in grass. The prevalent size numbers 12, from which the farmer may average 75 goslngs. Flocks are assembled in December, likewise all changes made "A or theV should be taken from the first matched gosings Individuals are selected for size shapeliness and proportion. Young ganders and geese are dlst1ngulshaple only by experienced persons. The male carries a high head on a longer neck and utters a call not so shrill as that Of the goose He may be larger also. Otherwise no notable difference exists. In the lay ing season. when the female develops a dewlap, the sexes are plainly apparent. Breeders should always be marked to in sure them from being mistaken for well developed goslings when the final sepa- ation takes place in December.
 GOOSE MOTHERS
 When geese establish a reputation as layers of large and many eggs, and as sensible mothers, they are good for long service. Some families record keeping certain geese for 20 years. Few are per mitted such longevity, but 1t. IS posslple and the elder mothers are undeniably best I
 After the flock is chosen and has been tested, unnecessary alterations are un- wise. The goose that lays small or de- formed eggs, or proves to be frivolous parent, should be disposed of. For various reasons, ganders are often changed, chiefly to improve the stock and to in crease the size of the offsrNing. no ih- troduce one strange gander into the flock is to invite dissenson. The old ones Hay him unmercifully The better policy is to make a clean sweep of all ganders at once. Equality makes for peace.
 The family life of geese abounds with interest. The gander chooses one mate to whom he devotes himself assduousiy. He is jealously suspicious whence many bloody battles with other ganders. He her faithfully. When they walk together, he stalks ahead. He has been seen to block her way deliberately when she evinced an intention to choose her own direction.
 During the winter-the season Of court ship-geese begin to need more oversight. Most growers agree that over fat geese produce the greater number of infertile eggs, and guard against such conditions Thin geese on the other hand, defer laying, which makes late broods. This in turn curtails weight at time The profitable medium is the goose of average weight laying early in February. Such eggs may be set Tn March. The goslings break the shell in time for the earliest tender grass From this matching come the best breeders
 CARE OF THE EGGS
 The goose house, in deference to that fowls strong attachment for it's quarters, ch ltxo1 VIC hox t10n Any style of architecture suits the goose. The nest is the important feature. Box like nests, 1ox22 inches. built side by side on the earthen floor, with liberal filling of hay straw, dead pine leaves or other litter, are an excellent accommodation The eggs should be collected daily and marked with inl- or indclible pencil with the date of laying. This enables the raiser always to set oldest eggs first for in this business as with all poultry, the older the egg for incubation. the weaker the youngster In saving the egg till brood time, certain safeguards are needful. Eggs should be set on end. turned often :uld protected from drying and sudden extremes of temperature. A flannel lined box old featherbed in an unheated room is often favored, the eggs being covered with pillows.
 Natural incubation is to be preferred to artificial. For the purpose of getting more eggs from the flock, at least two hens should be set coincident witA each goose Each may cover five CT Eix. de- pending upon size of hens and eggs. One goose can hover the resultant matching of her own and of the hens For every dozen set, one goose may be broken from sitting to resume her second laying. These last eggs, laid in warm weather. unsupervised. usually hatch phenomenally well. Though the goslings face life to be supported on the tough grass of June,