Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-05-21

PROFIT FOR FARMER
IN TRACTABLE GOOSE
Leading Features in the Breeding
OF Geese for Feathers
and Meat.
BY M. L. LONGF1ELD.

BY M. L. LONGF1ELD.
Every fowl has it's stanch advocate
Judging from the ratio reared OF va
rio,s kinds. the goose stands third in
popular estimation. In consideration
of it's intrinsic qualities this is sur
prising of all poultry. the goose Il
hardest II runs the gamut OF tempcfa'
true extremes in the temperate CIT
mate undisturbed. The costing early
achieves independence of all the Ills
to which the former are heirs II
claims no inheritance. Pip. gapes. roup
cholera and their kind pass by the sos-
ling. Provide the goslng with water
A good range and a home at night, and
it is sufficient unto itself. Nothing else
outstrips its babyhood proportions
with such seven-league boots as the
gosling. Today it greets you. fresh
from the she'll. plump. talkatve, re-
sponsive bunch of golden down. next
week. faded, gawky creature woobieS
to meet you, clumsy. yet still trustful
and friendly
In goose raising as much Importance
attaches to the selection of variety as
with chickens. In New York, Phi:adel-
phia and Baltimore the white command
best prices alive Consequently, near
by sections favor breed OF this color
The large Toulouse is prolific, but Its
gray feathers are inferior. The chi
nese goose slended and white, or per-
haps brown. with knobbed bill. is noisy
and small The Emden seems to be the
general utility" breed, for besides its
abundant thatch OF white feathers II
weighs almost as heavily as its gray
relation, the Toulouse.
Selecting the Breeders.
A flock NAV number from three geese
and one gander to thirty geese and ten
resources in grass The prevalent size
numbers twelve, from which the farmer
may average seventy-f1ve goslings.
Flocks are assembled in December:
likewise all changes made therein. If
young geese are wanted they should
be taken from the frst-hatched Cos
lings. Individuals are selected for size.
shapeliness and proportion Young
ganders and geese are distin guishab BILE
only by experienced persons. The male
carries a high head on a longer neck
and utters a call not SO shrill a that of
the goose. He may be larger also.
Otherwise. no notable difference exists.
In the laying season, when the female
develops dewlap, the sexes are plainly
apparent. Breeders should always be
marked to insure them from being mis-
taken for well-developed goslings when
the final separation takes place in De-
cember.
Qualifications of Goose Mothers.
layers of large and many eggs. and as
sensible mothers. they are good for long
service. Some families record keeping
certain geese for twenty years. Few
are permitted such longevity. but it is
possible and the elder mothers are I'M
deniably best.
After the flock is chosen and has
been tested. unnecessary alterations are
unwise. The goose that lays small or
deformed eggs, or proves to be a frivo-
lous parent. should be disposed of. For
various reasons, ganders are often
changed. chiefly to improve the stock
and to increase the size of the offspring
To introduce one strange gander into
the Hook is to invite dissension. The
old ones nay him numerically. The
better policy is to make a clean sweep
OF AL ganders at once.
During the winter-the season of
courtship-geese begin TO need more
oversight Most growers agree that
overfat geese rproduce the create
NUMBER of infertile eggs. and guard
against such conditions. Thin geese
on the other hand. defer laying which
makes late broods. This in turn cur
tails weight at shipping time The
profitable medium is the goose Of
average weight laying early in Feb
ruary- such eggs may be set in March
The gosiings break the shell in time
Tor the earliest tender grass. From
TINS Matching come the best breeders
Care of the Eggs.
The goose-house. in Difference to that
fowls strong attachment for its quar-
tiers. should always have the same loca-
the goose The nest is the important
feature. Boxlike nests. I5x22 inches
burt side by side on the earthen floor.
with liberal hlling Of hay, straw dead
pine leaves or other litter. are an ex-
"ellent accomm odatfon The eggs
should be collected daily. and marked
win INK or indelibie pencil with the
date of laying. This enables the raiser
aiways 10 set Oldest eggs first. for in
this business. as with all poultry the
older the egg for incubation the weak
er the yOuugster. In saving the eggs
WI bFooding time. certain safeguards
are needful Eggs should be set on
END, turned often and protected from
drying and sudden extremes of tenn
persture. \ hannel-lined box or old
feather bed in an unheated room is
often favored. the eggs being covered
with pillows.
natural REGULATION is to be preferred
10 artificial. For the purpose of get,
''he more egg from the flock. at least
Two mems should be set. coiucident with
"s'h goose Each may cover FIVE or
SIX, depending upon size of hens and
eggs One goose can cover the r.sul.-
AM Matching Of her own and of the
hen 5. 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
Management of Goslings.
Gpslings are removed from the nest
lest they b. crushed. The second day