The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-05-13

l
 made enviable records. The chicks
 are strong and vigorous, make rapid 1 growth, and are easily salable from broil- CT size to maturity.
 { hours before the others. When dried off these should be removed. When dried off i these should be removed. They may be
 placed in fannel-lined basket and kept | in a warm place. When first matched
 goslings are tender little things. They
 must be kept from being chilled, or bowel
 trouble may follow. The first day or two | is the critical period of their lite At ! this time they need rest and warm more l than anything else.
 Feeding the Goslings | Goslings need no food for the first day or two. Nature provides for their nourish- | ment for about 4S hours by the absorption of the yolk. After this they should be | given a little bread and milk; this makes an excellent first food. A mixture of | corn meal and bran thoroughly baked and moistened with milk is as good. The !, same feed will do for goslings as TOT ducklings.
 As the goslings start to grow they
 must have range and plenty of green food. That is why the farm has the advantage over restricted poultry plant in the raising of geese. They require little or no meat if allowed freer range, for they are the best of foragers for animal food.
 A good mash consists of equal parts of
 ground corn and oats, bran and mid dlings. To this may be added some rolled oats or oatmeal, crushed rice and wheat. Some poultrymen add a little sand and charcoal to the mash. Personally, I be- lieve goslings will thrive just as we'll if they are permitted to help themselves to sand, grit and charcoal. If they do how frnn rop StIr11 mo tnrfo
 should be kept before the goslings in hoppers. They also need plenty of water. Where grass is plentiful goslins need little or no other kind of green stuff. If confined to yards. chopped cabbage, ap- ples lettuce or onions should be fed. Successful geese raiserse in Europe use an abundance of chopped greens at all times- For the first few days the young brood should be confined to a small coop or pen When the goslings are strong enough to follow their mother they may be allowed | to range. Hens call their brood, but geese do not. Consequently a mother goose should not be allowed free range too soon.
 Fattening Geese for Market When geese are about six months old they are ready for fattening. They should first be put in an outside inclosure and fed on boiled corn for three or four
  hour, or until it is soft to the fingers when squeezed. The geese must be ac- customed to confinement gradually and prepared for their regular diet during the fattening process.
 When ready for fattening the geese are fed on boiled corn four times every 24 hours by a crammng machine This process is carried on regularly for about four weeks, when they are ready for killing. If the cramming process Is not practiced the geese should be fed week or two longer.
 The effect of this forced feeding is to cause the liver to grow to an abnormal size, while the flesh becomes soft, tender and white. The forced growth of the 1 liver by this plan creates better flavor and renders it much more tender than the liver taken from a goose which has not been specially fed. White geese are preferred because they fatten more read fly than others. Goose flyers enlarged by this method of feeding usually weigh from F to g ounces
 Some Profitable Varieties No variety of geese is more popular than the Toulouse. They are large, grow rapidly and of good table quality. They are good layers and are not so likely to sit as some other breeds Their color lis gray, but nearly white underneath. The standard weights for t young goose and gander are 16 and 20 pounds; for adults 20 and 26 pounds. respectively Another popular variety of geese is the Embden. which is pure white. The gos- lings are yellow when matched, but change to white as they feather. Einbdens are smaller than the Toulouse begin to lay earlier, lay larger eggs, but not so many of them, are better sitters, and make good mothers. The white feathers are more valuable than the colored ones. The standard weights for a young goose and gander are It and IS pounds; for adults IS and 20 pounds.
 The African variety is also considered profitable. They resemble the Toulouse in color, and the Embdens in weight. The bill is black in the African, whereas in the Toulouse it is pale orange. The African geese grow rapidly, are excel- lent layers and make good mothers. On the general farms and where chick ena are raised merely as side line. Mis- tress Biddy still holds her place of im- portance in the rearing of next season s bullets. She is a reliable incubator and brooder, though a part of the responsi- bility rests with her caretaker Next weeks article has to do with the care and handling of the sitting hen.
 
 Taking the Poison out of Salt From the Popular Science Monthly