April 2, 1908.] Agricultural Gazette of N.S. W. 283 



8onie give the young goslings for a day or two hard-boiled eggs ; there is 

 no necessity for this. In America, fine maize-meal takes the place of the 

 pollard and bran for the early food. Water should be supplied in a shallow 

 dish, in which some gravel, coarse sand, pebbles, and cinders are placed ; 

 grass is the natural food of goslings, aiid if of a soft, tender nature, the 

 young goslings take to it shortly after being hatched, and when the supply is 

 plentiful, the cereal food can be gradually dispensed with. For the first few 

 days, whether brought up by a hen or a goose, they should be confined, but 

 full liberty is best, provided they have some protection from sudden show^ers 

 or storms, and the hot sun. When a few weeks old, cracked corn can be 

 given, and wi'h this and the soft grass one can almost see them growing. 



It should be mentioned that rats have a distinct partiality for young 

 goslings, many being lost in this way, while they often fall a prey to crows, 

 magpies, and hawks. 



It has been shown that there is not a great market for geese in Australia, 

 the quality, as a rule, being poor, and the prices consequently low. At the 

 same time, despite the goose's latter-day rival — the turkey — there is still a 

 demand at Christmas for all that are available, and, should a little care be 

 taken in fattening, there is no doubt that the extra price received would 

 well pay the little additional expense of extra food. 



To get fat geese for Christmas, they should be allowed the usual grazing 

 exercise, and about the beginning of November be given two or three meals 

 a day of oats, barley, wdieat, or maize. The latter will assist in putting on 

 internal fat, rather than flesh, and i>J, consequently, not recommended. If 

 the grass is scanty and dry, as it sometimes is prior to Christmas, vegetables 

 aSuch as turnips, potatoes, etc., can be used, while barley meal and pollard will 

 make a valuable addition, and in all cases they will be found easier to fatten 

 than either fowls or ducks, but being good feeders the expense is greater. 



The English Board of Agriculture, which of late years has issued several 



bulletins on poultry-breeding for farmers, prior to Christmas last sent out the 



following leaflet on geese, which it will be seen is in accordance with much 



of what has been said in this article : — • 



It is not generally wise or desirable to run geese in any but small flocks, except in 

 very special circumstances of accommodation or profitable outlet, the ordinary demand 

 being limited and variable. In manj/, perhaps most, localities a moderate supply will 

 nearly always find a remunerative sale as goslings ; or the birds may, without undue risk, 

 be sent otf the grass to London during the season. The distinctive goose market at 

 Michaelmas has practically ceased to exist ; there is still a demand at that time of year, 

 but not materially greater than that v,hich now prevails during earber months. Where 

 stubbles are available, some of the birds may be profitably run on them for the autumn 

 markets, or fattened' later for Christmas, when there is a more or less considerable 

 demand for fat geese. At the latter season, however, the goose occupies a second place 

 to the turkey ; moreover, the position of the English goose at Christmas is further 

 assailed by the imported goose, many poulterers regularly stocking foreign birds to the 

 entire exclusion of English, on account of the more favourable wholesale price. Unless, 

 therefore, the English producer can market birds of exceptional quality, he will find the 

 average Christmas market unsatisfactory, and would perhaps do better to dispose of his 

 goslings off" the grass in May and June. 



Breeds. 



For the English farmer, or commoner, the best breeds for purely table purposes are 

 the Embdeu and the Toulouse, or a cross between the tM'o. 



B 



