FOODS ANIMAL PRODUCTION. 991 



The percentage of goslings batched in 1897 was in all cases low; in 

 the author's opinion mnch lower than is usually seemed by practical 

 goose breeders where the breeding stock is not coniiued and the eggs 

 are set very soon after laying. 



"In these experiments the percentages are considerably reduced by the poor suc- 

 cess of the White China matings, which the practical breeder should avoid. [The 

 percentages for the year shows] that the Africans, as a breed, both males and females, 

 have given the highest percentage of goslings from eggs set, the average for the breed 

 being 38.09 per cent. This breed also shows the lowest percentage of infertile eggs — 

 32.18 per cent.. Toulouse rank second, Embdens third, Brown China fourth with a 

 per cent of 28.57, and White China last with a hatch of 10.8 per cent of the eggs 

 set.'' 



The goslings were fed and cared for in practically the same way as 

 in the previous year, the green feed being probably less abundant. 

 They were weighed when about 5, 8, and 10 weeks old and the weights 

 recorded for comparison. The weights of the different goslings are 

 recorded in full in tabular form, and the growth of the different breeds 

 in the different periods is discussed in detail. 



"In 1897 pure Toulouse ranked first in average weight at about 5 weeks old, and 

 crossbreds held the next three or more places. At 8 weeks old pure-bred Africans 

 held the third place, and crossbreds held the other three of the four greatest avera ge 

 weights. At about 10 weeks old Africans held the first place, having the highest 

 average weight, the daily growth being equal to 2.28 oz., as against 2.24 oz. per day 

 for the Embden-African cross, which held first place at the same age in 1890. Cross- 

 breds held the next three or more places at 10 weeks old. No pure White China or 

 Brown China matings were made in 1897 and the lowest average weight recorded at 

 each of the 3 weighings was for the White China-Brown China cross." 



The loss of weight in dressing and drawing was determined with a 

 number of geese. The figures indicate that — 



"There is less than 5 per cent loss in live weight in the process of dressing for 

 market in the case of geese, and over 13 per cent in the case of hens. . . . The 

 greatest shrinkage between live and drawn weight is found in the case of an Emb- 

 den-Toulouse cross, where the drawn weight was only G3.9-1 per cent of the live 

 weight. The least shrinkage is . . . recorded in the ease of the White China- 

 Brown China cross, where the drawn weight was 76.05 per cent of the live weight. 

 The average percentage for 19 geese from 9 different matings was 68.11, showing a 

 shrinkage from live to drawn weight of 31.89 per cent. The average shrinkage 

 between live and dressed weight was 4.88 per cent." 



Thirteen goslings were exhibited at the Rhode Island Poultry Asso- 

 ciation Show and the percentage of skin and skin fat, flesh, bones, and 

 offal in each was determined by Prof. Bumpus, of Brown University. 

 The results are given in full in tabular form. The percentage of lean 

 meat varied from 32.4 in the case of the Embden-Toulouse to 38.2 for 

 the White China-Embden. The percentage of skin and skin fat was 

 largest in the case of the Embden-Toulouse (21.G per cent), and smallest 

 in that of the White China-Embden (9.1 per cent), showing the former 

 to have been very well fattened while the latter was the poorest among 

 the number. The percentage of bone was smallest in the case of the 

 18502— No. 10 7 



