Poultry on an ordinary Farm. 527 



homestead, I sliould not advise keeping too many, as a difficulty 

 may be experienced in preventing- their doing considerable damage 

 to such crops, unless there be a conveniently situated pasture-field 

 or plantation to -which they could be taught to resort. Lastly 

 (though not least) take them to the best market, and do not allow 

 the dealers the profit, to which you are so justly entitled, but 

 sell by weight alive ; good birds will command a good price, 

 which at the present time (February, 1867) is from lOc?. to \s. 

 per lb. live weight. At Christmas last I sold a young cock turkey 

 for 195. 2d., being 23 lbs. weight at 10c?. per lb.; the rest of 

 the flock weighed, cocks 18 lbs. or 19 lbs., and hens 10 lbs. or 

 11 lbs. 



Geese, 



Geese, like turkeys, are one of our largest edible birds, and 

 second to none in value, considering the very little trouble they 

 give from first to last, their usefulness upon the table, and the 

 luxurious down and feathers which they supply ; but a good sized 

 pond, with a plentiful supply of water and good pasturage, are 

 indispensable to make geese-keeping a paying business, for they 

 are very large consumers. 



The Toulouse are the largest breed ; and as size is an object 

 in the goose, care should be taken to select fine birds ; this 

 breed seldom attains full maturity for breeding until three or 

 even four years old. Let them have an outhouse to themselves, 

 regularly supplied with clean straw, with which make nests, on 

 the floor, as the laying season approaches, and partition the nests 

 off, according to the number required. One gander will be suffi- 

 cient for three or four geese. When arrived at maturity, they 

 generally lay about twelve eggs each, which number they will 

 sit. The eggs, for safety, should be collected daily and placed 

 in bran, with the narrow end downwards, until the geese, by 

 remaining on their nests, show their desire for sitting ; the eggs 

 must then be placed under them, and the house so arranged that 

 they can have free liberty of egress and ingress at all times of the 

 day, as they will require food and water daily, to which they 

 will help themselves, if a pasture-field and pond of water be 

 near, and afterwards return to their nests; little attentioa is there- 

 fore required whilst they are sitting, beyond keeping their 

 nests undisturbed and protected from vermin. When, after 

 four weeks, the time of hatching has arrived, in case any 

 young birds are out, see that all shells are removed, for 

 fear they may cap the other eggs, and thereby prevent their 

 hatching. Allow the goslings to remain in the nest for a day 

 and night, they will not require feeding during that time, but 

 will gather strength ; and if the following morning be fine and 



