GEESE. 653 



The house for geese should be similar to that for ducks, and need not be necessarily 

 expensive, but should be warm and dry. Many breeders prefer to sit the eggs of geese 

 under hens. In such cases the goslings may be turned into the field by themselves at four 

 weeks old, but should be looked after and be given shelter at night, or when there is a 

 storm. After this age they may be fed with scalded meal, cracked corn, boiled vegetables, 

 and vegetable or apple parings, but should always have access to an abundance of fresh 

 grass. In winter they should have a variety of food, consisting of boiled vegetables, corn, 

 and other grain, meat scraps, oyster shells, turnips sliced thin, cabbage, etc. When properly 

 cared for, geese will generally have no diseases whatever. 



Fattening Creese. Geese are excellent table fowls, if taken when they are in their 

 best condition, which is when they are ten or twelve months old. An old goose cannot 

 be called a toothsome diet. They will fatten more readily if allowed good foraging ground, 

 and fed from the time of hatching all through the season. For fattening, the best corn meal 

 and potatoes, boiled together to a thin mush, is as good food as can be given them; they 

 should have this three times a day in quantity all they will eat, and in about two weeks they 

 will be ready for market. 



FBB OLD WORID AND THH HEW. 



VOL. II. 35 



