184 FOWLS. 



eggs but little used in the kitchen, the assistance of the hen 

 is often desirable, especially as the goose generally inclines 

 to hatch but once a year. Besides grasses and herbs, geese 

 like corn, and indeed most farinaceous substances and edible 

 roots, such as turnips, potatoes, carrots, and the refuse of the 

 garden, such as cabbage-leaves, lettuce, and similar food. 



Goslings are tender for the first few weeks, and should be 

 fed, for some days after they are hatched, on meal paste, or 

 boiled rice, or bread soaked in milk, if convenient, if not, in 

 water, and kept cooped ; and when they begin to go out, it 

 should not be till the dew is off the ground, and they should 

 be driven gently home before the sun is down. 



The cruel practice of plucking feathers from the goose 

 while the bird is alive, used to be indulged in as often as five 

 times a year, but is now discontinued. 



One gander is generally allowed to five geese. When 

 confined, they should have roomy coops or cribs ; space 

 enough to flap their wings and to get out of the noonday 

 sun ; they should have their floor fresh littered with clean 

 straw, be fed frequently, and have a trough of well-supplied 

 pure water. 



A green goose is a goose four or six weeks old. It makes 

 a very nice dish. 



ROAST GOOSE. 



If old it should be kept a few days, and parboiled before 

 roasting ; but otherwise, by no means, as it dries the flesh. 

 When drawn, singed, and dried with a cloth, after thorough 

 washing, make a stuffing for the body thus : Take four or five 

 onions, and the liver that has been parboiled in the saucepan, 

 mince them in the chopping tray, add to them an equal quan- 

 tity of mashed potatoes, a bit of butter, and two beaten eggs ; 

 season with salt, pepper, and pulverized sage. If the gravy 

 is made of the water in the pan and the drippings of the 



