240 FARMING FOR LADIES. [chap. xi. 



it is matter of dispute among breeders as to 

 which colour should have the preference. Mr. 

 Parkinson, who farmed largely in both Eng- 

 land, Ireland, and America, and is the author 

 of an esteemed work on the breeding of live 

 stock, prefers females of the dark grey colour, 

 and the male, or " gander," of the large white 

 kind ; having found that, " although the dark- 

 grey geese are rather smaller, they are of a 

 much hardier nature than the white." He 

 therefore advises a cross between a gander of 

 the white, and a goose of the grey breed ; 

 with which he has raised, from one of the geese, 

 as many as eighteen goslings in one brood : 

 thirteen being hatched by the goose, and five 

 by a hen. He indeed says, " that he has, for 

 years together, had from the produce of two 

 geese and a gander, twenty eight : the geese, 

 when fattened, weighing from 11 to 13 lbs., 

 and the ganders from 15 to 18 lbs. when 

 drawn and ready for the spit." 



Parmentier agrees in recommending this 

 cross, while others condemn it. For our own 

 part, we think it immaterial ; though, were 

 we to make a choice, we should prefer the 

 larger breed of either, without caring for 



