CHAP. XII.] FARMING FOR LADIES. 251 



than sufficient ; though one feed of warm 

 potatoes, mixed up with a little fat and pot- 

 liquor, every day until the last week, will 

 assist the process, which commonly occupies 

 a month or six weeks, if they he left at large. 

 This, indeed, saves trouble ; yet, both from 

 that motive, as well as from a prejudice 

 entertained by many people who consider it 

 cruel to confine a bird, it is only customary 

 among professional breeders. The geese, 

 however, should not have more liberty than 

 the use of a small yard ; for if permitted 

 to roam about, their flesh will become tough, 

 even if allowed corn at discretion : indeed, a 

 far better mode is to put two or three in a 

 small, quiet, dark room, littered with straw, 

 and furnished with a tub of water and an- 

 other of oats, to use as they please. Ob- 

 serving that if you adopt this plan, you should 

 take, of the three, the fattest and the leanest 

 which you have, so as to fatten them in suc- 

 cession ; and when one is killed, then add 

 another of the leanest, to make up the number. 

 When put up to be fattened in the way 

 usually practised by professional breeders, 

 they should be closely cooped in a dark- 



