WATER FOWL. 



CHAPTER IX.. 



GEESE ANB THEIR VARIETIES. 



». THE MANAGEMENT OF GEESE. II. EMBDEN OR BREMEN GEESE. III. TDTT- 



LOUSE GEESE. IV. WHITE CHINESE GEESE. V. HONG KONG GEESE. VI. 



THE AFRICAN GOOSE. V£I. THE CANADA OR WILD GOOSE. VIII. EGYPTIAN 



GEESE. 



I. The Management of Greese. 



The management of geese is very simple. A good dry spot for their 

 resting place, plenty of range, with young grass, and a pond, or running 

 water, if possible, will enable any one to raise geese successfully, if plenty 

 of grain, corn and wheat screenings are given to make up what they fail 

 to get in their rambles. The grain fed should always be given in a deep 

 vessel of water in summer, if deep natural water is not near, since geese 

 are often annoyed by insects getting in the ears and nostrils, which they 

 rid themselves of by thrusting their heads well down into water. 



In fattening for market, corn-meal and potatoes boiled together to a 

 thick mush, is as good as anything. They should be sold as soon as fat, 

 trhich should be in about two weeks of feeding. If the mush is made 

 with skimmed milk the geese will become very fat, if given as much as 

 they will eat three times a day. 



Geese are subject to but few diseases. For diarrhoea, give one or two 

 drops of laudanum in a little water, and repeat if necessary For giddi- 

 ness bleed them in the prominent vein which separates the claw. Geese 

 live to a great age, and old geese are the best mothers. Ganders, how- 

 ever, are best at from one to three years old, since as they get age they 

 are apt to become cross, and sometimes injure small children. 



II. Embden or Bremen Geese. 



There is no doubt but the Embden is the most valuable of the domesti- 

 cated varieties of geese. They should be pure white, with prominent 

 blue eyes ; strong, medium-length neck ; heavy bodies, with the featbew 



1186 



