POULTRY KEEPING 613 



originally came from Embden, in Westphalia, and have been bred in 

 this country for many years. 



Description. The Embdens are not so prolific as the Brown Chi- 

 nese or Toulouse, 20 eggs in a season being a good average for them. 

 Their eggs are very large, white, and have a very thick, rough shell. 

 In carriage they are very tall and erect, and have fine square bodies. 



Weight. The standard weight of the adult gander is 20 pounds; 

 adult goose, 18 pounds; young gander, 18 pounds; and young goose, 

 16 pounds. 



Gray African Geese. They are by many raisers considered the 

 most profitable of all geese to keep. They grow the heaviest in the 

 shortest space of time, and are ready for market in ten weeks, weigh- 

 ing at that age between 8 and 10 pounds. They are very much like 

 the Pekin duck in this respect, and as compared with other geese 

 give the most satisfactory returns for the least labor and time spent 

 in growing them. They are, according to standard weights, as 

 heavy as the Toulouse and Embden, but specimens are not uncom- 

 mon that exceed these weights by several pounds. They are first- 

 class layers and average about 40 eggs in a season. For table pur- 

 poses they are esteemed very highly, their flesh being fine and 

 nicely flavored. 



Description. These geese have a large head, with a large knob, 

 and a heavy dewlap under the throat. These and the Chinese geese 

 are different from the others in the head, and are the only two 

 breeds that have the knob on the head. The standard weight of 

 the adult gander is 20 pounds ; adult goose, 18 pounds ; young gan- 

 der, 16 pounds, and young goose, 14 pounds. 



Brown and White Chinese Geese. They average in weight 

 from 6 to 7 pounds lighter than those previously named. Appar- 

 ently their want of size has prevented them from becoming favorites 

 with those who raise large numbers annually, but with those who 

 keep a limited number they are found to be very practical. What 

 they lack in size they gain in egg production, being the most prolific 

 of all breeds of geese, averaging from 50 to 60 eggs a year. In size, 

 aptitude to fatten, and ease of management they appear in no re- 

 spect inferior to other geese, while the quality of flesh is decidedly 

 superior. 



Description. They are exceedingly graceful in appearance, 

 quite hardy, and the young mature early. There are two varieties 

 of Chinese geese the Brown and the White. They have, medium- 

 sized heads, with large knob at base of a medium-length bill, and 

 long, gracefully arched necks. The color of the head of the Brown 

 Chinese geese is brown ; knob dark brown or black ; neck light brown 

 or grayish brown, with a dull yellowish-brown stripe on the back of 

 the neck from the head down to the body. The back is dark brown. 

 The standard weight of the adult gander is 12 pounds; adult goose, 

 10 pounds; young gander, 10 pounds, and young goose, 8 pounds. 



Management of Geese. Goose raising is not so extensively en- 

 gaged in as duck raising, the conditions under which they can be 

 successfully raised being almost entirely different from those neces- 



