GEESE. 239 



near marshy ponds, in which circumstances they will thrive 

 and be found profitable. 



With regard to the general management of geese little need 

 be said. More than four or five should not be allowed to one 

 gander, and such a family will require a house about eight feet 

 square ; but to secure fine stock three geese are better to one 

 male. Each nest must be about two feet six inches square, 

 and, as the goose will always lay where she has deposited her 

 first egg, there must be a nest for each bird. If they each lay 

 in a separate nest the eggs may be left ; otherwise, they should 

 be removed daily. 



Geese should be set in March or early April, as it is very 

 difficult to rear the young in hot weather. The time is thirty 

 to thirty-four days. The goose sits very steadily, but should be 

 induced to come off daily and take a bath. Besides this, she 

 should have in reach a good supply of food and water, or 

 hunger will compel her, one by one, to eat all her eggs. The 

 gander is sometimes kept away ; but this is not needful, as he 

 not only has no enmity to the eggs or goslings, but takes very 

 great interest in the hatching, often sitting by his mate for 

 hours. 



The goslings should be allowed to hatch out entirely by 

 themselves. When put out, they should have a fresh turf 

 daily for a few days, and be fed on boiled oatmeal and rice, 

 with water from a pond, in a very shallow dish, as they 

 should not be allowed to swim for a fortnight, for which time 

 the goose is better kept under a very large crate. After two 

 weeks they will be able to shift for themselves, only requiring 

 to be protected from very heavy rain till fledged, and to have 

 one or two feeds of grain daily, in addition to what they pick up. 



For fattening they should be penned up half-a-dozea 

 together in a dark shed and fed on barley-meal, being let out 

 several hours for a last bath before being killed, in order to 

 clean their feathers. 



