416 



REARING AND FEEDING OF ANIMALS. 



variety is reared in every civilized country. Its habits render it an easily cul- 

 tivated animal, and it is an object of great economical importance in the dis- 

 tricts of tens and marshes, which are the most suited to the rearing of it. 



The period of incubation is from 27 to 30 days, and the female covers con- 

 veniently from 11 to 15 eggs. She manifests the period by carrying straw in, 

 her mouth, and then a nest should be prepared for her in a secure situation. 

 During the time of hatching, the male stands a watchful sentinel, and will 

 fiercely attack the largest animals that approach the nest. 



After the young are brought from the nest, the dam may be penned with 

 them on a spot of dry grass, while farinaceous food, water, and any whole- 

 some green herbs, must be supplied. After a short time, the dam and her 

 brood should be allowed to forage for themselves in the fields and marshes. 

 They are perfectly herbivorous, and will graze like sheep. Those who are 

 favourably situated with respect to the means of rearing these fowls, seldom 

 give them any more attention, than to drive the broods, with the dams, to the 

 contiguous fens or marshes where they feed. 



In situations less favourable, more attention must be paid to the feeding of 

 them. They must be well supplied with food like other fowls, but it consti- 

 tutes the particular facility of rearing these animals, that not only farinaceous 

 substances, but every kind of edible herbs, as turnips, potatoes, the refuse of 

 the garden, and the like, may be given to them. They may be soiled, too, on 

 clover and tares; and when being fattened, steamed potatoes, meal mixed with 

 milk, and the like, may be given to them. 



The young are either disposed of at a month or 6 weeks old, when they are 

 termed green-geese, or they are retained till after harvest, and fed upon the 

 stubbles, when they are termed stubble-geese. If they shall not be sufficiently 

 fattened on the stubbles, they must be put up to feed, all that is necessary in 

 this case being, to give them plenty of water and constant food, and to litter 

 them carefully with straw. 



Besides the produce in flesh, there are derived from this animal down and 

 feathers, both those of the wings, which are made into writing-quills, and those 

 of the body, which are applied to different uses. This has given rise to the 

 dreadful barbarity of plucking the animals, which is sometimes done five times 

 in the year. 



3. The Domestic Swan, Anasolor, has in this country ceased to be regarded 

 as food, and is now preserved solely for the beauty and majesty of his form, 

 with respect to which he is the noblest of all the water-fowls. He feeds like 

 the goose, but is more aquatic in his habits. He is gentle and familiar to his 

 keepers, eating his food from the hand; but while engaged in the rearing of 

 his brood, he is fierce and dangerous to be approached. He is a bird of great 

 courage, but is never the assailant of others. 



It is stated on the authority of the Maine Farmer, that geese 

 may be fattened on turnips with very little trouble or expense. 

 The turnips are cut in small pieces resembling dice, but smaller, 

 and placed in a trough of water. An experiment was made, 

 and it was found that with this food alone, six geese, each of 

 which when lean weighing nine pounds, actually gained twenty 

 pounds each in three weeks fattening. Malt is an excellent 

 food for geese. 



VII. BEES-THEIR MANAGEMENT, &c. 



THE common honey bee, the Jlpis mellijica of LINN, is 

 cultivated in every civilized country. The bee is an interest- 

 ing subject to the lover of natural history; while at the same 



