14:4 POULTKY FEEDING AND FATTENING 



ture of water as for other kinds of poultr}', but it 

 requires more time for tlie water to j^enetrate and loosen 

 tlie feathers. Some parties advise, after scalding", to 

 wrap them in a blanlvot for the purpose of steaming, 

 but they must not he left in this condition long enough 

 to cook the flesh. Do not undertake to dry-pick geese 

 and ducks just before killing for the purpose of saving 

 the feathers, as it causes the skin to liecome very much 

 inflamed, and is a great injury to the sale. Do not 

 pick the feathers off the head; leave the feathers on 

 for two or three inches on the neck. Do not singe the 

 bodies for the purpose of removing any down or hair, 

 as the heat from the flame will give them an oily and 

 rmsightly appearance. After they are picked clean 

 they should be held in scalding water about ten seconds 

 for the 23urpose of plumping,' and should then be rinsed 

 off in clean cold water. Pat heavy stock is alwa3fs 

 preferred. 



Wholesale Goose Fattcmng — At Adamsville, E. I., 

 there is a large goose-fattening establishment. The 

 proprietors pick up the geese in carts when about half 

 grown, that is, about the age that the cjuills begin to 

 start; many farmers prefer to dispose of the geese in 

 this way rather than have the trouble of fattening them 

 themselves. The professional fatteners finish off the 

 geese in four to six weeks. There is nothing secret 

 about the method of fattening. They are given mostly 

 corn ]neal, Ijran and meat, and fed all they will eat. 

 At killing time, five or six pickers arc employed, and 

 these become very expert, dressing oif from twenty to 

 twenty-five a day. The product is sliipped to New 

 York and Boston; sometimes the demand is better in 

 one city, and sometimes in tlie otlier. The poultry are 

 dry-picked and feathers sold, lieing kept until winter 

 and shipped all together. Goose feathers arc usually 

 worth about tlnrty-five cents ])er jiound, duck feathers 



