e6o Profitable "pouLTKY production 



tto molt naturally, but quite another to have the 

 feathers pulled out every six weeks during the 

 ■warm weather to force a new growth of feathers. 

 Feather pulling is especially bad for geese used for 

 breeding. Geese which have to grow extra crops 

 of feathers cannot be expected to start laying as 

 early, to lay as many eggs nor to have such good 

 hatches as when Nature is allowed her own way. 

 The practice is condemned by all the best breeders 

 of geese. 



BREEDS OF GEESE 



Probably the most popular breed of geese in 

 America is the Toulouse. It is not only the 

 largest but possibly the best adapted for general 

 farm conditions, especially where the range is not 

 ideal. It is thought to do better without a swim- 

 ming area than other breeds. Its standard weights 

 are 20 pounds for adult ganders and 18 for the 

 geese. In general appearance it resembles the 

 'common farm goose more than the other breeds, 

 I but is much larger than these scrub geese. It is 

 gray, though beneath and behind there are white 

 areas in the plumage; the legs and the bill are 

 orange. During their first year young geese lay 15 

 to 25 eggs. When older they may lay from 25 to 

 40. The breed is very quiet, but in spite of its 

 wide popularity, is not ranked very high in the 

 market. 



The Embden is the chief rival of the Toulouse. 

 While its standard weights are the same as for the 

 Toulouse, a smaller proportion of the birds attain 

 these weights. The plumage is white ; legs and bill 

 fellow. The Embden when well bred and properlj^ 



