246 



OUR DOMESTIC ANIMALS 



Chinese Geese 



The best known species is the giant goose 

 of Toulouse. Its ordinary weight is from six- 

 teen to eighteen poimcls, iDut it has been known 

 tf) reacli twenty-tour. This bird is much in 

 demand. The best part of a goose is its h\'er, 

 which is a feast Im' epiciu'es. It is exported 

 to all parts of the world, but the largest C|uan- 

 tity IS consumed in I'aris. Next in \-alue to 

 the li\'er are the leathers, which are plucked 

 from the bird e\'er_y )'ear in a \'er)' cruel 

 manner. It would be best to perform this 

 operation during the molting season, when 

 the birds would suffer less, but as a gen- 

 eral thing no one pa\-s the least attention 

 t(.) that consideration, and the feathers are 

 plucked out whenex'er the breeder sees fit 

 to do so. 



The Pomeraniau goose is also a fine 

 species, but is lillle known in this coun- 

 try ; it is tall and well made, thanks to the 

 fact that the inhabitants never pluck il. 

 In Germany these geese are driven for days 

 from one town to another before reaching 

 their market, in Hocks of four or fi\'e 



hundred in charge of one man. Geese are 

 good travelers, not being easily fatigued. 

 They are proof against all diseases except 

 cholera, which, when once started, makes 

 great ravages among them. 



We must also mention the Embden goose, 

 likewise a German species and somewhat 

 known here. It is all white with a very 

 long neck, and is more elegant than the 

 Pomeranian. Its medium weight is twenty 

 pounds, though it has been known to reach 

 twenty-eight. The feathers of this breed 

 are much in demand. It lays but few eggs, 

 twenty annually at most. T\^& giant goose 

 of Italy is the only one of the kind that 

 lays well, producing about sixty eggs a 

 year. It is also very heavy, but its flesh 

 is of an inferior quality. Other less-known 

 breeds, such as the Chinese geese, are usually 

 found in zoological gardens and other pub- 

 lic exhibits. Now that so much stress is 

 being laid on the necessity for greater care 

 in the breeding of poultry, it is to be hoped 

 that geese will profit by it, and that breed- 

 ers will learn to raise them in other ways than 

 those practiced to-day. The breeding of geese 

 has as yet received but little attention, but 

 bix'eders will realize great profits the moment 

 the\- learn right methods, and so will contribute 

 to the prosperity of their countr)' and to the 

 well-bein£r of trade and farming. 



Geum.vx (".ekse 



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