THE GAME BREEDER 



47 



A Fair Brood. 



a goose or gander that was over three 

 years old that refused to mate. They 

 like to pick their mates, however, and 

 it is best if you have several odd birds 

 to turn them in a yard together arid 

 let them pick to suit themselves. I 

 never knew a goose to lay under three 

 years, and it is usually four, but I have 

 had a gander mate at two years with an 

 old goose and raise a nice flock. 



Canada geese must be kept on the 

 range where they are to breed through 



the winter or placed there at least by the 

 first of March, as otherwise they will 

 not be likely to breed the first year.. . . 



Another thing to look out for — keep 

 dogs and strangers out of the breeding 

 yard, and don't disturb the geese when 

 setting any more than necessary. 



I would sum it up, get old geese (older 

 the better) ; get them early ; have a good, 

 large range, with a pond or brook for 

 them to mate on, have a pile of coarse 

 sand : and oyster shells where they can 

 find it, and let them alone. 



A Safe Rearing Ground. 



