466 



Fattening Geese for Market. [nov., 



considerable difficulty about saving them, and it can never be 

 done in quite a satisfactory manner. 



The immediate preparation for killing consists, as with all 

 kinds of poultry, in fasting the geese for about twenty-four 

 hours previously. If practicable> all the geese which are con- 

 fined in the same house or pen should be killed on the same 

 day, because the birds are much attached to one another, and 

 if some are killed those which remain will lose weight for several 

 days. 



There are several ways of killing geese, any one of which will 

 suit if the operation is skilfully performed. One method is to 

 grasp the legs and wings in one hand and the head in the other, 

 and to kill by dislocation of the head from the neck. A fair 

 amount of strength is required to kill in this way, and some- 

 times it is necessary to hang the birds by the legs on a wall- 

 hook in order to get a fair pull at the neck. Another method 

 which is much in vogue in certain districts is to hang up the 

 bird in the manner described, strike it a sharp blow on the poll 

 with a stick to stun it, and then bleed by severing the large 

 arteries of the throat with a sharp knife. Whatever method 

 is adopted the goose " dies hard," and it takes a strong hand to 

 end its life. 



To pluck a goose is rather a tedious job, but those who are 

 accustomed to it can " clean pluck " twenty to thirty geese in a 

 day with no more than ordinary exertion. 



The feathers should be taken off the entire body, with the 

 exception of the tops of the wings, the head, and neck. If there 

 are any pin feathers, they must be " stubbed " with a blunt 

 knife, even though it takes some time and trouble, for before 

 despatch to market it is essential that the bird should look as. 

 well as possible, in order that it may fetch a high price. 



When plucked, the carcases should be placed on shelves or 

 strung over a line to cool, and they must not be packed until 

 quite cold. They may be despatched to market in hampers 

 which are lent on hire by several of the railway companies, or 

 in any clean, light hampers or crates. It is most satisfactory to 

 sell to retail dealers, or even to wholesale men, at prearranged 

 net prices, whenever this can be managed, because if geese or 

 any other kind of poultry are consigned " on commission," the 



