DOMESTIC WATER FOWL — GEESE. 
253 
milk, or a little barley-meal, &c. Where this is done, 
they should, however, always he put under the Goose 
again, immediately after such feeding, and handled as 
little as possible, warmth in this stage being the most 
essential articlo in rearing them. They should never 
be suffered, while very young, to go into the water, as 
the cold soon destroys them. 
“ The practice in Lincolnshire, where vast numbers 
of these birds are annually produced, is for their nests 
to be made for them of straw, and confined, so as that 
the eggs cannot roll out when the Geese turn them, 
which they do every day. When near hatching, the 
shell is broken a little against the beak or nib of the 
Gosling, to give air, or to enable it to receive strength 
to throw off the shell at a proper time. 
“ The time of plucking them is about the beginning 
of April, when the fine feathers of their breasts and 
backs should be gently and carefully plucked. Care 
must be taken not to pull or interrupt their down or 
pen feathers. 
“ The quills should be pulled five out of a wing. 
They will bear pulling in thirteen or fourteen weeks 
again, or twice in a year: the feathers three times 
a-year, of the old Geeso and Ganders, seven weeks from 
each pulling. The young Geese may be pulled once at 
thirteen or fourteen weeks old, but not quilled, being 
hatched in March. But when late in hatching, the 
brood Geese should not be plucked so soon as April, 
