9 
GOOSE RAISING. 
SELECTING AND MATING. 
Geese, like other kinds of poultry, should be selected for size, 
prolificacy, and vitality. They should be mated several months prior 
to the breeding season to obtain the best results; therefore breeding 
stock should be bought in the fall. Goose matings are not changed 
from year to year unless the results) are unsatisfactory. Sex is dif¬ 
ficult to distinguish in geese, especially when they are young. The 
winding or sinuous if stretched, while a light pressure on the corre¬ 
sponding section in the male will make the sexual organ protrude. 
This test is more easily made on a mature male and in warm weather. 
In common geese the male is lighter colored than the female. 
A gander may be mated with from one to four geese, but pair or 
trio matings usually give the best results. The Wild gander usually 
mates with only one goose. 
