Evening Republican, Volume 22, Number 36, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 12 February 1919 — Page 2

A Bird in the Band

- RAISE A FEW GEESE; COST IS SLIGHT.: (Special Information Service. United States Department of Agriculture h

A Good Farm Flock —These Are Toulouse Geese, the Largest of the Standard Breeds.

GEESE GROWING IS PROFITABLE

Good Grazing Supplemented With Light Feeds Keep Fowls in Good Condition. QUITE FREE FROM DISEASE Body of Water Is Considered Essential During Breeding Season —Some Kind of Shelter Is Necessary for the Goslings. > Geese can be raised in small numbers successfully and at a profit on farms and In localities where there Is tow rough pasture land and a natu- j ral supply of water. Grass makes up the bulk of the feed for geese, and It Is doubtful, say poultry specialists of the United States department of agriculture. whether it pays to raise them unles#rgbb<l“gf a zing range Tsa va llabl e. Geese are good grazers and. except during the winter months, usually pick up most of their 11 ving. Their pasture may be supplemented with light feeds of the common or home-grown grains or wet mash daily, the necessity and quantity of this feed depending qn the amount of pasture available. One advantage in raising geese is thatJhey are generally quite free from disease ami all insect pests, but octhey are affected by some ..of the diseases common to poultry. A body of water where they can swim is considered essential during the breeding season and is a-good feaiture during the rest of the year. The tnar- • ket for geese is not so general as for chickens, and this should be taken under consideration before embarking In geese raising. In the South many geese are kept for the production of feathers rather than for their flesh, and many cotton growers keep them to kill the weeds!n their cotton fields. Houses for Geese. weather be provided, mature geese do not need a house Some kind of shelter, such . as a shed open on the south side, a poultry- house, or a barn is usually provided by breeders In the North and is used by many in the South. Coops, barrels, or some other dry shelter should be provided for young goslings. It is important that the houses should/' lie kept clean nntl that the floors be provided with plenty of clean straw. Geese, like,other kinds of poultry, should bd 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 j bought in the fall. Goose matings are not changed from year to year unless the results are unsatisfactory. A gander may lie mated with from one to four geese, but pair or trio matings usually give the best results. The —wild-gander-ttsuftliy- mates with only one goose. When mated, geese are allow4*(l\ to run “in flocks. From 4 to 25 geese may be kept on an acre of land, and under most conditions ten is a fair average. . Incubation. Geese are fed a ration to produce eggs during the Inf tor part of th e winter (about February D. or so that the goslings will be hatched by the time there is good grass pasture. They are allowed to make nests on the floor of the house, or large boxes, barrels, or shelters are provided for that purpose. The eggs should be collected daily and kept in a cool place where the contents will not evaporate too freely: if kept for some time they may ,be stored in loose bran. The first eggs are usually set under hens, while the last ones which the goose lays may be hatched either under hens or under the goose if she goes broody. If the eggs are not removed from the nest In which the goose is laying she will usually stop laying sooner than if they are taken away. Some breeders prefer to raise all the goslings under hens, as geese sometimes become difflmlt to manage when allowed to hatch and rear their young. Hens

used for hatching goose eggs must be dusted with insect powder and have good attention, as. in the case of geese, the period of Incubation is longer than in that of fowls. Goose eggs may be hatched in incubators j-tmvHthw ya'dtmrs'.Sucressfirfty raised in ; brooders, although this is not a common practice. The period of imulmtion of goose eggs varies from —S to 30 days. Mols- - lure should l>e Added to tin* eggs' after the first week if set under hens or iin incubators; this is usually done by sprinkling the eggs or the nest with warm water. Four to six eggs are set under a hen and 10 to 13 under a goose. They may be tested about the tenth day. and those which are infertile or contain dead germs should be removed. They hatch slowly, especially under hens, and the goslings are usually removed as soon as hatched and kept in a warm place until the I process is over, ‘When they are put back under the hen or goose. Some breeders who hatch with both geese and hens give ail the goslings to the geese. Hens with goslings may be confined to the coop and the goslings allowed to range. The latter, especially if the weather is cold, are not usHally allowefl to go lnte water until they are several days old. In mild weather the hens are allowed to brood the goslings for from seven to ten days, when the latter are able to take care of themselves. Good-sized growing coops, with board floors, should he.provided for the goslings, and they must be protected from their enemies, and given some attention when on range.

TO START WITH GEESE

Buy UreeiUng stock or mate the fowls several months before the breeding yeason, which is In early spring. Breeders should be at least two years old. They are best when from three to five years .old. Females are i; ually kept until they are twelve to fourteen years old, or ns long as they will lay well, but ganders are not generally kept after their eighth or ninth yenr ■ =4= ■-Hegmfet'dingfoFegg-produe--tion during the latter part of winter. Eggs are then- available f<>r early hatching and the goslings will be ready to graze ns soon as—good grass pasture is ready. The period of incubation varies from 28 to 30 days. ... Four to six eggs are set under a hen and 10 to 13 under a goose. Goslings should not be allowed to go into waters cially ls the weather is cold, until they are several days old. Hens with goslings should brood them from seven to ten days, when the goslings are able to take care of themselves;

Preparing Geese for Market. , Before marketing the young geese the average farmer can feed advantageously a fattening ration either while the geese are on grass range or confined to small yards, but It is doubtful whether it would pay him to confine them to individual or small pens and make a specialty of fattening unless he has a speciatTnafker or retail trade for well-fattened stock. Geese are usually killed and picked In the same manner as other kinds of poultry. Some markets prefer drypicked geese, while in other markets no difference is made In the price of scalded or dry-picked geese. When feathers are to be saved fowls should not be scalded, but should be picked dry before or after steaming. On most farms where geese are raised the feathers are glucked from the live fowls at some time prior to molting. About one and one-tenth pounds per goose Is the average yield of feathers. Feathers are worth from 30 cents lo $1 a pound, and the picking cost per goose is about 11 cents. Houses Face. South. , In most localities the poultry house should face the south, as this Insures the. greatest amount of sunlight during the winter. Proper ventilation and sunlight mean a dry house and healthy birds.'

THE EVENING REPUBLICAN. RENSSELAER. IND.

WAITING FOR ZERO

Tense Minutes Before Argonne Battle Opened. English Officer Describes the Behavior of American Soldiers in That Fight as Wonderful —“Will Forever Honor Them." “It was the zero hour in the Argonne,” remarked Maj. H. T. Hayden, ffn English ofiicer, now UrThis country, ! “when 1 was first impressed withtke 1 greatness of America.• I bappehetr to be detailed to an American unit, i Tl)ere were French and Apiericnn and 1 English sAldiers there, but 1 was with mi American command. It doesn't matter what the occasion. When the battle nf the Argonne began 1 was in a dugout when an American officer, 'commanding a regiment of artillery stood- with his. watclr in his hand, counting the seconds, llj* had been t bTtleied to begin firing at 5:30 in the morning. All along'that line of many [ iniies the officers of the groupingshad their orders. The zero hour was 5:40. pariicu’.ar ufficer stood waiting, waiting. I lived an age in live minutes. The seconds seemed to drag an awful’ length. One. two, three, four 1 counted. "But finally zero came. This officer turned to his aid. It was not necessary. This aid, a captain, had antici- ; pated his commander. It was a shock, : the greatest and the grandest shock > f ever had. W aiting, waiting for the j time, I was taken off my pins when it L«Mu£ik4w the tttunder (if ■thg.AtfflfegE&s i For miles and miles and miles the guns routed. Il comes only once in a lifetime, and few lifetimes, at that, to be present on such-an~oecasion, It seemed that hell had broken loose. “I don’t know how any human being can live through such a thing, but we did. For six hours the guns spoke, and •then for a brief period there was a cessation. Once more they started, and it wjs not until after noon that they stopped. Meantime the infantry was preparing to make its charge. I rode along the front lines of artilleryin the early morning. Below I saw ’the American boys getting ready to make their drive. It was the most wonderful, the sublimest sight I ever saw or ever expect to see. I shall never forget, because it is stamped indelibly in my brain, the enthusiasm and the exuberance of the American gunners. They may have had no_prevlous training, but I shall forever honor the American artillerist, and I shall never for get the opening of the. hattle. of the Argonne.”

Poetic Justice!

The first four letters of the name Amerongen, which designates the moated castle in Holland where the former Kaiser Wilhelm II is observing the twilight of the Hohenzollerns as rulers, compose the French word meaning bitter. One might find in this a fitting reply to the name of the place where, under Frederick the Great, Hohenzollernlsm began its rampant career. —This - Potsdam- castle,- with- it s French elegance, Voltaire associations and German mechanism for raising the dinner table, the monarch named in French “Sans-Soucl,” (without care) and for nearly two centuries it has shone forth a brilliant example of Frussiaruimpertinence. But now tho Hohenzollern has his cares, and nd' doubt they are bitter.

Cheerful Blinded Soldiers.

Cheerful news conies along fr'om St. is other directions, the blinded soldiers are milking good. E. Clarke, a poultry farmer at Ed winstowe, is winner of the first prize for the best potatoes and carrots at a local show, we read in the current number of St. Dunstan's Review, and on another page of this bright little record of the blinded soldiers' work and sport, we read: “One allotment holder, whp is otherwise occupied during the day, contends* that he has the advantage over ordinary sighted people, for he need not hurry home to put in an hour before dark; he can get on with it while they are in bed !”• —London Mail.

Winter Snake Story.

J. K. Campbell of Vandalia. Ind., vouches for this December snake [story: “On December 22 my daughter and I started across a piece of timber lai>l ito a neighbor's home. Our dog went into a hole where a tree had blown over, and, was routed by a five-foot ■ black snake, whiclr. Was hanging on , sbme berry briers. I killed the snake with a club. The shake had the appearance of having swallowed a rabbit. but investigation disclosed that the snake had robbed a hen's nest. - and had swallowed m china nest egg, . We missed the china egg last July.”— Indianapolis News.

Ownership.

: “Are.jrou tn favor of government : ownership?, , “Well." replied Senator Sorghum. “I'ye been trying -nrake up my mind. Everything depends on whether* a business is run with intelligence and care, regardless of B Who owns It. And I've seen some men who thought they could take on all kinds of government responsibility that I wouldn’t trust to run a peanut stand."

Its Profits.

"I see where they. are going to have a eat show in New Tork for the soldiers and sailors.” “Well, the profits ought, of a show' like .that, amount to a considerable purr cent” < r . -

FIVE YOUNGER THAN AMERICA

This Country by No Means Most Juvenile of the Nations Engaged in the War. The average roan thinks the United States is the youegest nation that was actively engaged in the yvar that pracTRallF^^^rVHff^Ee'“recent signing of the armistice with Germany. As a matter of fact, it is one of the older nations engaged-in the war*. The most recently formed nations that hnye taken part in the struggle are Rounianla. Bulgaria, and Serbia, wfilch were given their independence Of forty years ago. They bad existed liefore. though not. pre<>js.ly in the limits of today, but they had been long under Turkish rule. Next in yoUlli is Germany. Of course there has been a Germany for -twenty centuries or longer, but at first we name described the.territory in which various entindy imh-pendent tribes lived and afterward it described a federation so loosely joined together that its states were as often fighting each otheras in .alliance-, with ...each other. Still later —about fifty years ago —Germany was divideij into two federations, —hnt —bottr combined againstFrance in 1370. Tlie.Geriuan empire in 1871 and Germany was never really a nation before that time. Next comes Italy, which became a kingdoroTfiFlßs9 or 1860. Of course Italian history is older than the history of any other country in Europe except Greece, but the earlier history of Italy was the history of Rome, which overflowed the boundaries of the peninsula and conquered the greater' part <>'f the known world. But less than sixty years ago what is now Italy was divided into four states. It was consolidated about fifty-eight years ago. though a small strip of territory was left to the pope. This was taken during the war between France and Germany and the capital -of the united nation was moved to Rome; So five of the nations taking an active part in the war are younger than the United States, which had existed as an independent government nearly one hundred years before the German empire was established. Of course the states of Germany are older than the United States, but the German empire Is not. If Greece were considered as taking an active part in the war she would he added to the list of juniors, being less than a century old. France, Great Britain, Russia, and Austria are the only nations participating in the war that are older than the United States unless Portugal’s participation is considered active enough to count In the list.

Jusserand's Tribute

A very eloquent Frenchman, Ambassador Jusserand, has paid this handsome tribute to the American army in France: “A valiant army, the praise of which is on every lip; a youthful, goodhumored. cheery- .army, whose every soldier is welcome in castle or hut, and is offered just as heartily the best cake or the last crust; an immense army that grows ceaselessly—month after month you-senFover-donble-the number of men Napoleon had at W aterloo. Many French names written on your map recall our prjjseilt-e here at the time of your fight for independence, chief among them that of Lafayette. Many American names will in aftertime recall the splendid part you are taking in the deliverance of France and of the world.”—Youth’s Companion.

Thrilling Week-Ends.

41 Is curious 4 o reea 11 - liovw many thrilling Saturdays and Sundays there have been during the war. It was on .. Sunday that "Genuanv committed her first definite act of war. On a Sunday the London Times published its telegram about the retreat from Mons, which created so painful a feeling in that country. The .crucial day of the second battle of Ypres, when the Germans nearly broke through with the help of gas. was a Saturday. It was on a Saturday that the earlier dispatches regarding the battle ,pf Jutland created so unfortunate an impression. and it was on a Saturday in March this year that we began to realize the grim possibilities of the German offensive of that month.

Big Estate in Britain.

“Country Life” (London, England) advertises in a recent issue an auction sale of part of a British landed estate whose size might cause even our biggest ranch-owners to lift their eyebrows. This consists of “the northern portion of the Sutherland estates,” extending to an area of 209.143 acres ’ This vast tract of hundreds of square miles, however, is only a small part of the- holding* of the dufee of Sutherland, which amount to “ijbont It is announced, “affords rhe opportunity to acquire the whole length of the famous salmon rivers, the Navar and Halladale.” *

Got Away With It.

“You mustn't smoke a cigar on the fronf platform.”\said the motorman. “This isn't a cigar,” responded' the smoker. “Huh?” -• . ’• > “This is a cigarette, which— ’ Here he took a couple of hasty puffs. - “Which may be smoked while you are arguing about It.”

A Scant Solace.

*1 don’t believe they will ever make Europe bone dry.” “I don’t either." rejoined Unde Bill Bottletop. “sut Europe Is a long waya to travel just for a drink.”

The Housewife and Her Work

(Special Information service. United States Lxepartmcut ot Agriculture.) SUITABLE DIET FOK THREE-YEAR-OLDS. ' _—■■.... I-—; r4—:—।—•—■—- — * : r

The Child Who Has Never Been Allowed Adult Food Does Not Tease for It.

PLENTY OF MILK VERY NECESSARY

Do Not Expect Children to Thrive on Meals Selected Primarily for Adults. ' INCLUDE PROTEIN IN RATION Little Forethought and Planning Needed to Enable Suitable Food Being . Served to Youngsters—Some Recipes Given. Many parents make the mistake of allowing their children to eat whatever has been prepared for the grown members of the family, no matter how unsuitable it may be. Sometimes this is from ignorance of the results to the child, but more often because the mother and housekeeper feels she is too busy to prepare a special diet for the small members of the family. Oftentimes part, or even all, of the food In the child’s ration may be selected from the family meals. When unsuitable food, however, comprises the adult menu, only a little forethought and planning will be needed to enable suitable food being served the children, according to specialists of the United States department of.agFiculture. The sturdiness of the youngsters will more than compensate for the extra work. The meals given below have been found to provide food sufficient in amount and variety Tor the -average healthy child of three years of age. , They are examples of well-chosen meals. Many others equally satisfactory could be planned. Milk Always Advised. One, at least, of the foods called for in each meal, milk, is needed by all children; in others, the string beans and the beans and the prunes, for example, can safely be replaced by <#her foods of the same'general kind. V t en Is-like-lhese. - coulU-.be- prepared from the "following daily food supply: id pints milk , 1 oz. or 2 cubic ins. 1 egg or 2 level table4 ..z, flour or other spoonfuls of hutcereal (dry ter or % cupful weight) of cream 1 oz. nr 2 level ta- Bto 12 oz. vegetablespoonfuls su- bles or fruits, * gar or its equiva- fresh weight, or lent In other their equivalent sweets dried —This allowance of cereal will make six large (1 ounce) or eight mediumsized (three-fourths ounce) slices of bread or four ounces of bread and about one cup of cooked cereal. Three Meals for Child of Three, Breakfast. —— ; Bread—l small, slice The pulp of 2or 3 (% oz.) . prunes cooked Butter—2-3 cubic with a teaspooninch (2-3 oz.) ful of sugar Oatmeal—% cupful (%’ oz. uncooked) Dinner. Bread or toast 1 4 oz. string beans large or 2 small served with 1 lev--sliees (1 oz.)) el teaspoonful -Butter—2-3 cubicj butter ow a little Inch or 1-3 oz. * cream 1 egg. poached or % cupful oatmeal boiled served with stew1 glass milk ed fruit Supper. 2 small or 1 large 1 oz. honey slice bread (1 oz.) 1 glass rnilK 2-3 cubic inch or 1-3 Not only is the health of the whole family improved, but less effort is required of the mother where the menu for the grown-ups is kepit so simple that mapy of the dishes may be given the younger children. In this way the need of preparing special dishes for the youngsters under five is eliminated. Sirups, molasses, honey, candy, or jelly can be used in place of the sugar, or very finely chopped dried fruits, such as raisins, dates and figs, may be used to give sweetfiess. Leaf vegetables, such as lettuce and spinach, are particularly valuable because of the vitamins or the 'growthproducing substances they supply. One

good way to serve them is to chopthem tine, cook them in a little water, and make a soup by adding them to hot milk. Lettuce finely chopped can l)e mixed wHh butter to make a sandwich tilling. The daily allowance given above insures plenty of protein, vitamins, lime, iron and other mineral substances,.and also enough fuel for the average child. If more is desired, it can safely be furnished in the form of bread or other cereal food, which is often the cheapest item on the bill of fare.

MEAT NOT NECESSARY

s ■ - £ The main dish for any meal r need not contain meat if milk, H egg and fat, combined with h vegetables, are served. Dishes h. of this type are cream, soups, souffles and vegetables utilized h as the base for loaves, timbales, P fritters and croquettes.

Breadless Stuffing for Fowl. Often you may not have dry bread or chestnuts on hand to stuff a fowl or you may desire an entirely new recipe for a change. In either event try: Potato Stuffing. 2 cupfuls mashed 1 stalk celery finepotatoes ly minced 1 egg (beaten) or 1 small onion fine- % teaspoonful celly minced ery salt 1 tablespoonful fat 1 teaspoonful salt Pepper Mix the ingredients and use in place of ordinary bread stuffing. This recipe is one recommended bjr the department of agriculture. Stand Washing. _ A cloth of -plain weave shows soil quickly, but if it is firmly woven it stands rubbing well and the dirt is easily removed by washing. On the other hand, a loosely woven plain cloth iwust not be rubbed hard and must becarefully handled in drying so that the threads will not be pulled out of place. A twilled cloth does not show soil as readily as plain, but it seems to hold the dirt more tenaciously. Materials* -of~ satftt "tveaves-tkr-not sfttnd frietietbWWrasThose of plain weave. Fancy, part gauze and part solid goods of the so-called leno weave not only staml very4ittie friction.—but when washed must be carefully pulled and stretched while drying to have the goods keep its original shape and size. Loosely woven materials of all kinds have greater absorption powers than the closely woven varieties; this means less bluing for the loosely wovengoods. These are suggestions made by home economics experts in the department", of agriculture. Feeding Fowls in Winter. Feed grain in a deep litter on thefloor and make the hens exercise for it. The mash may be fed either wet or dry, and should be so regulated that the fowls will get about equal parts of mash and of the scratch grains. It is necessary to give the fowls plenty to eat to get good results, but the birds should always be eager for each feed. In cold weather feed about wne-tliird of the scratch grains in the morning and two-thirds at night. In this way the hens are forced to exercise more than if they receive all the grain they desire at the morning feed! Scratch grains, mash or ground, grains, animal protein, green feed, grit and shell should be supplied in the winter. A good scratch mixture may be made of equal parts, by weight, of cracked corn, wheat, and oats; and a mash may be made of two parts cornmeal and one part each of wheat bran, wheat middlings and beef scrap. Green feed, such as cabbages* mangel wurzel beets, cut alfalfa, or sprouted oats, should be v supplied—to replace the green feed which the fowls have been securing in the fields; and beef or fish scrap, skim milk, cut green bone, or some similar feed is needed to replace the bugs which the fowls have been getting on the range._Beef scrap or feed of this nature Is very essential in securing a good supply of eggs during the winter months. — ; . •. •. A little ginger added to a xaiad, dressing is a pleasant flavoring.