The husbandman, farmer and grasier's compleat instructor. Containing choice and approved rules, and directions for breeding, feeding, chusing, buying, selling, well ordering and fatning bulls, cows, calves, rams, ews, lambs, swine, goats, asses, mules, &c. : How to know the several diseases incident to them, by their signs and symptoms, with proper remedies to cure them; : as likewise all griefs, and sorrances what-ever. : Also, a treatise of dogs, and conies, in their breeding, ordering, and curing the distempers they are subject to. : To which is added, The experienced vermine-killer, in particular directions, for taking and destroying all sorts of vermine in houses, out-houses, fields, garden, graneries, and other places. / By A.S. Gent.

Breeding, Feeding, Fattening, and other rules for ordering Geese and Goslings to advantage.

Geese are very profitable to the owner, in their Fea∣thers, Down, Eggs, Flesh and Fat, and are little charg∣••ble in keeping, as contenting themselves with Grass for want of other Food.

In choosing them for breed, the largest are accounted the best; and for colour, the white and gray are prefera∣ble; the black are accounted the worst; let the Gander be stately, and of a good courage.

As for the laying time, it begins generally in the Spring, and some lay earlier, which are accounted the best: They will some lay twelve, others sixteen, and some more; when she is about to lay, she will take up Straw in her hill, and scatter it about; and being desirous to sit, she will continue long on her Nest after laying; she sits most kindly one her own Eggs, as knowing them by the scent from anothers; her usual time is thirty days, but in warm, weather she hatches sooner; in her sitting give her scald∣ed Bran, and Skeg-Oats, and set a Tub of water by her, that she may cool and wash her Feathers.

Keep the Gosling in the house about twleve days after they are hatched; feed them with Barly-meal, and Milk, Chipping, scalded Curds or new Cheese; Bran scalded in water, Milk, or the tappings of Drink; when they are somewhat strong, dismiss them of their imprisonment; watch them abroad, and shew them the water, and put them up again; so do till they grow strong: At six weeks

o•••• they are turned green Geese; and to fat them, boyl Ste•• Oats, and give them thrice a day, with their fill of Milk and Water, and in three weeks they will be very at▪

To fatten Geese that are grown to Maurely, as five or or six Months; having taken them from the Ba••n-door, or Stu••ble-Field, when they are pretty well fleshed, put them up into Pens that are dark, or not much light; com∣ing to them, give them Oats ground, Malt and Beads, and water with Barly Meal, and a sufficiency of these in three weeks, will fat•••• them to your mind.

As for pulling your Geese the best season is at moult∣ing time, but be not so covetous to leave her naked, lest the cold or Briers greatly injure her.

This Fowle is troubled with a Gargil, •• Disease that ca••ses stopings in the Head, and often mortal. To remedy it, take little Balls or Pellets of Garlick and But∣ter, well bruised together, and give it fasting, and shut he: up two or three hours after it.