y of capital to
get a start and without its being necessary to provide much in the way
of buildings or other equipment, a flock of geese can be started which
will allow a nice profit to the farm woman for the care and attention
which she gives them. In this connection it should be remembered that
while the opportunities for profit may not be so large as in turkey
raising, yet the care required is much less and the chances of serious
difficulties due to disease and to inability to raise the young stock
are relatively small. Goose raising therefore offers a most profitable
side line employment for the farm woman.
_Geese as Weed Destroyers._ As stated before geese are close grazers. In
fact, during the growing season of the year green vegetation forms most
and in some cases practically all of their diet. The vegetation which
they will eat readily is quite varied and in many cases geese will be
found to be very valuable in ridding pastures or fields of troublesome
weeds. In the southern states geese are often kept on farms where cotton
is raised for the purpose of keeping the cotton fields free from weeds.

Objection to Geese
An objection to geese often expressed but without good foundation is
that they will spoil the pasture for other stock. This is not true if
the pasture is not overstocked with geese. Of course geese are very
close grazers and if too many of them are kept on a field they will eat
the grass down so close that there will be none for other animals to
get. Similarly the idea that other animals will not eat grass grown
where goose droppings have fallen is not true except where the birds are
too thick so that the grass is soiled badly by the droppings.
The fact that geese are noisy creatures makes them undesirable to some
persons. It is true that they make a good deal of noise and that their
cry is of a very hoarse, rasping character and to a person with bad
nerves they may be annoying but this is no valid or weighty objection to
the normal, healthy farmer. The Chinese geese are the noisiest and
consequently the greatest offenders in this particular.
A more valid objection to geese lies in the fact of their rather ugly
disposition. Ganders, especially as they grow older and during the
breeding season, are decidedly pugnacious and will not hesitate to
attack human beings. They strike heavy formidable blows with their wings
and with their strong bills they inflict most painful bites. Where there
are children about the house it may be necessary