_The houses for the aquatic fowls_ should be at the bottom of the poultry-yard, near the pool, and they should consist of separate divisions for the sleeping and laying places of both geese and ducks. A feeding-house is often added, and this is especially necessary when either ducks or geese are to be put up to feed. Though aquatic fowls, and particularly ducks, are proverbially fond of dirt, the house in which they are kept should be as clean as possible; and it should not only be frequently washed out, but thoroughly ventilated by the door being left open all day. The smell of goose dung is very offensive; and if the house in which the geese sleep be not kept very clean, it will materially deteriorate the pleasure you will have in visiting your poultry-yard. Many people object to _geese_ in a poultry-yard on account of the pugnacious habits of the gander; but when a gander is brought up with other fowls he becomes familiar with them, and is not likely to do them any injury. One gander is sufficient for several geese; and four or five geese will bring up a brood of forty or fifty goslings. Geese generally lay every other day; or, if they lay two days together, they miss the third day. They generally begin to lay in March, and lay from eight to twelve eggs before they show any signs of wishing to sit. Sometimes, if they are well fed, and the eggs taken away, they will continue laying as many as twenty or even more. When a goose is inclined to sit, she begins to carry straws about in her mouth as if to prepare for making a nest; and, when this is the case, a nest should be prepared for her containing eleven or thirteen eggs. The nest should be made in a box in one of the houses for aquatic fowls, and food should be placed near her, as geese sit very closely, and sometimes suffer themselves to be half-starved rather than leave the nest. A goose should, however, be frequently examined while sitting, as from her nest being close to the ground it is very liable to be attacked by rats, who will frequently contrive to get the eggs from under the goose without her being able to prevent it. Geese are voracious feeders, and eat a great deal of grass as well as of more substantial food. When they are to be fattened for the table they are put under coops, and fed principally on oats moistened with water; but at other times they may be fed on any kind of refuse vegetable mixed with any sort of corn, and with boiled potatoes, carrots, and turnips. When geese are fattened before they are six weeks or two months old they are termed green geese; and those which are kept a little longer, so as to be ready for Michaelmas, are called stubble-geese, because, if turned into the corn-fields after the crop has been carried, they will generally find amongst the stubble enough grain, which has been dropped from the sheaves, to fatten them.