38 



After the bird is killed, plucking- should begin at once. Care 

 should be taken to keep the head downward, to allow the blood to col- 

 lect in the neck. Where the birds are allowed to become cool before 

 being plucked, it is very hard to avoid tearing the skin ; and the pluck- 

 ing is much more tedious. The birds should be plucked clean with the 

 exception of about two inches of feathers adjoining the head. 



After the chicken has been plucked it should be placed on a shap- 

 ing board, as seen in Figs. 23 and 24. The weight placed on the top 

 of the chicken is used to give it a compact appearance. This weight 

 may be of iron, as seen in the cut, or a brick may be used in its place. 

 If chickens are hung by the legs after being plucked, it spoils their 

 appearance, making them look thin and leggy. 



Many good chickens are spoiled by being packed before they are 

 thoroughly cooled. Care should be taken that all the animal heat is 

 out of the body before the fowls are packed. We always cool the 

 birds at least twelve hours before packing them. 



The chickens are packed in boxes as seen in Fig. 25. The box is 

 lined with parchment paper; and, if the chickens are to be shipped a 

 long distance, each bird is wrapped in paper. This prevents the 

 chickens from bruising each other, and, at the same time, to a con- 

 siderable extent, checks decomposition. Do not use ordinary wrapping 

 paper, as it draws dampness, and will cause the chickens to become 

 clammy, which make them more or less unsaleable. 



There are several other kinds of boxes used for shipping poultry. 

 Nearly every exporter has his own shape of box, and his own method 

 of packing. For shipping locally, we use a box three feet long, twelve 

 inches wide, and twelve inches deep. The chickens are packed similar 

 to those seen in Fig. 25, with the exception that they are three tiers 

 deep. The box will hold thirty-six 4^-pound chickens. The boxes 

 are made strong' so that we can have the dealer return them to be re- 

 filled. Do not use cedar in the construction of the boxes, as in some 

 cases it taints the flesh. Basswood or spruce answers well. 



Egg Preservation. 



Severn' methods of preserving eggs were tested in our Poultry 

 Department during the year of 1900. The eggs for this purpose were 

 taken early in June, and were tosted in December. Many of the same 

 methods that proved fairly successful in previous years were again 

 tried. 



Method No. 1. A solution composed of one part water glass (sodium 

 silicate) and five parts .water that had been previously boiled. This 

 was a very strong solution, and unless an egg was absolutely fresh 

 in would not sink in the solution. 



The eggs from this solution were of fairly good flavor, and all 

 were well preserved. 



