RAISING TURKEYS. 209 



who have never tested the loss of weight in dressing 

 sometimes submit to a deduction of three or four cents 

 a pound from, the middlemen, who are interested in 

 making this large difference. We buve no means of 

 knowing the exact cost of dressing turkeys, but half a 

 cent a pound would probably be a large estimate. The 

 prevailing higher price of dressed turkeys in the Eastern 

 market is not owing simply to the difference in the style 

 of dressing, though this has something to do with it. 

 A large portion of the turkeys that go to the Boston and 

 Providence markets are of extra large size, principally of 

 the Bronze and Narragansett breeds and their crosses, 

 raised in Rhode Island and Eastern Connecticut, where 

 the farmers make it a specialty. Whole flocks of young 

 birds will dress about 12 Ibs., on the average, at Thanks- 

 giving, and 14 Ibs. or more at Christmas. Young cocks 

 frequently reach 18 to 20 Ibs. dressed during the winter, 

 and adult cocks 28 to 30 Ibs. These birds are prepared 

 for the market in the nicest style, and are shipped by 

 the ton for the holidays. They always bring extra 

 prices. 

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