POULTRY KEEPING 597 



between the years 1518 and 1526. It also seems to be admitted that 

 they were introduced into England in 1524. Among the earliest 

 recorded varieties of domestic turkeys we find the Black Norfolk 

 and the large Cambridge turkey. Undoubtedly the turkey had 

 been domesticated in this country prior to the recording of these 

 varieties in England. 



Present Condition of the Industry. The growing of turkeys 

 seems to have improved within the last few years as a result of a de- 

 termined effort on the part of producers of what is termed standard- 

 bred, or exhibition, stock to demonstrate that it is more profitable 

 to use purebred breeding stock than the smaller 'and less vigorous 

 stock of days gone by. Their efforts to introduce throughout the 

 country the several standard varieties of turkeys has greatly benefited 

 the turkey-growing industry of this country. This effort has sup- 

 plied rich, new, vigorous blood throughout the whole country, add- 

 ing strength and vigor to innumerable flocks, and thereby, to some 

 <'.\k'iit, building up the stock that had become deteriorated through 

 the carelessness and inattention of the producers themselves. 



Deterioration Through Inbreeding. The fact that one fecunda- 

 tion is sufficient to render fertile all the eggs of one laying has made 

 possible the undermining of the health and vigor of the present- 

 day domestic turkey. Being advised of this, hundreds of people de- 

 pend upon their neighbors' flocks for the services of a male and! 

 pay no attention to the matter of breeding stock except to keep one 

 or two turkey hens. This has reduced many of the turkeys through- 

 out the country almost to a condition of imbecility. The lack of 

 vigor in a large portion of the breeding stock throughout the coun- 

 try has jeopardized to a certain extent the production of a sufficient 

 number of market turkeys to supply the demand. In fact, not 

 fully realizing that their failure was largely due to undermining the 

 vitality of their breeding stock through inbreeding, people have be- 

 come so disheartened in some localities with the meager results of 

 their efforts to grow turkeys for the market that they have desisted 

 from the attempt. 



Throughout the country the attention of turkey growers has 

 been called to the successful production of market turkeys in the 

 State of Rhode Island. Unquestionably some of the best market 

 turkeys produced in the world have been sent out of Rhode Island. 

 But even there the art was in danger of being lost through careless 

 handling of breeding stock. 



Weights for Market. Turkeys that are hatched early in the 

 spring should grow to weigh from 14 to 20 pounds by Thanksgiving 

 week. These weights are often exceeded by the best growers, but as 

 they are the most popular and most readily produced, they are sug- 

 gested as the mast advisable. The average yield of turkey hens is 

 from 18 to 30 eggs, each of which can usually be counted on to pro- 

 duce a living poult. The question of profit from keeping turkeys 

 simply resolves itself into the ability of the grower to bring them to a 

 marketable size. This can readily be done if care and attention be 

 given to all the requirements for success, 



