ESSEX SOCIETY. 97 



But it is not my object to give directions as to farm manage- 

 ment in general, but to offer some hints, derived principally 

 from experience, on the rearing of turkeys in particular. The 

 first great requisite is, to have good stock to raise from, both 

 male and female. The cock turkey should be of a large size, 

 and as he does not attain lo his full growth till he is two or 

 three years old, one of this age is to be preferred, though year- 

 lings are generally made to answer. The color I should choose, 

 would be jet black or bronze, with legs to match. The books 

 give directions as to the gait and mien deemed essential to his 

 perfection ; but there is little difficulty in finding a gobler, 

 whose strut is sufficiently martial to satisfy the most precise 

 stickler for a military carriage. With tail erect, breast inflated, 

 and head and throat inflamed, he marches a perfect Haynau of 

 the poultry-yard. The question is discussed, too, in the books, 

 as to the number of females that should constitute his harem. 

 But it is for ns more of a theoretical than practical one, as 

 there are here hardly ever more hens allowed to this feathered 

 sultan, than can be suitably provided for by him. A greater 

 point is to prevent a deterioration of stock by breeding in and 

 in. The excellent rule given by Mrs. Sarah Dakiu, of Duch- 

 ess County, N. Y , in a statement on the management of poul- 

 try, " be sure and change the tom turkey every year," is con- 

 firmed by the practice of the most successful turkey rearers. 

 A strong and healthy brood of chicks is thus secured. 



With the same view, the largest hen turkeys, and if they are 

 more than a year old the better, should be reserved for mothers. 

 Those that are small in size will lay only small eggs, from 

 which the chicks hatched will be of corresponding proportions. 

 If you expect a large litter of eggs, the hens must be well kept 

 through the winter, but not so as to become very fat, otherwise 

 they will not lay so early as is desirable. If they do not begin 

 to lay till May, they will not complete their litter and be ready 

 to sit till June, which will bring the hatch into July; and thus 

 will be allowed for the growth of the young brood only five 

 months to the last of November, at which period the annual 

 turkey killing comes round in New England, as regularly as 

 Thanksgiving. It is considered, therefore, by all experienced 

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