1855. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



113 



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THE DOMESTIC TURKEY. 



Some thirty or forty years ago it was a rare 

 thing with many families to have a roasted tur- 

 key, or even a pair of chickens, upon their table, 

 more than once or twice in the year ; and then 

 on some particular occasion, such as Thanksgiv- 

 ing, Christmafe, or when some long-absent friend 

 had returned to sit once more at the family board. 

 Good beef could then be purchased, by the quar- 

 ter, for three to five cents a pound, and in small 

 quantities for five to eight and nine cents a pound. 

 At 'the same time nice turkeys brought ten to fif- 

 teen cents, and were looked upon by the mechan- 

 ic and laborer as a ('abooc(Hood to them. Now the 

 best beef sells at from ten to seventeen cents, and 

 poultry at from eight to fifteen cents, though 

 rarely commanding the latter price. Poultry is 

 often on the tablos of all who desire it, and is es- 

 teemed wholesome food, and, considering the 

 waste in each, as cheap as beef. 



Turkeys cannot be profitably raised on small 

 farms and in thickly-settled neighljorhoods, as 

 they require a wide rango, and where thoy can 

 enjoy it will not only provide mainly for them- 

 selves until near autumn, but will also be of much 

 service to the farmer, in destroying great num- 

 bers of grasshoppers and other insects that infest 

 the farm. Indeed, some years, when grasshop- 

 pers are numerous, a flock of turkeys on the farm 

 will save wliol; crops of grass and grain. 



There is no more difficulty in rearing turkeys 

 the first two or three months than in rearing com- 

 mon fowls, and the same rules are applicable to 

 parent and chick. The nest for sitting should be 

 in a dry and secluded place, where the hen will 

 not be disturbed — neither approaching the nest 

 to turn the eggs or to feed her — she will perform 

 the first duty herself, when it becomes necessary, 

 and come off for food wlien she requires it. It is 

 very rarely the case that the chick needs any as- 

 sistance in extricating itself from the shell, and 

 many are injured by an impatient intermeddling 

 with a matter whieli they understand, and will 

 perform perfectly well, if left to themselves. Nor 

 should they be interfered with for at least twenty- 

 four hours after being hatched — they want quiet 

 and tlio warmth of the mother — not food. But 

 if they leave, the nest and appear to be in search 

 of food, place a little wet corn and cob-meal be- 

 fore them, or corn, wheat or barley, pounded into 

 quite small pieces. 



Many foolish notions exist among poultry 

 breeders, and many practices prevail Avhieh are a 

 good deal worse tlian usckss, and wljich some of 

 the books on poultry — we are sorry to say — still 

 inculcate. Almost any treatise on tlie subject will 

 give some 20 or 30 pages on the diseases of poul- 

 try ; but as it is much easier and better to prevent 

 disease than to cure it, we sliall recommend none 



