THE TURKEY. 115 



Mascall says, that the cock should not be ' passing a yere 

 or two yeres old ; three yeres is the most, and too much,' &c. 



For my own part, I hold a turkey cock, at the age of three 

 years, to be only in his prime, and to continue, in every respect, 

 suitable for your purpose, until five. The hen is at her prime 

 younger, and, probably, at the second year is as good as ever 

 she will be afterwards. 



It has been stated by some, and yet as positively denied by 

 others, that one fecundation will render all the eggs of that lay- 

 ing fertile ; still, however, were it my own case, I should pre- 

 fer making ' assurance doubly sure,' by allowing one cock to 

 every dozen or fourteen hens. Even this, however, will render 

 it unnecessary for every poor man who may desire to breed 

 turkeys to have a cock, as one cock will thus prove amply suffi- 

 cient for the hens of a whole townland. This fact should 

 encourage farmers to keep a good turkey cock of a valuable 

 breed, and so afford an opportunity of improving upon the com- 

 moner varieties they may possess. 



The approach of the laying season is easily known by the 

 increased liveliness and proud strut of the hen ; and she, like- 

 wise, further expresses her feelings by a peculiar self-satisfied 

 cry, that soon becomes familiar to the observer. This usually 

 takes place in the month of March (nearly a month earlier than 

 the wild bird.) When the breeder perceives those symptoms, 

 he should provide a nest, and put an egg, or a bit of chalk 

 formed like one, into it, to induce the hen to commence laying 

 there. Partaking of the retiring propensities of the wild hen, 

 (although she has not equal reason to dread the destructive pas- 

 sions of the cock,) the turkey is a secret layer, and does her 

 best to elude the vigilance of her keeper, and steal away to some 

 secluded spot. The peculiar note of which I have spoken 

 betrays, however, the fact ; and whoever has the care of the 



