254 THE PRACTICAL POULTRY KEEPER. 



like the pheasant, is poisoned by, or extraordinarily sensi- 

 tive to, both tainted ground, and complaints caused by 

 inactivity and over-feeding. Mr. Tegetmeier has done 

 much to make this matter clear, and has published from 

 time to time convincing evidence that when reared really at 

 liberty on very wide range over fresh, high, dry ground, 

 healthy turkey chicks are hardy and brave the weather. 

 He quotes especially the State experiments at Rhode 

 Island, where it was found that such housing as is usual in 

 England led to heavy mortality ; that restricted liberty put 

 them out of condition from want of exercise, and full 

 feeding also caused disease ; whereas wide range on clean 

 ground, scanty feeding, and sleeping out of doors, gave 

 health, and ultimately even greater weight. 



We may also quote * the experience of Mr. George 

 Tucker, one of the largest American raisers, who rears 

 hundreds every year in Prudence Island. After only 

 average success by old methods, he now makes his nests 

 out of old barrels turned on one side and placed in out-of- 

 the-way corners. Early eggs may or not be given to hens, 

 but when the turkey stays on the nest two days, seventeen 

 are given to herself, choosing the same age as nearly as 

 possible. When the chicks are two days old they are 

 removed with the hen to a remote part of the farm, where 

 each brood is placed in a triangular open pen formed of 

 merely three boards twelve feet long, care being taken that 

 there is no hollow in the ground to hold rain. Only four 

 or five such broods or pens are placed in a twenty-acre field, 

 which they are to occupy, and the pens are moved fre- 

 quently for five or six days, after which they are let out and 

 allowed free range. They are fed on corn meal mixed with 

 sour milk, and given drinks of sour milk, but no water, 



* From Farming (Canada). 



