MARKET POULTRY 



159 



complexion. In scalding the fowls, the water should not 

 be boiling when they are immersed, nor should boil- 

 ing hot water be poured over them. They should be 

 immersed in water not quite boiling, and as quickly 

 as the feathers are thoroughly soaked they should be 

 plucked gently from the body. Great care should be 

 taken not to tear the flesh or skin. 



POULTRY PRICES 



A careful inspection of poultry prices over a period 

 of years shows plainly that market poultry of good 

 quality will sell at the highest prices from the middle 

 of Dec. to the end of June. This is due, to a large 

 extent, to the scarcity of farm-grown poultry in the 

 market during these months. 



The condition in which poultry is offered for sale 

 has an important influence on the price it will sell for. 

 The relative selling price per pound live weight, plucked 

 weight, and drawn weight of the same fowl is shown 

 in the accompanying table. The plucked weight is the 

 weight of the fowl with the feathers removed but with 

 the head and feet left on. The drawn weight is the 

 weight with the head, feet, and entrails removed and 

 the fowl ready for cooking. It will be seen from this 

 table that the selling price per pound, plucked weight, 

 is about 33l/&% more than the live weight, and that the 

 price per pound, drawn weight, is about 100% greater 



MARKET VALUE OF FOWLS AT DIFFERENT 

 STAGES 



