I40 BlGGIvE POULTRY BOOK. | 



flesh its natural firmness. When scalded the skin 

 turns blue, tears easily and peels off, giving the carcass 

 an aged and uninviting appearance. It pays to dry- 

 pick and when the art is learned it is a speedier 

 method than scalding. 



To dry-pick with ease and dispatch the bird 

 should be hung iip by the legs at a convenient height, 

 and bled by making a cut across the back of the 

 mouth, finishing by a deft thrust of the point of the 

 knife into the spinal cord at the base of the brain. 

 This paralyzes the bird, relaxes the muscles and 

 loosens the feathers. This last thrust is acquired by 

 practice and makes dry-picking easy and rapid. 



Poultry for the New York and Philadelphia mar- 

 kets should be plucked clean. 

 ^^^ ^^ Capons should have the feathers 



^^^^^^%' 'mm ^^ ^^^ head and neck, tips of 

 ^^f I \^y wings and the tail left on. The 

 first joint of the wings of ducks 

 and turkeys is usually removed 

 along with the feathers and 

 retained by the farmer's wife 

 or sold for dusters. 

 J" V Boston must have its poultry 



CAPONS FOR PHiLADA. " drawu " ; that is, the entrails 

 MARKET. removed. Broilers need not be 



drawn. Ducks should have the tips of wings left on 

 and the wings tied to the body, to retain the shape of 

 the carcass. 



Baltimore also requires poultry to be drawn. 

 Chicago wants its poultry dry-picked, with heads 

 off and the skin drawu over the neck and tied, and 

 the entrails removed. 



