236 POULTRY BREEDING 
dler’s punch may be used. The operation is simple and 
seems quite painless. 
MARKETING POULTRY.—It requires some ability 
in the way of salesmanship to get the best results from 
marketing poultry as well as to sell anything else. Mar- 
keting poultry successfully depends in a great measure 
on getting the fowls well finished before they are sent to 
market. If they are to be marketed alive in the general 
market they should be consigned to some honest com- 
mission merchant. The reputation of the merchant 
should be carefully looked into before making consign- 
ments, as the cities are full of swindling commission 
merchants, although there is no lack of honest ones, if 
trouble is taken to find them. Having the fowls in prime 
condition, feed them fully and put them in crates without 
crowding them in too closely. Many a consignment is 
shipped at a loss because the fowls are crowded too 
closely into the shipping crate. Advise the merchant of 
the shipment and call his attention to the quality of the 
fowls, so he will understand that they are better than 
the ordinary ones picked up out of a barnyard. Ship old 
and young separately so as to get the advantage of the 
ditference in price. Never send a crate of poor fowls to 
market. Make a reputation for your name and you will 
soon get the highest prices. If you have anv of poor 
quality to sell dispose of them to the home buyer, as he 
handles so many thin, skinny birds that a few more or 
less will make no difference to him. 
If the fowls are to be dressed before sending to market 
take pains to have them look plump and clean. In the 
great packing houses fowls are dry-picked, and most 
cities prefer them picked without scalding. The fowls to 
be dressed are hung up by the feet, each foot being 
