FATTENIXG T(rnK.EYS AND QUINEA-FOWLS. 120 



the finest specimens. It is necessary to point out 

 that such prices as these could not be expected by the 

 producer, who would probably obtain a regular rate 

 per lb. for all his birds, large or small, the retailer 

 dividing them up, and making the best he possibly 

 can of them. But for good, well-grown turkeys 

 Is. Id. to Is. 3d. can be and is frequently obtained. 

 If they were small those figures would be considerably 

 reduced. 



For some years the Bronze American turkey has 

 come into great favour, by reason of its large size, 

 cocks sometimes scaling at 40 lb. and upwards. It 

 wiU thus be seen that by securing large specimens 

 they meet the market demand just referred to. At 

 the same time we do not think they have the quality 

 of, say, the Black Norfolk, which is one of the finest 

 for flavour of any turkey known, but the latter are 

 rather delicate, and hence the greater vigour imparted 

 liy the American is a manifest advantage. The Cam- 

 bridge Bronze appears to be resultant from a cross 

 between the Norfolk and American, and it is a large, 

 fleshy bird, good in quality and quantity of flesh. 

 White turkeys, which are found chiefly in Southern 

 Europe, are fine in flavour, but smaller than our 

 native breeds. 



East Anglia, as a rule, produces the finest turkeys, 

 and geese also, as was mentioned in our last chapter- 

 In the majority of cases the farmers' wives and 

 daughters look after the poultry, and as a rule the 

 work is well done. Too often, however, even in these 

 counties, the question of size is not fuUy appreciated, 

 but of late years there has been a decided improvement 



9 



