TURKEYS— THEIR CARE AND MANAGEMENT. 



13 



that goes to make a perfect, healthy specimen is considered. 

 If a bird show any signs of roup or cold it should be cut 

 from one-half to one point; scaly legs, one-half to one; if 

 head or wattles are torn from fighting, one-half to one point. 

 Head — This section is valued at five points and the 

 standard requires it to be long, broad and carunculated. The 

 beak must be strongly set in the head and have a graceful 

 curve; eyes should be bright, dark hazel and clear. Wattles 

 and throat are valued at five points. The head should be a 

 bright red, changeable to bluish white, and the beak a horn 

 color. 



Neck — The neck is valued at six points, three for shape, 

 three for color. It should be long and well curved back, 

 with the plumage a light rich brilliant bronze. It is some- 

 times too short and too straight, and if so it should be cut 

 from one-half to one point, according to defect. 



Back— This Is valued at ten points, five for shape, five 

 for color. It should rise in a graceful curve from the neck 

 to the center of back and then descend in a like manner to 

 the tail. From the neck to the center of back the plumage 

 should be a bright brilliant bronze, each feather terminating 

 in a narrow black band; from the center of the back to the 

 tail coverts the feathers should be dark, heavily edged with 

 bronze. Common faults of 

 the back are too narrow be- 

 tween the shoulders and too 

 flat or straight. For these de- 

 fects cut from one-half to two 

 points. When the color ap- 

 proaches clear black or 

 brown or gray it should be 

 cut from one to two points. 



Breast — The breast is also 

 valued at ten points, five for 

 shape, five for color. It should 

 be very broad and full, in 

 color a light brilliant bronze. 

 If too narrow, failing to 



round out nicely, it should be cut from one to three 

 points. If black or brown in color, it should be cut one- 

 half to two points, according to defect. 



Body and Fluff— The body is valued at ten points, five 

 for shape and five for color. It should be long and hand- 

 some; in color black, shaded with bronze, but not so rich as 

 the breast. The fluff should be black, each feather ending 

 in a wide black and bronze band, terminating in a white or 

 gray edging. This section is seldom found faulty. If flat or 

 wedge-shaped it should be cut from one-half to one and one- 

 half points; if it approaches brown or black it should be cut 

 from one to two points. 



Wings— Tbe wings are valued at ten points, four for 

 shape and six for color. They should be large, well folded, 

 the wing bows of a brilliant bronze or greenish lustre; quill 

 feathers evenly and distinctly barred, with parallel bars of 

 black and white, extending the entire length of the feather. 

 As it nears the center of the back the color changes to a 

 bronze brown with very little white in it. White or brown 

 on the lower edge of quill feathers is very objectionable. 

 The bar should run clear across, and as there is not one 

 judge in ten who cuts for lack of this, it is a common fault. 

 If the wings are too long and lap on the back at tips the 

 specimen should be cut from one-half to one and one-half 

 points. The coverts should be a rich bronze and terminate 

 in a wide black band, forming a broad bronze band across 

 the wing when folded. 



Tail— The tail is valued at ten points, four for shape and 

 six for color. It should be black, irregularly penciled with 

 light brown, ending in a broad black band with a wide edg- 

 ing of white or gray, white preferred; coverts black or dark 



brown, irregularly penciled with light brown, ending in a 

 wide black and bronze band extending across the feathers 

 with a wide edging of white or gray, white preferred. Small, 

 short legged birds are apt to have a tail too short for good 

 symmetry, and the tail folded too closely. This should bo 

 cut from one to two points. Defects in color of tail are 

 mostly found in the brown penciling. Some birds will have 

 splotches of brown and scarcely any penciling. Sometimes 

 brown appears between the white edging; and the black. 

 The white should come up to the black without any inter- 

 mixing of brown. When brown is found it should be cut 

 severely. There should not be any buff tinge in the white. 



Legs and Toes — Legs and toes are valued at five points. 

 The thighs should be long and stoutly built and the plumage 

 a beautiful bronze. The toes should be stout and straight 

 and of a pinkish hue; color of young birds, dark approaching 

 black. Crooked or chalky legs and toes should be cut one to 

 two points. If the legs are too short or too long, cut from 

 one to two points. 



Color of Females — The entire plumage of the female 

 should be similar to that of the male, but the colors are not 

 so brilliant nor clearly defined. On the edging of the feath- 

 ers is a dull white or gray. Note — Crooked keel or breast 



bone should be cut from one- 



A Flock of Bronze Turkeys on the Farm of S. B. Johnston. 



half to three points. 



MATING BRONZE TURKEYS FOR 

 PRIZE WINNERS. 



If I were asked the most es- 

 sential point for breeders, I 

 should say first of all vigor, 

 then size, then fine markings 

 of plumage. The fancier must 

 consider size, because nine 

 out of every ten want size 

 first. It is not the rule, how- 

 ever, that the biggest turkeys 

 are the highest scorers, no 

 matter how well they may be 

 bred. To improve size, weight and markings, select the fin- 

 est marked torn of good big bone, with typical carriage, 

 strong and vigorous, and mate him with the largest hens 

 possible, no matter if they are not so well marked. Then the 

 next season reverse the order and if you are so fortunate as 

 to get well marked birds of both sexes, mate them in the 

 following manner: For the females, select tall, rangy birds, 

 with long, deep bodies, broad backs, and full rounded 

 breasts, with as big bones, feet and legs as possible. In col- 

 or, the head and wattles should be a rich red, but under dif- 

 ferent circumstances the head is changeable to bluish white. 

 The plumage of the neck and breast should be a rich, lus- 

 trous bronze, the breast and back in front of wings showing 

 a narrow lacing or edging of gray. The back is somewhat 

 darker in color, as it shows a narrow black band across the 

 feathers as they near the lesser tail coverts, these ending in 

 a white or gray edging. The primaries and secondaries of 

 the wing feathers must be as near standard as possible. 



I take it for granted that every breeder has the standard, 

 for it is the book of authority, and sets forth clearly the dis- 

 qualifications. I would say, however, that the white or gray 

 bars should be about three-sixteenths of an inch in width 

 with the black or brown bars about three-eighths of an inch. 

 They should be even and straight across the feathers. The 

 tail should be long and black, with pencilings of light brown 

 across the feathers, the feathers ending in a broad, black 

 band with an edging of dull white coming right up to the 

 black. The feet and legs should be dark, approaching black. 

 This is of less importance in the females than in the male. 



The torn has more influence on shape and color of off- 

 spring than 'has the female. He should be as near perfection 



