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TURKEYS— THEIR CARE AND MANAGEMENT. 



continually dusted for body lice and their heads and necks 

 greased frequently to discourage the head lice. If the young- 

 sters take kindly to confinement they will make very good 

 growth and sell readily in the spring to the trade calling 

 for small sized turkeys. These birds should never be kept 

 for breeding, for they seldom make very strong birds and 

 do not molt in the proper season. 



Every turkey raiser who markets any considerable num- 

 ber each year can well afford to study his market closely; 

 to find just what it wants and when it will pay most for it, 

 and then bend his energies to furnishing the right stock at 

 the right time. 



Marketing often determines the profit. 



H. A. NOORSE. 



MARKETING TURKEYS IN THE WEST. 



By Mr. P. H. Spraaue. 



HERE is no more expense in raising good stock 

 than poor, and for that reason we advise those 

 who intend to raise turkeys for market to invest 

 in good stock. Bronze turkeys sell best on this 

 market. They dress better, make a better appear- 

 ance after they are dressed and sell better than 

 other breeds. In fattening turkeys it is not a good plan to 

 shut them up in close quarters. It is best to let them have a 

 small range, as they never do well when fattened in coops. 

 We do not think the food used in fattening the turkeys has 

 any particular effect on the flavor of the meat. The main 

 thing is to have them fat before they are killed. 



Until the weather gets cold turkeys should be shipped 

 alive, but it is best to ship them dressed as soon as the 

 thermometer reaches the freezing point. In dressing it 

 is advisable to kill only the fat birds, as poor, thin stock 

 will bring two or three cents per pound less than the price 

 of good stock. Old turkeys and large'young gobblers should 

 be marketed for Thanksgiving and Christmas, while small 

 gobblers and hens sell better after New Years. The trade 

 looks for large turkeys for holiday dinners, while later in 

 the season small ones are in better demand. 



It is impossible to tell how many turkeys are marketed 

 in Chicago during the season, as there is no record kept, 

 but it will run up into millions of pounds. While as far 

 as we can learn there has not been an over supply on the 

 market this season (1900-1901) there are more turkeys in 

 the country than ever before. Last year the standard price 

 on dressed turkeys was ten and a half cents per pound 

 for number one stock, but this year we look for it to be 

 about nine cents per pound. 



PREPARING TURKEYS FOR MARKET. 



A great deal of attention should be paid to the manner 

 of dressing turkeys to command the best price in our mar- 

 ket. Before killing and dressing them they should be kept 

 without food for eighteen or twenty-four hours, but during 

 that time they should have plenty of water, as stock dresses 



out brighter when well watered. Full crops injure the ap- 

 pearance of the birds and are liable to sour. Never kill 

 turkeys by wringing their necks or cutting off their heads. 

 Kill by bleeding in the mouth. To properly dress turkeys 

 they should be first hung up by the feet with a rope properly 

 adjusted; then stick in the mouth with a sharp knife, hang 

 a weight to the head and let the blood run into a barrel. 

 Turkeys should alwaj s be dry picked and the feathers pre- 

 served. By allowing the blood to run into a barrel as above 

 described it will not stain the feathers. Feathers should 

 be removed while the turkey is bleeding and, in fact, before 

 it is dead, as they can be removed a great deal more easily 

 than after the bird is dead. After the body feathers are taken 

 off remove the tail and wing feathers and keep them separ- 

 ate in bunches. The body feathers can be packed in sacks. 

 Tail feathers are worth 25 to 30 cents per pound; wing 

 feathers from the first two joints, from 15 to 20 per pound; 

 pointers, that is the slim feathers from the tops of the 

 wings, are worth 5 to 7 cents per pound; body feathers, 3 to 

 4 cents per pound. It pays well to save the feathers. 



It is sometimes 'advisable if poor turkeys are killed to 

 scald them, as they look better scalded than dry picked, but 

 dry picked turkeys always sell from one to two cents per 

 pound more than the scalded birds. After the turkeys are 

 picked they should hang for at least twelve hours before 

 being packed, until they are dry and cold, but not frozen. 

 The animal heat should be entirely out of the body, because 

 if they are packed before it is out they will spoil very quick- 

 ly. After the birds are thoroughly cool pack in boxes or 

 barrels. Boxes that hold about two hundred pounds should 

 be used. Pack snugly and straighten out the body and legs 

 so they will not arrive bent and twisted out of shape. Fill 

 the boxes as full as possible to prevent them moving about. 

 Boxes are preferable to barrels, although barrels will do if 

 boxes cannot be procured. Mark the contents of each ship- 

 ment on the outside, giving gross weight and weight of 

 package. If these directions are followed carefully turkeys 

 will always bring the top price of the market. Yours truly, 



P. H. SPRAGUE. 



THE EASTERN MARKET. 



By Mr. Philip Qulgley. 



The first active demand for turkeys is during Thanks- 

 giving week. For that trade small hen turkeys, ranging in 

 weight from eight to twelve pounds, and young gobblers 

 weighing from twelve to fifteen pounds, are the most desir- 

 able. After Thanksgiving small turkeys are wanted. Dur- 

 ing Christmas week any size will sell readily. That is the 

 only time when old toms and other heavy turkeys will sell 

 to any advantage. After the Christmas trade is over heavy 

 turkeys are very dull and the price is low. During Janu- 

 ary, February and March small sizes are the most desirable. 



Turkeys should be dry picked, as scalded stock must 



be sold at a concession of two to three cents a pound. The 

 entrails should not be removed and the head and feet should 

 be left intact. This applies to all dressed poultry intended 

 for this market. 



Barrels or boxes may be used for packing, as the ship- 

 pers prefer. Each package should be so well filled that 

 the contents cannot be shuffled- about in hauling. Care must 

 be taken in packing, and no bird should be packed until all 

 the animal heat has escaped. If packed while warm they 

 are liable to turn green and so be unsalable. 



PHILIP QUIGLEY. 



