MORE ABOUT TURKEYS 137 



began to get good and hungry, then fed him a few grains of wheat, 

 only about six grains, and a little speck of alfalfa. I have found that 

 feed kills them every time when they are so sick. I never fail to 

 cure the worst cases if I treat them like I tell you. Then if they 

 hump up again and begin to get sick again, I give them a dose in 

 the evening. The ginger warms them up and starts circulation, 

 and the liquozone kills the germs." 



Liquozone is very acid, it tastes like sulphuric acid and water, 

 and I have no doubt that my friend's cure is a good one. Remem- 

 ber, Dr. Cushman says "something bitter and something sour," 

 and if your turkeys get sick, try it immediately. 



The Fattening of Turkeys 



At this season many letters are coming to my desk either asking 

 how to fatten turkeys or describing the ailments and often the 

 death of the turkeys on which hopes had been based of a rich har- 

 vest of dollars for Thanksgiving and Christmas. 



One writes: "I have followed the directions in your book 

 with great success in raising turkeys, for I have not lost one, but 

 some that I have cooped up to fatten won't eat and are not gaining 

 in weight. Will you tell me how your fatten yours?" 



I will willingly tell you, but first always remember my maxim, 

 "When in doubt, consult Nature." How do the turkeys acquire the 

 fat that they require to keep them warm during the winter? 



All summer long and into the fall they have devoured grass- 

 hoppers and insects but with the chilly fall weather these are be- 

 coming scarce and the weed seeds are ripening, the nuts of all kinds 

 are falling and the berries are at their best; Nature has provided 

 with a liberal hand for the necessary winter fattening. 



There is a flavor belonging to the meat of a range-fed or wild 

 turkey that cannot be found in one raised in confinement, for neces- 

 sarily the food cannot be so greatly varied, and the wild berries and 

 nuts, the seeds of the pine cones, the beech nuts, hazel nuts, acorn, 

 berries and spicy ' seeds as well as the buckwheat, barley, oats, 

 wheat, corn, etc., impart a flavor not to be excelled, and the turkeys 

 fed on these are fat enough for the most epicurean appetite- All 

 that a free range turkey may need is a feed of corn at supper time. 



For turkeys on limited range, or on range that may be bare of 

 insects, nuts and berries, we may have to assist Nature and sub- 

 stitute for her fare the best thing that we can find and undoubtedly 

 that is good' hard corn a year old (so as to be thoroughly ripe and 

 dry) for there is something in new corn which is apt to disagree 

 with turkeys. 



If at the same time the turkeys can be in an olive yard, where 

 they can pick up the few olives that are now falling or may help 

 themselves to some on the branches, this with a little corn at night 

 will put them in fine market condition and is all the fattening they 

 will need. The same will be the case if they can be in a sweet 

 apple orchard, they are very fond of sweet apples, which agree with 

 the turkeys and are also fattening. The walnut orchards would be 



