STICKING AND PICKING 



355 



is partly cooked and the thin 

 scarf skin peels off, which 

 causes the flesh to become dis- 

 colored. If the water is not 

 hot enough, it is then difficult 

 to remove the feathers with- 

 out tearing the skin. The cor- 

 rect temperature is about i8o 

 degrees. When the feathers 

 are removed, singe the body 

 with an alcohol flame to re- 

 move hairs, and then plunge it 

 in cold water to remove the 

 anirrial heat, and to plump the 

 carcass. 



Dry Picking. — It requires 

 more time and skill to dry pick 

 fowls, yet one is usually com- 

 pensated for this additional 

 trouble. Dry picked poultry 

 is more attractive and brings 

 higher prices, and in many 

 markets no other sort will be 

 tolerated, except to a cheaper 

 class of trade. 



The success of dry picking 

 depends on getting the right 

 bleed and the correct stick. 

 Hang the fowl by a cord (see 

 Fig. 229) , or hold in the hands 

 while sitting, seize the head in 

 the left hand (see Fig. 230), 

 and with the right hand run 

 the blade of the sticking knife 

 into the throat until the large 

 artery in the left side of the 



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{V . S. Deii't Agriculture) 



Fig. 231. — Anatomy of skull, showing 

 position of veins and correct way to cut 

 for killing. 



