78 
Taiim, Poultry. 
hocks being tied together, the wings twisted behind the back, 
and the neck allowed to hang down so that the fluid blood 
accumulates in it. Under no circumstances should the breast- 
bone be broken, as it deteriorates very much the value of the 
fowl. It is needless to say that the legs and feet, if they are 
soiled, should be washed before the birds are sent to market. 
The question may be asked whether it is most profitable to 
sell fowls from the yard or after being fatted. It depends 
entirely upon the mode in which they are kept, and the local 
character of the demand. If fowls are well fed in the runs, more 
especially when the young cocks are kept separate from the 
hens, they are in the finest possible condition for the table, and 
the expense and trouble of cooping and fatting are saved ; but if 
they are not highly fed, and if both sexes are allowed to run 
together, the flesh of the birds soon becomes hard and the quality 
inferior. Another precaution should be taken : it is the custom 
of many persons to use maize for the feeding of poultry. This 
contains a very large percentage of yellow oil, and when given 
to fowls in quantity it accumulates under the skin, rendering 
them of a yellow colour, and consequently less saleable than 
they otherwise would be. There can be no doubt that the best 
food for making the flesh of fowls white and firm is that used 
in France, namely, buckwheat meal with milk ; but it is hardly 
obtainable in this country, at least at a cost that would prove 
remunerative, and consequently either barley or oatmeal is usually 
employed. The latter, having a much higher percentage of 
fatty matter, is by far the more valuable. Great care should be 
taken that the meal used for fatting fowls has been freshly 
ground, and is free from any pungent or acrid flavour. It 
should be mixed with milk in place of water. If skimmed 
milk is used, the fatty matter which has been removed in the 
cream may be replaced advantageously by boiling up with the 
milk some hard mutton fat, such as the trimmings of the loins. 
Turkeys. 
Turkeys, though exceedingly profitable, are not reared to as 
great an extent in this country as in France. The best breed to 
employ is the Cambridge crossed with the recently imported 
American, the crossing giving increased size and stamina. 
The hens when laying are very apt to conceal their nests, in which 
case they may be allowed to hatch their own eggs, or the latter 
may be removed and placed under large fowls. The eggs should 
be tested like those of fowls, on the eighth or tentli day, and 
only the fertile ones replaced in the nest. The chickens make 
