St. Charles City Republican intelligencer. [volume] (St. Charles City [Charles City], Iowa) 1857-1861, 1860-10-11
Cultural Nistorp.
From the NrGr gJr Pre-.
THE WILD TURKEY.
BY non. EiIpUNLET PRICE.

The Turkey is native Of North
America, and was introduced into
Spain about the year 1924 from Flori-
da. Becoming easily domcstcat"d,
it soon took precedence as a luxury,
over all other kinds of poultry, and
for many years was exclusively ap-
propriatcd to the sumptuous banqucts
Of the Spanish nobility. From Spain
it spread out through the countries
bordering upon the Mediterranean,
where it was extensively raised, be-
fore it was generally known in the
North Of Europe. \ pair Of them be
ing purchased by an English Sea Cap
tain at Constantinople, and taken t.
England, the name Turkey" was be
slowed upon them, from which circum-
stance they have frequently been rc-
| gardcd as native Of Turkey, in EU-
rope. Even Walker, in the third cdi-
tiUn of his Dictionary, defines the
word Turkey to be "a domestic fowl
brought from Turkey How the
great photographer could have blum
dcrcd into 50 great an error, with all
the evidences to the contrary that
must have been before him, We are at
a loss to know. 1t was the discovery
Of this blunLcr, ut the moment Of
commencing this article, that prompt
cd us to examine the limited authygi-
ties within our reach, for evidences Of
the American origin Of this bird, and
We find that COttOus mother speaks
OF them as being plentiful along the
Connecticut river and in many parts
Of New England. The Dutch Colon
lists who settled along the banks Of
the Hudson river IN the year 1909.
were among the first immigrants to
this country that dOmcsticatpd the
Turkey, and introduced him into the
barn yard as conspicuous and lead
ing member Of the leathered ryAtcrui-
ty, 10 the great annoyance Of the lit
tic Bantem rooster, whose pOsterity 10
this day will enter the arena of com
bat with the Turkey, with all that zeal
and unconqueraUle spirit that charac-
tcrlzed the sanguiuary conflicts Ot
their Dutch ancestors, in their efforts
to suppress within their ancient do
minions of the barn yard, the pride
and regal strut OF gobbling majesty.
In 1918, great numbers Of the Tur-
key were shipped to the netherlands
by the Holland company Of New Am
stcrdam, now New York, AMI we find
that the Spaniards under De Soto,
found the wild Turkey very plentiful
throughout the country traverscd by
them, from st. Augustine, in Florida,
to the discovery of the Mississippi
river.
The only change that the Turkey
appears to have undergone by being
domcsticatcd, is in its color. la the
barn yard il is commonly met with of
a greyish black, or Of a white or yell
low appearance, while in its wild and
native state, it is Of a jet black, and
here in Northern Iowa, somewhat
/ larger than Of the domestic kind, and
much harder. In the taste and flavor
/ of the flesh, when prepared for the
table, there is no pcrccptibIc differ
ence between the wild and domestic
variety
Everywhere along the waters Of the
Mississippi and Ohio, the wild Turkey
aboundcd in great numbers, 50 long
as the country remained i'll the pos
session of the Indians, but as soon as
the settlements Of the white man