Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1866-12-06
agricultural.
Preparing Poultry for Market.

As almost every farmer has more or less
poultry to SELL and many have enough to
warrant them in preparing and sending it
to market for themselves, few hints on
the subject of preparing poultry for market,
may not be amiss. The increased price of
uicr, we'll picked and fattened poultry
over lean or torn and pin-feathery critters"
richly repays the extra trouble required to
pat them in good order
The dung-hill fowls Or turkeys, Or what
ever kind of poultry is on hand, should not
be fed for y hours previous to killing, as a
bird with au empty crop will go in better
order than one stuffed with corn Just before
killing, and the increased price of the one
will amount to more than the increased
weight of the other.
They may be killed by cutting the vein
across the roof of the mouth and hanging
them by the legs until done bleeding. Some
make a practice of striking them a heavy
blow on the head, before they are done
bleeding. So as to retain the blood and
weigh more but it is an improbable prac-
tce
After killing, the next thing is scalding
and picking the feathers. None should be
scalded until the moment of picking, and
the water for scalding should not be too
hot, nor too cool, but "just right" Egpert
eace is the rule to tell when it is just right.
The picking should be done with care, re-
moving the wing and tail feathers first,
while the bird is hot and they pull easy
Pick clean. Every feather from the knees
to the head should be removed, hot one re-
main. Care should be taken not to tear the
skin. II properly scalded there will be lit
tie danger with the greater part some,
however, a0W tear, be you ever so careful.
All blood and dirt on the skin should be Ia
ken off, 50 that the bird be clean, and then
it should be held few seconds in boiling
water This will not injure it, but rather
benefit, by hardening the skin and giving
1t better color.
Some remove the heads before packing :;
but | am doubtful if the poultry will com
maud higher price after so doing, if the
bodies are in good order. The practice
WITH us is to pack with head and legs still
attached
They should not be packed until through.
~ cooled and it is advisable to let them
lie one night after picking, for this purpose.
Then they should be packed in clean box
with clean straw between them and the
bottom and sides Of the box Laying them
on their breasts in packing is the best posi-
ton. After filling the box, cover with straw
and nail on the cover, and the box is ready
for shipping or 'railroading," as the case
may be.
With respect to time Of sending to mar
ket, il is we'll to keep posted on the prices,
and then choose as cool a day as possible
for sending in, if the price is satisfactory.
A cool day is best, because the poultry will
bear exposure in market better than on a
warm day.
AS general rule, it is more profitable to
keep poultry over winter, and fatten and
market in the spring. Corn will bring a
better price when fed to poultry and con-
verted into meat, than in any other form,
and the fatter the bird is made by good
feeding, tie more profit there will be in pro-
ducing poultry for markets. JERSEY. .
Rcadington, n. j.