Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1883-01-23
AsegT kKxTUtKY TURxErs.

ADogT KENTUCKY TURKEYS.
What the Christmas plum pudding
Is to the Engiishman. the haggess to
q Scotchman on st. Andrews day. OF
Easter eggs to the Teuton family, 80
Is the Thanksgiving turkey to the
american home. And as Thanks
giving" is the great day of the year
In every household, from the busy
Atlantic 10 the wide Pacific, and
from the Canadian Dominions to the
Mexican border, the turkey is prac-
tically indispensable to the United
States. The whole broad Union de-
mands it for Thanksgiving Day, will
lave it, as numerously and as cheap
~ as possible, but certainly and at
any price, so that it be young, ten
der, fat and toothsome. It being
settled that the American public
must have turkey, the same Ameri-
can public has proceeded to supply
its own requirements. When the
population of the United States was
chiefly agricultural nearly every farm
had its few turkeys. sufficient for
breeding from year to year, and for
the supply of the family and q
city or village friend or two, and
mayhap q few birds to barter for
''caliker" at the corners. As occupa-
tons became more varied, and the
plumbers increased of those who had
to purchase instead of raise their
Thanksgiving turkey, some farmers
with superior facilities and taste for
the work increased their gobbling
fOcks, while others more inclined to
some different branch of speculation
left them the field. In this way par
ticular portions of the country and
particular farms were soon rscog-
nized as turkey raising sections and
turkey farms.
The female turkey begins laying
very early in the spring, and till al.
lowed to hatch lays &C egg every
day. The eggs are not large consid-
ering the size Of the bird, being little
if any larger than an ordinary hens
egg, aad more pointed at the smaller
end. They are pretty thickly dotted
with bright brown spots, on rather
dull white ground. The shell is thin.
The Matching turkey is allowed from
q dozen to fifteen eggs on which to
sit. She is most attentive incubat-
or, seldom leaving the nest, and then
only for very short time, instinct
teaching her that those thin shelled
eggs over which she sits will quickly
grow cold; a1d once chilled all vi
tality is gone from them. During
the three weeks of her retirement the
mother turkey becomes emaciated
and rough of plumage, the time be-
ing with her q veritable period of
fasting, if not of prayer. Only q
small percentage of the eggs of tur-
keys are non-prOductive, but there is
generally some loss after the young
brood has left the shell, owing to the
exceedingly tender nature of the
newly Matched birds. The slightest
accident, or any very sudden lower
ing of temperature, will kill them,
and the mother bird seemingly ex-
hausts her care over the eggs, and
becomes clumsily Indifferent toward
the little family developed from them.
Perhaps for this reason the young
birds very soon learn to shift for
themselves, but till they do the great
est watchfulness is necessary on the
pat of the turkey raiser, to see that
they come to no harm. Once they
are able to run about, they become
wonderfully active in securing their
own subsistence. in the shape OF
flies ana other insects, which they
greedily devOur. They increase rap
idly in size and weight, and taking
their places with the older birds Of
the flock, they march afield with the
bronze battalion, apparently troub-
led by nothing but the successive
rising and setting of the sun, each
intent only on his or her individual
commissariat.
The turkey is eminently gregari-
GUS. From early morn till dewy eve
the flock sticks close together, often
wandering far from the usual roost-
ing-place, but invariably returning
to it toward shutdown.
While they are feeding they signal
or encourage each other by short
peculiar call, so that q flock of tur-
keys can generally be heard before
being seen. In the domesticated,
and In the wild state. they prefer to
roost on trees during the night, and
il the old proverb must be accepted,
they should be among the healthiest,
wealthiest aud wisest of the land, for
they are certainly early risers.
AS the season advances and Thanks
giving approaches the turkey farmer
takes more care in the feeding OF his
flock. The birds are deprived Of
their extended expeditions, being
confined within Q narrowed space,
generally the farm yard. Az II in
return for their loss Of liberty they
are fed most literally. They are not
too particular as to what they eat,
and accept heartily of the plentiful
supply of food offered them. Thus,
happily unconscious of their impend-
ing doom. they fatten and felicitate,
and In q few weeks are ready Tor
market.
sales of the birds in Kentucky,
says q Western exchange, are usually
effected some time before they leave
the farm, to buyers for killing and
dressing houses, or to contractors for
the supply Of such houses. Ar
rangements are made for their re-
moval, either by the farmers or the
buyers, or both, and on the day set the
driving begins. A company of dri-
vers is collected, the number select
ed being according to the size Of the
flock, but always sufficient to keep
oil the birds together during their
journey. This Is the most difficult
part Of the driving operation, a. the
turkeys are promo to act on their own
responsibility in strAying aside. fly
| ing ever fences and feeding in the
fields. To control these stragglers.
one or more of the driving force is