The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1883-01-06
Preparing Poultry for Market.

Most or all farmers have occasion to
sell some poultry, either alive or dressed,
in market or to individuals, and how to
dispose of tito the best advantages often
a question. Undoubtedly where one can
gain set of customers who will, with
other products, take a certain quantity of
poultry at regular intervals till the stock
is exhausted, this is the most profitable
way; this course may be adopted where
the market is near and good, but where
the markets. far away, other modes must
be resorted to. All who desire to receive
the highest price for their dressed poul-
try must observe little care in fattening
their fowls and preparing them for mar
ket. 1t will hardly do to offer old hens
for spring chickens; nor Wilt do to send
them to market carelessly dressed-or
undressed, more properly. Where care
is used in having them neatly dressed,
and giving them clean appearance,
they will sell readily at the highest rates,
often at double the price of an inferior
lot, although the latter may be equally
well fattened.
Preparatory to killing, the fowls should
have fast of twelve to eighteen hours.
No more fowls should be killed at time
than can be picked and drawn before
they become cold and stiff. Picking is
much easier done while the fowls are
warm. The best way of killing hen,
and bleeding at the same time, is to con
fine the feet and wings, hanging it up
head down, and then with sharp pointed
pen-knife pierce through the roof of the
fowls mouth, penetrating the brain, and
causing almost instant death, while the
fowl bleeds' thoroughly without in any
way besmearing the feathers or making
them otherwise Objectionable in hand
ling. Great care should be taken not to
break or tear the skin, giving them a
ragged look when despoiled of feathers.
Ii it is impractcable to pluck before
the fowl is cold, l think the looks are
improved by just dipping the fowl into
scalding water and at once removing the
feathers before the skin becomes dis
colored from leaving the hot and wet
feathers to partially cook the skin.
Geese and ducks it is often found neces-
sary to SINCE, in order to remove the
fine, downy feathers. find it best often
to SINCE hens to remove the long hairs,
which sometimes give the fowl a hirsute
appearance; this is best accomplished by
taking handful of shavings, or news
paper lighting, and passing the plucked
fowl rapidly through the blaze, held by
the legs and head, one in either hand,
using great care not to hold in the blaze
long enough to smoke the skin or give
a scorched appearance. BY quickly
wiping the fowl, after passing through
the blaze, this appearance is mostly
avoided.
After being picked, the fowl should be
.'drawn'-insides removed, together
with crop and pipes from the neck
Then the body is to be rinsed inside, and
the liver, heart and gizzard (the last
having been emptied and cleaned) should
be returned TO the inside. This is an
operation to be performed with greaA
care. 1t is only necessary to make
very small opening to draw the inwards,
but no instruction will take the place of
experience. 1t
The dressed fowl should now be pre-
pared for market. Wrap around each
bird part of newspaper, tying to keep
the wings in place and then hang up by
the heels to drain | should have said,
while being drawn, the head should be
cut off, drawing the skin of neck back,
in order not to leave too much neck
bone. Neatness tells in all the vari-
Gus manipulations essential in preparing
the fowls for market. If the paper
wrappings do not get soiled or unused"
the fowls can be sent in the original
wrappings; but where soiled, renew with
clean wrappings The legs are supposed
to be well tied together. Purchasers,
when they look for a fowl in market,
quickly notice well dressed, neat-look-
ing fowl, while they turn up the nose or
shake the head and pass any whichShave
unused appearance. In closing,
allow me to advise that good faith should
be observed both with the producer and
dealer" do rs you would be done by
is the safest and best way in all transact
tons, and will be found the most eco
nomical in the end.--W. II. White, in
Country Gentleman.