The Evening critic., 1884-11-26

Turkeys, cranberries and celery were
the main features of the market to-day.
At A o'clock this morning wagons loaded
with turkeys and celery began to pour into
the city. Most of them were from Virginia
and Maryland, but District growers were
we'll represented. Many turkeys arrived
yesterday, but the great inpour was to day.
Chickens, geese and ducks were not alb
sent, by any means.
The turkeys averaged between seven and
thirteen pounds. But there were some big
fat fellows that went up to twenty pounds.
Nearly all Of the fowls were in excellent
condition. 1t was only now and then that
we saw bird that looked blue about the
breast bone. These were bought by people
who are going to have turkey railles this
evening. The ducks were unplucked. The
chickens were dressed, and the turkeys
were, as a rule, devoid of feathers except a
tuft under the breast.
Some of the turkeys were unplucked as
to the wings Their appearance attracted
attention on account OF their being differ
ent from the wholly-plucked fowl. The
latest turkeys were from Virginia. One
old farmer told The CRITIC reporter how
to fatten turkey If you want TO make
him so fat that he can hardly walk. 1t was
to feed him on English walnuts whole.
Tho first day you make him swallow one
walnut. The next day two and the next
day three
You keep on adding ono walnut each day
for nine days. On tho eleventh day he
will be as fat as it is possible for anything
to be. And there Is peculiar and delicious
flavor about turkey treated to the diet
that others do not posSess,
Early this morning tho price asked for a
turkey was from 1s to 90 cents q pound
As tho day wore on and the temperature
rose the price fell cent or two. Tonight
turkey meat can be probably bought for II
and 10 cents.
Tho market will be kept open until
rather late to accommodate those unable 10
mako their purchases to-day. All day long
business in the market has been brisk
The coming change of Administration doe:
not seem to have affected tho people o.
Washington. just as many good thingt
for to-morrow's eating have been bought
to-day as in years past. A dealer said tt
the reporter:
eyes, We are having good day. We arr
selling ont fast. / notice, however, that
tho goose is rapidly coming into popular
favor as a Thanksgiving fowl. His popu.
larity has been growing for the past thret
or four years. A few years ago the goost
was Christmas bird altogether, and moi
many were eaten oven then. But thi:
year many people are buying good fat
geese for tomorrow. / myself prefer goost
meat to that Of the turkey"
Everybody who bought their tomorrow
dinner to-day did not purchase turkeys oil
geese. Chickens and ducks will form the
principal diet Of many dinner tomorrow
But everybody is going to have celery and
cranberry sauce.
81 would hate" said a dealer, ito have Il
count the punches of celery and the quart
of cranberries which have been sold to -da.
and will be sold before the market close
tonight"
The farmers who brought in their tur
keys this morning soon sold out. The.
then gathered in the American House ant
| talked turkey and smoked cigars. The.
mako the turkey crop of each year as mucl
feature as they do tho corn crop. Th
big turkeys were not in the greatest de
| mand. More turkeys weighing between
seven and eleven pounds were sold than al
of other weights put together.