New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-11-25
TTRKEYIN AMERICA.
THE EAGLE BOOSTS LOWER FOR A TIME
uurCHEEED TO MAKE A MODERN HOLIDAY
HUNTING THE WILD BIRD IN
SOUTHERN WOODS.


SOUTHERN WOODS.
nh. Aus,c,n turkey is beginning suffer from the
rax,.cs OF consumption and prR)aDy half the turkeys III
the land will be carried of by 1t before spring iherc
DO Cause for alarm, however Us inc hedi'" y. W.
Is not affected by this kind OF consumption, whcn res
lar,y becomes epidemic with the approach OF
,un, its course during the holidays and dies ON ao
,hn,v with the arrival OF weather. About this
time OF year the American eagle the recipient Oh 30 u
nattering attention during election days "hoso so'o
vet re.echo all aund, is forced to roost lower ior "
Whit; the turkey-cock spreadeth his tail and eAaeth Nun
-, nd tho sound OF the gobble heard in the land
Market men, who to think Thanksgiving Day was
intended solely make their trade brisk preoic' as
SUPPLY Of birds, especially II the weather De o'
appears likely &c.. q, ,,a oro
hrsv dealc, to Tribune reporter "Wcll pretty much
from all over should say but perhaps lhaiaha goes i
the business of turkey-rasng more largely IMAM any
Other state. We get great many rom therc anu '"o
big cities West get more. paid Visit ie" yam
ag IN ono of those Indiana turkey foundres as they call
where the birds are brought In from
the surrounding country, having been bought up ITO"
the farmers and are killed plucked and shppeu 10
the big cities The turkeys loose on the Farms ou'
theee receiving and consequently canoO
compare with the Eastern bird that has been caeluS
fattened for the table, but the climate there su's inc
turkey constitution and they breed more proiihcay u''
those better Wagons are sent out 10 Collect '
bird, fror the farmers get from five to seven cents
mound for their nocks and then they are brought 10 inc
foundry generally old frame building capao,o VI
holding 900 or birds Fenced on in big pens 'ha'
ma, can Just stand upright In.
PLUCKED IN A HURRY
Into one q, these coops or pens enters picker; he
orahs bird lifts its wings and blows the feathers apart
to see II it has pineathers sign Of old age ana nara
bird to pick satisfied he carries 1t out by inc ess
the picking floor places his feet IN loop oil strong cou
SUSPENDED from the ceiling tightens the loop WIN Jerh
and cuts the turkeys throat twinkling Then win
one swoop OF the right hand he plucks every teancr
az once and them in barrel by hemseics' WV
NOR. swoops and the long pnion feathers OH e'hcr
Are r thu same barrel kept separate and sofa
to make feather busters Then come succession Oh
grabs each one bringing away great handful OF the
small body feathers. which are cast on the hooI' "i
anledee, in the soft bedragged plumage and the bird
is rucked in rough way almost before ne - ue'u'
rb. sanc kneblade that cut throat, however was
plunged into the OF the brain before operations De-
gar so 70 prevent the possibility OF any sense OF pam
TIL. birds are drawn by other deXtrouS operdo
packed shipped and the bulk OF the stock oil cheap
turkeys in the market. Old turkeys with CROWN ol
are scalded before being picked our oeSI
,ulevs are raised in the East almost spooned from
the BIRTH and make fat in the fai pcAeu
car, fuly never scalded and sold at higher prices
No matter how much poultry pours INTO this CITY d.
once the market seldom demorazed as IL uSeu
to before perfection Of the system OF cold
The birds can DO stored now at low rates ana KEPT III
perfect condition till the gut is over. IL Is pi'iu'
sight TO OF these stoehouses and see rows Oh
rows even cords OF turkeys ranged around. naked in
the freezing atmosphere, with claws extended as e'c
ing for feathers This system, too, has made the "holo
sale dealer more independent than formerly OF the reta
dealer on whom had TO rely wholly Tor WORKING
of his stock in times OF great pressure, or on sudden
return Of warm He stores his poultry now ana
Is in as good condition dictate to the retail dealers as
the latter used be to do SO to him This mas hane
it possible for hotel boarding house keepers to buy
direct from the commission merchant, VIII" dare not
formerly break bulk sell in small quantities for fear
OF dispeasng the retail dealers
Fncures say that the wild turkey is far more to be
desired on the table than the domestic bird ana Dig
prices are paid for wild ones The turkey III us
wild state Is exclusively American, and formerly was
penuful in the forests from Canada TO Florida lie
is so scarce now however that only in densey WOODEN
and little civilized districts the Southern States can
the hunter find him. Even there he must DC pufsueu
with Infinite and patience The most suceesslui
method conceal ones self before dawn IN care
fully prepared ambuscade Of low bushes and there I'M
tate the call OF The hen trick acquired with dincuy'
the diseordant notes break on the damp sun morning
air they have weird effect; and by and by they VIII
be answered by a distant gobbe of some coch' foosuhS
high in air. in the thickest part OF the woods
The hunter continues cry at intervals and has TO
wait patiently long time before the COCK approaches
He is in no hurry generally, but struts along through
the underbrush picking up food here and there halt
ing now display his feathers drag his wings
M, the ground and congratulate himself his fine ap
pearance. He gobbles now and then to let the men
know that he Is coming, though, ana DIV auu W ho
strides into sight " receive the iatai pulic1 III HIS
breast and fall butchered make American holiday
They are scarcer now yearly yet they
always be had In the market Some people 40 say
that turkeys wild raised in barnyards shot
range the shipped to inc market WIN
the feathers oil ragged bloody bullet hole Juulci
ousy displayed, and sell thus at fancy figures
The credit for the institution of THANKSGIVING Day
is due in great part to New England True, the ldea
there make it day Of fasting ana prayer
The prayer is pretty generally restricted TO saying
grace before dinner and the fasting 10 be spelled
with an en before the a." In this Improved iOiln
its observance spread all the land, until 1t has
become truly National in it's character Americans are
a busy people, but they enjoy day OF, as well as