The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1890-03-19
AGRICULTURAL HINTS.
BRONZE TURKEYS.

A
Domethine About Their Hsbits-AhN some
frac;seal Hints on Rearing TuaAeys.
have been much amused the past
reason, says farmers daughter writing
30 tho Country Gentleman, BY noticing
the various and somewhat conflicting
instructions given in the newspapers for
raising turkeys Judging from the
boosted success Of such opposite meth
'0ds, the veriest amateur need not hesi-
tate to make the attempt, for not the
slightest skin is required for the BUSH
ness.
One poultry keeper says he knows OF
no better food for yoang turkeys than
raw corn meal dough; another thinks
they require eggs, rice and crackers.
A third says, feed them all they will eat
every two hours, while fourth declares
they win thrive best without any feed
ing st'ah A fifth authority says let the
little fellows rough it from the start,
that the mother hen knows best how to
rear her own children; while a sixth,
who I'think is awoman, says her little
turkeys are 50 tender that she puts
themdn glass-covered pen and heeps
them there for weeks.
As rule, when doctors disagree it Is
best to have none of their prescriptions,
but to experiment for yourself until
some personal knowledge is acquired.
1t is best to follow neither extreme, for,
Judging from my own experience, l can
not believe that he who allows his little
turkeys to trough it" will succeed in
Eaising q very large percentage'of the
number Matched or that the lady who
keeps hers confined to glass case will
do very much better.
Young turkeys do not require great
deal of heat; they thrive best In temper
sate weather when the mornings are cool
and the days are bright and sunny, as in
fthe latter part Of spring before the dry
heat Of summer begins; and while they
do not require any extra &ainties set be-
fore them every two hours, yet they dc
need Q good wholesome meal Of we'll.
cooked food three times day. After
they sre old enough to go out in the
fields In the morning and remain there
all day, two meals will keep them In q
state of vigorous growth and accelerate
their best development
1t is pleasanter to feed turkeys thar
chickens; they know when they have
got enough and can be satisfied with 9
reasonable amount, that is, all except
the old gobbler-he never stops eating
as long as there is any thing lin sight.
Bronze turkeys do not reach maturity
"untiltwo or three years'of age, when az
ordinary male weighs from 85 to 40 lbs.
and female from 30 to28 ibs., though
when fsttened their weights may cas-
lily exceed these figures. When si1
months old, without being pushed
the hens weigh from 10 to 10 fbs., ant
the males from 10 to 30 lbs.
My flock now is really ornamental
the turkeys are ninetyiin number, ant
all so healthy and handsome. In tn
morning we give them light break
fast and send Thorn OF to the fields t,
CLEAN the last remnant of buckwhea
and to spend the day hunting insects
About four o'clock they start homeward
taking the orchard en- route, and paus
ing to lunch on fallen apples. Whel
the.yard fence is gained they raise thei
wings and fly to their feeding ground
for they are as glad to get home as chill
dren let loose from school, and brin
.'with.them quite as Therapeutics.