Sullivan republican. [volume] (Laporte, Pa.) 1883-1896, 1894-12-07
may be fed, instead of being sacrificed
in the lowest markets on record. The
York Times,
WORK BEFORE MARKETING POULTRY.

WORK BEFORE MARKETING POULTRY.
Ten days or two weeks before mar.
keting fowls confine them in small yards
where they will be quiet, contented
and out of sight of other poultry.
Seeing other fowls at large will make
them fret and lose flesh instead of
gaining. Keep the yards scrupulous-
ly clean. Feed three times day all
that will be eaten ut each meal. Give
the first meal early and the last one
late in the day. Provide plenty of
sharp grit and fresh water. Corn is
best for finishing off poultry as it
gives firmer flesh and yellower color
than buckwheat or other grains. Pull
let's can be fattened best just before
commencing to lay and cockerels when
the tails begin to turn. 1t is mis-
take to keep males until fully ma.
tured. As soon as fit for broilers they
should be marketed. Cockerels always
meet ready sale and command high
prices.
There is much to be learned about
dressing poultry. It is useless to send
fowls to market unless fat and neatly
dressed. Attractiveness is an import
ant feature in selling and great loss
frequently occurs from lack of it. In
selling to local dealers use the same
care in dressing that would be taken
if shipping to distant commission
merchant. Fowls look best when dry
picked, especially if fat and plump. If
they are not in fine condition it is best
to scald them before picking. When
dry-picked the natural firmness of the
flesh remains, and poultry for Chicago
markets should be SO prepared if pos
sible. Let the fowls go without food
for twelve to twenty-four hours before
killing so that nothing will remain
in the crop to sour. Kill by sever
ing the veins of the neck or in
side the mouth. This can be quick.
ly and painlessly done with sharp
knife. Hang tho fowls by tho feet to
bleed and pick while the bodies are
warm, using great care not to tear the
skin. Leave the head and feet on and
do not remove the crop or intestines.
Wash in cold water, wipe dry and
hang up by the feet in cool place.
For scalding, heat the water about to
the boiling point. Holding the fowl
by the head and feet, dip the body
into the water three or four times. If
the head touches the water it will
give the eyes shrunken appearance.
Buyers are naturally suspicious, and
if the eyes are shrunken they think
the fowl has been sick. When the
feathers and pin feathers have been
removed, immerse the fowl in scald-
ing water for four or five seconds and
then dip Immediately into ice cold
water to give it plump appearance.
If the head is cut off, turn the skin
back trihe, cut off the bone, and
drawing the skin forward tie it neatly.
Ducks and geese should go through
the same process of dressing as chick
ems. For these fowls it requires more
time for the scalding water to pene-
trate and loosen the feathers. After
scalding wrap them in a thick cloth for
two minutes and the feathers and down
will come off easily. Turkeys should
always be dry picked. Before packing
for shipping be sure the meat is dry
and cold. Pack snugly in clean boxes or
barrels after placing layer of clean hay
or straw in the bottom. Boxes or bar
rels holding 100 to $50 pounds are
conveniently handled. d.-American Ag-
riculturist.