Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1896-11-22

luxury OF eauBg a Rhode Island turkey
next Thursoaf as the prices charged for
them range considerably above those OF
less luustriouS breeding. Many TENS OF
thousands OF these prime birds WILL how
ever, ornament as many tables on the
great Gay, ana il may interest the pros
pective consumers TO know the complete
history OF the dehcacy. from the eggs TO
the table.
MUCH WORK, SMALL PROFIT.
The average breeder maintains about
thirty-nve hens and Two goDblers during
the winter, and from these ne markets be-
tween 375 ard 400 turkeys. The net profit
is about $50, without counting the many
hours of time and labor devoted to the
rearing Of the flock.
The Rhode Island turkey is not a thor
oughorcd domestic fowl. He was until
some years ago, when 1t was discovered
tnat the breeding was falling Off, due TO the
lack OF vigor. This was accounted for by
deterioration in the blood. caused by too
close in-breeding-just as families OF cows
and sheep have become weakened from the
same cause. Tho first remedy tried was
the introduction OF a number of gobblers
from other sections OF the country. but
this was not efhcacious chiefly for the
reason that descendants Of Rhode Island
scattered all over the land, and all have
more or less Of tine same blood.
Then it was proposed TO introduce the
wild gobbler, and this was a difficult mat
ter. In time some wild turkey eggs Were
found In the woods and from these a COB
bier was raised. In time the progeny OF
this gobbler reached maturity and the
breed was greatly iuvigorated. Now near
ly all of the Rhode Island birds have wild
blood, and are much stronger and easier
TO raise than before.
The turkeys roost out in the trees the
year through, and few are lost. In the
spring the eggs are gathered with great
care and each one is dated. Seventeen
/ eggs, of as nearly the same date as posi-
bic, are placed under a hen, but when the
/ hrst few have been Matched and the moth
/ er wants to leave the nest and leave The
| other eggs to their fate. She is coaXed tc
return TO resume her maternal duties
/ however, by dainty meals of dough.
When the Httleturkeys. or poults, are a
couple of days old they are removed with
/ their mother to q remote part Of the felC
/ and placed i'm q triangular pen. -Four
/ broods are given a twenty acre field, anC
/ il more were placed within such limits il
would be regarded as dangerous to The
/ health OF the young ones. As a result OF
! this system, il takes considerable GROUND
/ Ia afford space for thirty or forty broods
/ and the task of feeding them all means d
/ three or four mile walk.
For the first four weeks the poults are
fed on corn meal and sour milk and are
/ given sour milk TO drink instead Of water
+ After that cracked corn is mixed with the
meal. and the quantity is gradually In
/ creased until at eight or ten weeks ole
/ their food consists solely of cracked corn
/ In the latter part of October they are Civ
en- all the corn they can eat. White flint
/ corn, new and old mixed, is considered the
/ best fattener. and, moreover. it gives the
/ flesh the fine flavor that Thanksgiving ep-
/ icures sigh for.
! Turkeys Matched in May Weigh al
/ Thanksgiving time eighteen to twenty
pounds for gobblers and ten TO eleven
pounds for hens.
THE KENTUCKY TURK.
/ Kentucky is fast coming TO the front
7 as producer of fine Thanksgiving birds
/ and as the domestic breed is heavily cross
! ed with wild blood, the flesh has the rich
/ game flavor so much sought after. Many
1 roads i'm the Blue Grass state are alive just
now with regiments Of turkeys-eght
nine and ten hundred strong. These tur'
/ keys have been bought from farmers, anc
/ the buyer drives the whole immense LOT
to the slaughter pen. 1t is said that tur-
keys "dri.e better than cows or sheep;
thn,- 1,o,.nr etrr,1nnEn and cnn traNel fifteer