The Indianapolis journal., 1896-11-24
TURKEYS FOR A NATION.
Figures About Consumption of the
Birds ON Thanksgiving Day.

Six million turkeys will be consumed by
the people of this nation next Thursday.
This is only a rough estimate. put the
wholesale dealers says that one turkey for
every twelve persons is a very fair aver
age. OF course, some people will not dine
on the national bird. but, again. many little
families of man and wife only VIII feast
on twelve-pound beauty.
In round figures six million turkeys mean
%5o in money aaa a9ews SiSSO
thousand tons of turkey, would more than
test the capacity of all of Uncle Sans
their weight. but because of their bulk. If
arranged in straight line these six million
turkeys would form procession four
from San Francisco to New York, and from
New York to Chicago.
national bird. the tiniest State in the
share. Epicures say that Rhode Island
turkeys possess delicate flavor which the
probably due to the fact that more Scien-
tifc care is taken of the young birds by
of anv other place Moveover the State
supports an experiment station. where the
turkey is studied with as much care as a
of the heavens. The knowledge thus
gained is placed at the disposal of the
Rhode Island breeders. and a result the
turkeys produced are uniformly good.
1t is not every one who can AFFORD the
luxury of eating Rhode Island turkey
them range considerably above those of
less illustriouS breeding. Many tens of
thousands of these prime birds will. how
ever ornament as many tables on the great
day and il may interest the prospective
consumers to know the complete history OF
the delicacy. from the egg to the table; able,
thirty-five hens and two gobbers during
the winter. and from these he markets be.
is about $3.50. without counting the many
hours of time and labor devoted to the
rearing of the flock. e-
The Rhode Island turkey Is not thor
oughbred domestic fowl. He was until
some years ago. when 1t discovered
that the breed was falling off, due 10 a
deterioration in the blood. caused by
too close in-breeding-just as families of
COWS and sheep have become weakened
from the same cause. The first remedy
tried was the introduction of number of
gobblers from other sections OF the coun-
try but this not efficacious. chiefly
Islands turkeys are scattered all over the
land. and all have more or less of the same
blood
wild gobbler and this was difficult mat
ter In time some wild turkey eggs were
gobbler was raised In time the pro-
geny of this gobbler reached maturity and
the breed was greatly iDvigorated. Now
nearly all Of the Rhode Island birds have
wild blood. and are much stronger and
ca sier to raise than before.
The turkeys roost out in 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 possible are
placed under hen. but when the first fe W
| have been hatched the mother wants to
| leave the nest and leave the other eggs 10
| their fate. She is coaXed to return 10 re-
sumo her maternal duties however. by
| dainty meals of dough.
| When the little turkeys. or poults. are
| couple of days old they are rGmoved
| field and placed in a triangular pen. -Four
| broods are given TO a twenty-acre field and
| If more were placed within such limits II
| would be regarded as dangerous to the
! health Of the young ones AS a result OF
| this system ii takes considerable ground
to afford space for thirty or forty broods
| and the task of feeding them all means a
| 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 10 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 old
| In the latter part of October they arc
given all the corn they can eat White
flint corn. new and old mixed. is consid-
cred the best fattener. and. moreover. IL
| gives the flesh the fine flavor that
Thanksgiving epicures - for.
rhanksgyng me eighteen to ~eiSn tWens
pounds fer gobblers and ten to clever
pounds for hens.
! producer OF fine Thanksgiving birds and
| as the domestic breed Is heavily crossed
| with wild blood. the flesh has the rict
| game flavor so much sought after Many
| roads I'm the Blue Grass State are alive
| lust now with regiments of turkeys
eight. nine. and ten hundred strong. Thes'
turkeys have been bought from farmers
and the buyer drives the whole immens,
flock 10 the slaughter pen. 1t Is said tha
turkeys drive better than cows or sheep
they never stampede and can travel fifteei
miles a day with ease
Kentucky negroes regard Thanksgivin;
| with high favor. They earn considerable
I by sticking" killing, Mr.. Turkey. an,
by picking him. a clever picker can pul
all the feathers out OF a twenty-pound COB
bier I'm eight minutes, for which he re
| ccives 2ll cents. Picking sixty turkey
is considered good days work.