The Minneapolis journal., 1903-12-26
MARKS OF GOOD POULTRY
LATEST BULLETIN OF UNITED
STATES DEPARTMENT OF AG-
RICULTURE GIVES TESTS THAT
WILL BE VALUED BY HOUSE
KEEPERs-HoW TO: TELL AGE
AND FRESHNESS.
Photo by A. S. Williams.

"a we'll rounded form, with neat,
compact legs, and no sharp, bonys
angles on the breast are the dis
tinguishing, marks which should be
sought, blythe housewife in selecting
poultry for the table, according to the
United States agricultural depart
ment's latest bulletin on this topls-
1.-THE skin,' continues the bulletin,
"should be a clear, color (yellow be-
ing preferred in the American mar
ket) land free from blotches Or pin
featf1ers;! if it looks tight and drawn,
the bird has probably been scalded
before plucking. The flesh should be
neither fabby nor stiff, but should
give evenly and gently when pressed
by the finger"
And here is a paragraph which will
be read with eagerness by all young
housekeepers:
cone of the commonest ways Of
testing dressed poultry is to take the
end Of the breastbone farthest from
the head, between the thumb and
finger and attempt to bend it to one
side. In a very young bird, say a
broller. chicken, Or green goose, it will
be easily bent, like the, Cartilage in
The human ear; IN aabird a year Or so
:old 1T will be brittle le,s#.s and in an old
one tough and hard to- bend or break.
Unfortunately, tricky dealers some
times break the end s of;sthe breast
bone, before, exhibiting the bird, thus
rendering: the test worthless.
Consequently, it will be well for: the
bride to ask the. butcher if he has
resorted. to this practice: before pin
ming the family fortunes on the bend
ing test. And. it may: beSeven better
to:look solely to the feet, for the de-
partment says:
eff the feet are left on the carcass
they furnish a test Of age. In a young
bird they. are soft and smooth, becom-
ing hard and rough as the bird grows
older. The claws are short and sharp
in a young bird, becoming longer and
.blunter with age and use: Turkeys
up to. a year. old, are said to have
black. feet, which grow pink. up tc
| three years old, and then turn gradu-
1 ally gray. and dull :
The bride should take off her gloves
when buyings.the family chick en-, .anc
shake a day-day with. the late. de.
ceased whereupon she will find:
E,.#:"Ins a fresh bird the feet, feel moist
4 soft and Timber" n, @.52s f.%- js,5
She. should look into the eorpse''
.'..If dressed with the head on the
4 eyes look pf1gHI anQt =Iull. ASH 'De
comes, stale the eyes shrink and thu
feet dry and harden; when too stale
1 i. e., when. decomposition is we'll un
/ der way. the body turns dark ant
greenisf."
/ 1t is we'll at, times to know whether
the bird is freshly killed, or has beel
in cold storage warehouse for sev
|.eral months. Hence, she will note:
/ Cold storage birds are commonl.
packed so closely that the wings ant
legs remain pressed against the bod.
4 even after the birds have been un
packed some time. They can usual,
be distinguished by the squeeze,
i look from fresh birds, which shoul,
lie or hang in a natural position"
The angel-cook will be pleased t
learn from this high government au
thority that Gin roasting birds, stuff
ing or dressing mixture of crumbs
eggs, seasoning, etc.-is very ofte
i put inside the carcass and that thi
I stuffing serves the double purpos
of seasoning the bird and holding j
out in shape" Likewise that "chick
en- pie is nothing but stewed or boile
, chicken, plus the crust and littl
sauce"