The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1905-01-06

0nO the crop somewhat snort in some
sections, but even when there is an
active demand for them care ard atten-
ton are needed in the killing and ship
ping in order to get the best returns
So much depends upon marketing them
in the best condition that small grow
ers should either dress and sell them
to thei home market, provided it can
be done at a fair price, or sell them
alive to some one who makes a bust
ness OF handling such stock. Mr.. l.. e.
McGrew of New York city, an authori-
ty in this line, advises as follows:
Buyers who are prepared to kill,
dress, pack and ship turkeys and to
save the feathers should be in a posi-
ton to pay what they are worth alive
and should be able to handle them at
a profit better han can the grower,
who may not be prepared to do the
work to advantage.
Kill nothing but well ~feathered
stock. 1t seldom pays to send i'll ia
WIN Sto1h " LAG hSI. ~ iot give
any food to the turkeys for t~wenty-four
hours prior to killing. This allows the
crop and entrails to become empty and
avoids much of the danger of spelling.
Full crops and entrails count against
value. They often faint the meat and
prevent it's being kept for any length
Of time.
There are two methods of killing
largely used. The most popular is to
suspend the fowl by the shanks. head
| down, and cut or stick it in the roof of
the mouth with q knife made especial
ly for this purpose. This sewers the
arteries and cuts into the brain, caus
ing insensibility and a free flow of
blood from the mouth. This is called
sticking in the roof of the mouth.
The other plan is to break the neck
by a quick twist or jerk backward.
When the neck is completely disjoint-
ed the head is pulled away SO as to
form an open space in the neck in
which the blood may settle. This plan
has been but little used, though the
claim is made that when so killed the
fowls will keep longer because there is
no opening by which the air can get
into the body, as there is when they
are stuck in the roof of the mouth.
| This method has been more used for
chickens than for turkeys, n to use
it well requires considerable practice.
The method of %beheading with an ak
or Ratchet has been employed for ages.
Dry picking is always to be pre-
ferred when preparing the fowls for
market. When in fine condition, nicely
picked and sent to market without
having been packed in ice a turkey is
at its best and consequently commands
the highest price. AS soon as the fowl
is stuck and the blood is still flowing
pluck the feathers dry from it's body,
taking care in doing this not to break
| the skin or tear the flesh. Nothing de-
tracts SO much from dressed poultry
as torn places upon the carcass or
shank. Picking must be clean and
nicely done. When the fowl is piucked
hang it head down in a cool place I'M
l III ali dllllAdl ACoI 10 6OAC AIohA SAS
body, being careful not to hang it
where it will be so exposed to cold air
as to be likely to freeze. Do not re-
move the head, feet or entrails, but
have the whole carcass, including head
and feet, perfectly clean.
The method known as scalding and
plucking is too familiar to need COM
ment further than to say that care
must be taken not to scald or tear the
skin or shank. Perform this operation
as neatly as possible. AS soon as the
animal heat has left the body the ap-
pearance of the dressed turkeys may
be improved by submerging for a short
time in cold water, as this has a tend
ency to make them plump whether dry
picked or scalded. The plucking should
be lone as quickly as possible. The
more quickly done the more readily
can the feathers be removed.
Packing For Shipment.
For shipping pack as closely as pos
sible into close boxes or barrels nicely
lined with white or manila paper. DO
not use brown, soiled or printed pa
per. Have the package completely fill
ed, so as to prevent the poultry from
shifting about in transit. Do not use
hay or straw for packing, as it marks
or stains the fowls and detracts from
their value. The above method can
only be used when the poultry is sent
to market without being packed in
ice, and when this can be lone with
safety, either in refrigerator cars or
for a short distance in cold weather, 1t
is by far the best. The greater part,
however, must be packed in ice. When
necessary to do this, use nice clean
barrels. Cover the bottom with bro
ken ice, then put in a layer Of poultry,
then a layer Of ice. Continue thus till
the barrel is packed solid and full. AL.
ways use perfectly clean ice for pack
ing. Head the barrel tightly and mark
its contents plainly on the head, and
never ship mixed lots Of poultry In
the same package If it can be avoided.
Going Too Fast.