The Richmond palladium. (Richmond, Ind.) 1906-1907, 1906-11-26

- OR no annual holiday feast is the.
available more tempting array of
eatables than confronts the housewife
who sets about making a menu for the
Thanksgiving dinner. At the head of the
ist of course. stands the all important
turkey. No other class OF domestic poultry
has come into such general use throughout
he entire world the chief feature Of
he repasts on the traditional feast days
bf the autumn and winter and the de-
hand for the fowl that temporarily dis
places the eagle as our national bird Is.
|f anything, even greater at Thanksgiving
han at Christmas.
The turkey Is q delicacy that the civil
zed world owes to America. However, it
Id not require any great length Of time
fter the nrst explorers had returned
lome for the people of Europe to awake
10 the toothsome qualities of the bird and
live IT a place on their dinner tables
rhe first turkeys were transferred from
Mexico to Europe In 1920. and by 154i
had taken Its place among the dainties
England. whereas 30 years later 1t
vas the customary fare of the farmer.
All present-day turkeys are the descend
hits Of one OF three main families. The
North American wild turkey. the original
Species Of the Eastern United States. the
Mexican turkey and the Honduras turkey,
which was originally a native of Central
america.
| 1t has only been, however. within the
bast one-third OF a century that the tur-
key-raising industry has assumed Its pres
INT scope and magnitude. Within the
bast few years there has been especial
Improvement owing to a growing realiza-
ion that It Is more profitable to use
-
$r and less vigorous stock of days gone
~. The efforts to introduce throughout
The country the several standard varieties
kf turkeys has greatly benefited the tur-
key-srowing industry Of the United
States.
The general tendency during recent
ears has been toward higher prices for
turkeys. and these advances have been
he more readily obtainable since of late
|he supply Of market turkeys has been
huch less IN proportion to the demand
han IL was q few years ago. The aver
|ge wholesale price of turkeys as record
ID in New York for the past dozen years
(as ranged from to 20 cents per pound.
whereas Boston dealers have IN some IN
|tances had to pay even higher prices.
Ind Ia Chicago the prices have fuctusted
rom to IS cents.
That turkey-raising is not 30 universally
ollowed In all rural communities as the
|versge city dweiler supposes IT to be Is
Fen attested by the fact that. whereas
here are more than ave million farms In
PIE United States, the annual crop of
turkeys 10 not much over $500. 900, or
title more than one turkey to each farm.
20 q turkey producing state. Texas Il
pr In the lead. producing upward Of two
birds OF q million turkeys each season.
Texas come Missouri. Illinois, |
owa. Ohio and Indiana In the order
AIMED. The State OF Rhode Island, which |
Justly famous for the quality OF its |
urkeys. produces less than i've thousand |
nrkeys q year. but these birds In the |
ggregate are worth about double an equal |
lumber from any other state. Rhode |
biand turkeys often bring IS and 40 /
ents In the markets OF the big cities |
Fhen other turkeys 20 begging at 20 to |
B cents per pound.
That good profits are within reach OF |
be turkey raiser may be appreciated 4
hen II IL explained that In the West /
nd Southwest under ordinary conditions
nrkeys can be grown and sold at eight l
ents q pound. live weight. and return q 1
ront to the growers. SmaiIer growers
tho live near towns and villages have an
dded advantage. In that they have an
pOortunity to dress and sell their tur-