Morgan County republican. (Versailles, Mo.) 1906-1914, 1907-05-09

A., turkeys upon a farm is indicative Of a
purse of ready money at holiday season.
1t will be vouchsafed at once by many
skeptics that the raising Of turkeys pre-
sents many difficulties. The young
poults are tender and hard to raise they
fall All early prey to the hawk; or one
painstakingly raises them TO maturity
only to have them swept away by the
%nlarauding fox. Needing a wide range,
the turkey is held debarred front any
place but the farm, where nien have al.
ways been too busy to care for them.
However, the wotpciI are fast coming to
give them the required care. These and
many more objections will be raised by
those who believe that turkey raising is
too difficult a proposition for modern
times.
But the fact Remains that a change has
peer taking place in the turkey situa-
ton. Beneath the surface AMI unob-
served nv %farniers and %fanciers alike
there has been going on a development
which, in the natural course of events,
must result in bringing to the front the
much needed and neglected turkey in
dustry. The turkey Of the country has
been for years the so.called common tur-
key, probably a doniesticated form Of
the wild turkey which our fourfathers
captured for their Thanksgiving feast.
Wherever turkeys were raised this was
the kind. Though partially homestead.
ed, there still remain many traits of their
Wild ancestors-chiehv the desire TO
roam TO the farthermost limits Of the
farm and beyond. BY four O'Clock Of
each day, some one, usually the farmers
wife, must leave home work and start
out after the turkeys. Fortunate would
she be il she did not find the flock sadly
lessened by the ravages Of a hawk or
fox. So general was the loss that it soon
came to be expected that not more than
one.third Of the original flock would re.
main for the Thanksgiving season, and
even so the returns were profitable.
Later a new breed of turkeys came
forth and eventually the Mammoth
Bronze, the most popular turkey of the
present time. This bird is held by Its
admirers to he hardy, handsome and ca.
pable Of growth to a large size. some
toms tipping the scales at fifty pounds
live weight. The bronze turkey retains
ITS wandering instincts and is adapted
to a wide range only. Where
this range can be had and where
there is immunity from foxes this is 3
most satisfactory breed to raise. There
are now, however, six other breeds each
with its circle of admirers.
Second to the Bronze in popularity il
the White Holland. This is a very hand
ON fowl, being white rs its name III
dictates, with a black beard and rel NECK
and head. It possesses "A new tra't foi
the turkey, that of domesticity. Sc
tame is it and So little inclined TO wan
der that many are the nocks kept upoI
small farms. Four other varieties, thu
N~arragansetts, Buff, Slate and Black or
Norfolks, are not widely known excep
in certain localities where a few goo'
hockS happen To he raised.
One variety only remains 10 he de
, scribed, namely the Bon bon Red. and
this variety in the opinion Ot the write
a excels all Others, having more COCA qia
litics combined than any other breed o
:, turkeys. In color and markings th'
. birds are extremely handsome. WlieI
Young thsy are a light red or buff, but a.
they grow older, and especially ate,
, they mott, they are a darker color. The
), toms in particular are a deep chestnut o'
,, a mahogany red, the females being
=, somewhat lighter. The body feathers o
the IN have u narrow edge or fringe d
, black, while tie feathers OF the hens are
commonly edged with white. Boil
males ant iem lies have white wings ant
a few specimens have white tails. Th'
larger numser have black tails Ike
, their bodies, The white tai! rs some
5 thing to breed for. Perhaps the quaii:y
t OF most value, to the farmer is thei
~ ,l.ii~fiiSity they are very susceptible Il
, training and may lie trained to. sta,
T around the barn like chickens, IT desired
The writer's Sock this summer wa
.EI;s-n sfew Iaornsrys to a nearby fel'
a,pw'diug in .gcassl,opI srs, Tisrs Thy