Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1909-01-01
WILD TURKEY FARM.
Boston Man May Locate One
Near Worcester, Mass.
BELIEVES HIS PLAN FEASIBLE.

Southerh States ana 0uIld VI hio
Flock by intsrbrssdins With osmss.
tic spssiss--oosd Reasons Fer Pre-.
serving Noble Game Fowl.
The advent Of another Thanksyir Ing
season may see brand new industry
in full operation In Worcester county.
Mass, that Of raising the Wild species
Of the great American feast day bird
under conditions of semi demonstration.
Sanford E. Penn,man. Hesron man.
has recently been negotiating with
several real estate brokers in Worces-
ter. Mass. for the purchase Of 4 farm
situated ss near to the city rs possi-
BILE on account Of both the Worcester
and Boston markets and suitable for
the establishment Of 4 large poultry
plant
He proposes to undertake the breed
ing of the Wild turkey under ordinary
farm conditions.
DOmesticated poultry will also he
raised at first II Mr.. Psnpimsn's pres
ent plans are carried into operation In
order to insure source Of revenue
while his fock Of turkeys 10 being de-
veioped. The poultry Aeck, however.
will be decreased il size ~ the turkey
hock increases, and II the experiment
proves successful the farm will be
given over to the raising Of wild tur-
keys almost exclusively. r.
Mr. Penniman, who has been eH-
ployed In the Bosteh market district
for several years, is enthusiastic over
the project and says it II bound to
prove q winner.
Whether II will be undertaken in
Worcester county or elsewhere de-
peAds upon the result of the quest
now in progress for farm property
that meets all requirements In thu
matter Of size, location. adsptability
and price.
4 BOSTON Post reporter who net Mr..
Penniman while the Boston man was
on a visit to Worcester few days ago
was given an outline Of the. propssi-
ton IN delaN.
Mr.. PeDniman began by saying that
the wild turkey which IN the early
colonial days was found In Massa-
chusetts In great numbers n today to-
tally extinct tn New England, although
it freauents t" some extent parts Of
Virginia and Maryland.
The wild turkey Is species alto
gether different from the domesticated
bird with the white nseated breast, for
which two New England states, Ver-
mont and Rhode Island, are famous
and which fs raised IN small numbers
by many farmers Ia Worcester county.
One reason and an important one,
according to Mr.. pennimah, why it
should be preserved Is that it is need
ed to contribute occasiopally.its hardy
blood and gamy havor 20 the domes-
tic species by interbrseding. The more
or les, dark meat OF the hreast Of
many domestic turkeys marketed TO-
day is asid to be due to such inter-
breeding.
The wild turkey Is proverbially shy
and quite generally supposed to be in.
capable Of domesticatien. This suppo-
sitlon, however, IL entirely erroneous,
according to tho Boston man, who says
that as a matter Of fact the bird Is
naturally not much afraid Of man, but
rather inclined to sociahility.
In support Of this claim Mr.. Penni.
man points out that during It's stay in
Massachusetts, the wild turkey made
itself at home In close proximity to
human habitations.
Mr.. penniman declares that his plan
Of farming the bird is feasible and
says that authorities that Claim to he
experts In such matters support bis
contention and claim that 1t S6srs the
only hope for saving the great game
bird from eventually becoming abso-
lutely extinct.
The wild turkey is prolific and takes
Kindly to civilization. The hen" lays
from fifteen to twenty eggs for .
clutch, but raises only ene brood
year, and large bird would bring .
i've dollar hill 10 the market.
The large oRee range from twenty
dve TO forty and sometimes 20 a. high
as fifty pounds each, while those
weighing under twenty-five pounds
would bring q higher price than the
domestic species because Of the d.f-
ferent flavor Of their meat.
Mr.. Penniman would secure his wild
birds in the southern states, where
they'sre trapped for shooting ctubs.
and by interbrssdinE them with the
aomesticatsd species build mp his
nock.
The birds resulting from such inter
breeding would b~ much less dificult
to raise than the doMssticated ones, he
says on account Of the hardness OF
the wild turkey, which is accustomed
to live ont Of doors day and hight the
year round
He would lssveHth birds TO care for
themselves as much as possible sxcept
for seeing to it that they never suffer
for want Of food.
Stsambsat's Psriisvs Voyage.
4 paddle wheel steamboat which