Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1909-07-16
ORIGIN OF THE TURKEY.
No Doubt That the Bird Was First
Found In America.

No Doubt That the Bird Was First
Found In America.
E. oustalet in q recent bulletin OF
the French National Society of Accli-
matization tells how the turkey came
to bear the name Of q country from
which It did not come and to be no part
Of the heraldic insignia of the lands
which gave 1t to mankind. For the
turkey is unquestionably an American
bird, and not Turkish, Indian or Asia
tic in any way. Those who believe
that they recognize the turkey among
the fowls mentioned or described In
old Latin works are entirely at fault.
What is there spoken of Ia the guinea
hen or peacock. All the domesticated
varieties Of turkey are derived from
the wild species formerly plentiful In
the Ohio and Missouri valleys aud still
found from Kansas to Yucatan. The
ancient Mexicans had begun to do
mesticate the birds. Cortez found
them in Montezuma's gardens. The
Spanish pioneers Of the new world
took them for kind OF peacock.
When they began to reach Spain, about
1920, they were called Indian pea
cocks" The impression was still
general that Columbus and his success
sors had reached some part Of India
When brought into France they were
called Indian fowls" and Indian
cocks" under this impression. Abbre-
Walton of the French names then CIV
en- them, ''poules d'Inde" and "coqs
d'Inde," had produced the words "din-
des" and "dindons." by which they ara
known In the present day French.
They appear to have reached England
about 1924 in the vessels of mer-
chants touching Spain on voyage to
and from Turkey and the Levant.
Hence they were supposed to come
from Turkey and Asia.
The legal difficulties OF trade with
Spain doubtless made their importers
vague in telling of their origin. They
seem to have found favor at once with
lovers Of good eating. Rules issued
against extravasance at clerical feasts
by Archbishop Cranmer in 1541 pro-
hibited the serving of more than one
crane, swan or turkey" However,
turkeys soon became relatively cheap.
The expense accounts Of feast giv-
en- In 1856 shows that the turkeys cost
only four shillings each. while cranes
and swans cost ten shilings each.
BY 1853 they were no longer q luxury
Of the rich. Farmers were accustom-
ed to serve them at Christmas, and In
some districts they were 30 numerous
as to provoke complaint of their raw
ages in the hop and pea fields. And e
book Of directions for rural work, pub
lished at Paris In 1878 cantains rules
for their breeding and rearing which
show accurate knowledge Of their Pc
culiarities BENJAMIN Franklin, we
believe 1t was, wrote q protest against
taking the eagle as the American ma
tional emblem. Others have suggest
ed the turkey as q better emblem be-
cause distinctively American and the
most useful and beautiful large bird
contributed by the Americans to man
kind.
It is too late to make any change In
our heraldic insignia Yet the turkey
has distinct place In American life
such as 1t has in that Of no other ma
ton. Cooking and eating OF 1t have
come to be well nigh indispensable
part Of the ritual Of Thanksgiving,
peculiar American national festival.
So the turkey, though misnamed. IL
not without special honor in its own
country. Chicago Inter- Ocean.