Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1909-01-28
WILD TURKEY FARM.
Boston Man May Locate One
Near Worcester, Mass.
BELIEVES HIS PLAN FEASIBLE.
Would Secure His Wild Birds In
Southern States and Build Up His
Flock by lnterbreedins With Domes-
tic Species-Good Reasons For Pre-
serving Noble Game Fowl.

Flock by lnterbreeding With Domes-
tic Species-Good Reasons For Pre-
serving Noble Game Fowl.
The advent of another Thanksgiving
season may see a 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-domestication.
Sanford e. Penniman, a Boston man,
has recently been negotiating with
several real estate brokers in Worces-
ter, Mass, for the purchase of a farm
situated as near to the city as posi-
BILE on account of both the Worcester
Gnd Boston markets and suitable for
the establishment of a large poultry
plant.
He proposes to undertake the breed
ing of the Wild turkey under ordinary
farm conditions.
Domesticated poultry will also be
raised at first if Mr.. Penniman's pres
ent plans are carried into operation in
order TO insure a source of revenue
while his flock of turkeys is being de-
veloped. The poultry flock, however,
will be decreased in size as the turkey
flock Increases, and if the experiment
proves successful the farm will be
given over to the raising of wild tur-
keys almost exclusively.
Mr.. Penniman. who has been IN
ployed in the Boston market district
for several years, is enthusiastic over
the project and says it is bound to
prove a winner.
Whether it will be undertaken in
Worcester county or elsewhere de-
pends upon the result of the quest
now in progress for a farm property
that meets all requirements in the
matter of size, location, adaptability
and price.
A Boston Post reporter who met Mr..
Penniman while the Boston man was
on a visit to Worcester q few days ago
was given AN outline of the PROPOSE
ton in detail.
Mr.. Penniman began by saying that
the wild turkey which in the early
colonial days was found in Massa-
chusetts in great numbers is today to-
tally extinct in New England, although
it frequents to some extent parts of
Virginia and Maryland.
The Wild turkey is a species alto
gether different from the domesticated
bird with the white meated breast, for
which two New England states, Yer
mont and Rhode Island, are famous
and which is raised in small numbers
by many farmers in Worcester county.
One reason, and an important one,
according to Mr.. Penniman, why it
should be preserved is that it is need
ed to contribute occasionally it's hardy
blood and gamy flavor to the domes-
tic species by interpreting. The more
or less dark meat Of the breast Of
many domestic turkeys marketed to-
day is said to be due to such inter-
breeding.
The wild turkey is p%roverbially shy
and quite generally supposed to be in
capable Of domestication. This suppo-
sition, however, is entirely erroneous,
according to the Boston man, who says
that as n matter Of fact the bird is
naturally not much afraid Of man, but
rather inclined to sociability.
In support Of this claim Mr.. Penni-
man points out that during its 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 be
experts in such matters support his
contention and claim that 1t offers 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 a
clutch, but raises only one brood a
year, and a large bird would bring a
five dollar bill in the market.
The large one range from twenty
five to forty and sometimes go as high
as fifty pounds each, while those
weighing under twenty-five pounds
would bring a higher price than the
domestic species because of the diff
ferent flavor of their meat.
Mr.. Penniman would secure his Wild
birds in the southern states, where
they are trapped for shooting clubs,
and by interbreeding them with the
domesticated species build up his
flock.
The birds resulting from such inter
breeding would be much less difficult
to raise than the domesticated ones, he
says, on account of the hardness Of
the wild turkey, which is accustomed
to live out Of doors day and night the
year round.
He would leave the birds to care for
themselves rs much as possible except
for seeing to it that they never suffer
for want Of food.
New Wedding Sweetmeat.