Mountain Home maverick. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1906-1911, 1911-01-19

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termined by its appearance, flavor and
keeping quality is no longer the
comparatively simple proposition that
the farmer or poultry dresser found
it in the days when cities were small
er and could draw upon their enviT-
ons for a larger share of the poul-
try which they consumed. At pres
snt the quantities of perishable food
stuffs of all kinds required by the cit
les are so great that their immediate
vicinity cannot supply the demand.
Neither do the various parts of the
country endeavor at the present
time to supply either the quantity
or the variety of perishable foods
consumed in them, because economic
conditions have made it advisable
for certain sections of the
country, especially adapted to the
production of certain kinds of crops,
to raise these in much larger amounrs
than are needed for home consump-
ton, and to send the surplus to the
sections of nonproduction, or where
shortage prevails. Such a condi-
ton of affairs has led to the length
ing of the period between produc-
tion fand consumption. In order,
therefore, that perishable produce
shall reach the market in good con-
dition, it must be handled in such
wise that deterioration will be
checked as far as possible. To ac-
complish this there have been de-
yeloped railroad refrigerator cars,
fast freights, cold storage warehouse
es, and all that vast and complicated
system on which depends the feed
ing of our populace the year round
and the equalization of seasonal and
regional overproduction. In spite of
this system, however, if care of the
product Mt the source of produc-
ton is lacking, deterioration will
occur before the product reaches the
consumer. The California orange must
be cut from the tree carefully and
handled carefully if it is to travel
with safety from the Pacific states
to New York. The Oregon raspberry
must be picked at the propr stage
of development and then kept cool
if it is to be enjoyed by the people
in Minneapolis and St. Paul The
meat raised on our western prairies
must be properly slaughtered, chill
ed, and maintained in a chilled con-
dition if it is to feed the people of
London.
Just so it is with dressed poultry.
If it is to reach the consumer with
the best of flavor and wholesome
ness, the most attractive appearance,
and in the best possible state of pre-
servation, it must be properly raised,
killed, and dressed Granting that
the chicken has been bred and fed
to be a good eating chicken and that
it is ready for slaughter, the first
step in the preservation of its good
qualities is to starve it for "a hours,
allowing however. a liberal supply
of fresh, clean water during this per-
iod The intestines Of the bird having
been emptied of food, the next step
in the dressing of market poultry is
the proper killing and bleeding of
the fowl, and it is with this question
that the present publication is chief
ly concerned
A very large proportion of the un-
slightly poultry in our markets, aside
from the rubbing and tearing of the
skins. is caused by an incomplete re-
moval of the blood This is evidenced
by red dots which frequently occur
where the feathers have been re-
moved, especially over the thighs and
wings; or by the small veins which
are seen over the breast and in the
ingles of the wings, or larger veins
which mar the appearance of the
neck. Generally it is the neck which
shows most plainly the presence Of
blood in the fowl. or that a wrong
method has been used in cutting the
blood vessels in an attempt to empty
them. The neck is the first part to
discolor becoming first red, then blu
ish red or purple. and finally green
as aging progresses. Often there are
discolored areas on the sides of the
neck close to the head which look
like bruises. These are commonly
caused by the killer holding the neck
of the bird when cutting the veins,
and thereby preventing the blood
from escaping. This question is so
important. however, that it will be
considered in detail later on. Not