Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1914-11-14
RHg ITH the coming of the fall our
W. thoughts turn turkeyward, and

WlN3 - - NhO ~OAIAit1 VA NAS ihAA NAt
W. thoughts turn turkeyward, and
letters come to the writer tell
Ing Of the fine success almost every
one has had this year with their tur-
keys. However, some are also find
ing that the luck which has been
theirs all the summer is now slip
ping away and some of those want
to know the reason why. Mrs. Chas
Jones, the turkey expert, explains
this very plainly in one of her in
teresting talks. She says: "To un-
derstand any branch Of poultry cul-
ture one must know their nature and
requirements. The turkey is the only
bird or animal that has previously
existed in wild state that has been
domesticated to the extent Of being
raised on farms from the Pacific to
the Atlantic and from British Column
bia to the Gulf of Mexico They may
be raised further north, but l have
no authentic account sOf the fact.
The prairie chicken has never been
domesticated. Occasionally wild
geese and ducks have been raised,
but the turkey stands alone as a wild
bird domesticated, and because peo.
pie have not studied into their wild
nature and what their diet consisted
of in their wild state they have failed
to raise more than a small part OF
thpgo That hn1oIal
In Former Times.
When the turkeys roamed over the
forests at the time this country was
inhabited by Indians very little corr
was raised. A few beans constituted
the grain crop, and as the indiana
were too lazy to raise the corn them
selves, and put the work on tho
squaws, who had the young braves
In the form Of pappooses, to pacl
around on their backs, and all the
domestic duties to look after anC
keep their wigwams in order, they
did not raise corn enough to glut thu
market and the turkeys had to lool
elsewhere for their food than to tho
corn-cribs Of the natives. The treei
were their roofs to keep the youni
sheltered, the leaves beneath then
made. 1t dry for them to walk over
and the insects that had found theiI
homes beneath the leaves made thei
food.
Now we are confronted with {
different problem. The forests arr
about gone, and during a wet season
the turkeys must be kept near hom,
for protection from the rain. Wher
they have outgrown their baby feeC
what shall we feed them? Corn al
o steady diet is out Of the question
as they will eat large quantities
their livers will become congesteC
from such highly concentrated food
and you will notice that one goes {
little slow. That will be the onl,
symptom amiss; It will walk a littl,
slower until It turns up its toes L
the blue sky, silent protest agains
letting them gorge themselves on tn,
most highly concentrated food tina
grows,
Wheat Best.
wheat, where It can be had, Il
the best and safest grain that car
be fed, but wheat here represent
gold dollars and is too expensive /,
feed, oats has too many hulls. Thi
year, on account OF the high prlc,
Of wheat, we could not get shorts
Shorts, moistened with water o.
milk, can be safely fed TO turkeys
The turkeys found that we hat
plenty Of corn in TIE crib and the!
developed a great liking for II ant
only wanted to loaf around the crib
until l lost two or three, and ther
! just turned them out and mad,
them get their living In the fields
and they are all right again, Lettinl
them live on corn is entirely agalns
their way IN their wild state, ant
they have to suffer the penalty. Il
Is like raising children on rich pie
cake and preserves Their digestive
organs get out Of order, they become
aiclt and often die.