Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1915-11-25

The turkey is in all probability the only
one of the domesticated fowls of purely
American origin. When the early explor-
ers first came to America they found
large flocks Of turkeys roaming in the
forests. The Spanish explorers carried
live specimens back to Spain and in few
years turkeys were prolific in southern
Spain, the climate of which was in many
respects similar to that Of the West In
dies and Mexico Sir Walter Releigh car
ried them to England.
All Of the seven popular varieties of
turkeys have grown out of the original
wild turkey. These wild turkeys were
black and bronze in color. In the sparse
~ settled sections of the south and south
west tiocks of wild turkeys are still to be
found. In such localities 1t is difficult to
keep tame turkeys. as they are inclined
TO go off with the wild birds in the fall
The wild turkey is not as large as the
tame variety. but, in living under natural
conditions, is very vigorous and hardy.
One trouble with the tame turkey Is that
where kept under artificial conditions
they are liable to depreciate In vitality.
Some breeders have introduced wild blood
into the bronze variety to re-estabish
vitality. The wild turkey has also been
demesticated. and is known as the black
turkey.
COMPARATIVE WEIGHTS OF BREEDS
The bronze turkey is the most popu-
lar and also the largest. A two-year- old
cock will frequently weigh as high as
80 pounds The standard weight requr-
ed is So pounds. A yearlins cockbrd
should weigh three pounds under this,
while a cockerel should weigh % pounds
by the time he is year old. a year-od
hen should weigh 20 pounds to he up tc
standard, while a pulet should weigh lG
pounds. The majority of bronze turkeys.
however, are from five to 10 pounds under
these weights in the males and from three
to five pounds in the females.
The Narragansett turkey runs a few
color, with steel-gray bands running
across the ends of the feathers.
The Bourbon Red, as it's name implies,
is a product of Kentucky and Is CHINA
mon red in color 1t is of comparative
recent origin and has not yet demo-
strated any superior points over the re
ular standby variety Of bronze turkeys.
The white Holland, black buff al
spectively white, black, buff and sla;
plumage These are the smallest ana
range In weight from 20 to rs pound
for the males and from IL to IS pounds
for the females. They have no specia
points OF superiority over the bronze
and it Is merely a matter OF fancy fol
any particular color
PRODUCTION OF TURKEYS.
No accurate figure of the production
of the turkey crop annually in the United
States is obtainable but it will run into
millions-probably as high as s25 ON, on
In very few States are the figures kent
separate from those of poultry, duck;
and geese, The main territory for the
production Of turkeys is in the middle
south and southwest and also in portion
Of the central west, comprising Kentucky
Tennessee, the northern parts Of Georgia
Missouri, Alabama, Arkansas Kansas
Oklahoma, PARTS of Texas, Indiana, Ohio
and Illinois There are also large num-
bers of turkeys produced in Rhode Island
parts OF Vermont and Massachusetts s.
These have established a name for thom-
selves, being known as Rhode Island tar
keys. and command a special price on the
market, even above those produced in