South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1916-11-20

arc of great consequence Well
dressed turkeys can be ruined by
careless handling. Turkeys are dry
picked, geese scalded. An under
standing Of the stages OF feathering
aids good goose dressing. Snug
packing OF perfectly cold fowls in
sures perfect condition.
Fancy dressed poultry is not a fad,
but a practical reality. Careless
dressing is an actual waste. The
fetish OF the ordinary raiser is How
10 raise" rather than How 70 mar
ket." OF such are the disgruntled
ores who mournfully wonder why
their poultry failed to return high
est quotations.
Whether one sends directly TO the
commission man. sells 10 a local
shipper. or collect stock TO furnish
a stipulated demand, special atten-
ton 20 the appearance Of dressed
Houltry certainly enhances its worth.
Thrcc Graces of Poultry Dressing.
Three essentials embracing con-
dition, temperament, and treatment
contribute TO a fancy-dressed fowl.
To begin with, it must be shapely,
rlump, and reasonably well-develop-
ed. skinny gawky. crooked
breast turkeys and 1at-breasted
geese are undesirable in any mar
ket. Minimum weight for turkeys
should be 10 pounds for pullets, y
pounds for gobblers and IA pounds
for geese. The hebrew, who is par
tlcularly patrial 10 the latter, desires
il fat as a butter-ball. The render
ed surplus oil is Indispensable in his
cuisine.
The experienced raiser meets the
specification of fat by sorting his
flock. Discarded fowls are later
forwarded 20 the large city markets,
which accept them at good prices at
any time during the season. Two
killings are time-eaters, but excuse
themselves financially
All dressed stock must be thO~-
oughIy chilled. Veteran shipper
recall that markets of 80 years ago
demanded the removal of the Wis
cera. Modern efficiency declares
that the undrawn turkey or goose
from which all animal heat has been
tary. Perfect chilling is absolutely
requisite. All handling of slaughter
ed fowl must cooperate with that
aim. The day selected should be
cold 10 expedite refrigeration. This
is accomplished by hanging the
fowls as soon as dressed in a shady,
cool place A shed or room with
raised windows is handy.
A precautiOn particularly helpful
and necessary to preserving stock is
attention 10 emptying the foOd-tract.
Food must be denied fowls long
enough for crop and intestines 10
be we'll emptied otherwise keeping
qualities are endangered. An anna
ieur who with true beginners luck
had a slightly flock Of turkeys was
to find that they had failed 20 class
ify i'm spite OF care in dressing. She
learned that upon their arrival the
fowls had discclored breasts. The
crops distended with food. had
soured. an uninviting spectacle for
wouId-be purchasers. Turkeys more
than any other fowls require the
precaution. They should be penned
without food or water at least IL
hours before killing.
After carefully winnowing his
flock. the raiser can still defeat his
object by careless dressing. Skin
ned and torn fowls, chafed from
rough handling, peppered with pin
feathers. escape the designation
fancy" by a wide margin. no mat
ter how shapely or tenderly plump
al
stand less rough handling. such as
being piled upon one another. drag
ged across tables. hung in sunshine,
etc. The fact is, marketing poultry
successfully consists OF a series of
stages. each important in itself.
Rudimcnts Of Dressing Turkey.
The ideal day for killing is clear
and cool. Warm or humid weather
fails 90 chill stock SO firmly II
tends TO sweat a feature operating
against cool. firm meat on arrival M
destination No heat should be al
lowed where they are plucked OF
handled Purple abrasions often
noticeable on plucked fowls are due
10 bruising while alive. Turkeys
should be caught in the pen quiet
lN. without uuuue CIbWullS OF the
flock. one 10 q picker a heavy
cord looped around the legs sus-
pends il from a nail. on a horizontal
pole midway OF the shed. Locked
wings prevent the bird beating IL
self. A sharp. narrow bladed knife
thrust into the roof OF the mouth
brings the death-dealing hemor-
rhage. which should be copious
PoorIy-bIed fowls are purplish-tint-
ed AT once quill and tail feathers
are drawn. Upon cessation Of bleed
ing. while the body Is still warm
EXPERTS rapidly remove the feathers
a few at a time with an upward
Jerk Pulling them down towards
the head. or in great lunches is apt
20 tear the flesh The few pir
feathers left by capable pickers are
removed BY some skiilful person
with "a blunt knife = small run OF
ueck-feathers and me wing tips are
undis,urbed The bird is now ready
for the hnaI establishment cleans