Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-08-10

the style Of house. Ii depends not
solely upon the character Of the
range. nor the manner and use Of
disinfectants. Rather is il the result
Of happy combination of all.
Expressed in business terms. the pro
ducer's aim is TO raise as many rs possible
as cheaply as compatible with health, as
fine as the best After the expenditure OF
thought and care in comprising the first
two, shall poultry fall short of the last OBJ
jective? Too often, indeed, is poultry at
the last sacrificed Discuss poultry ship
mcnts with any commission merchant
and he will revert with impatiencc To the
hopeless condition of many fowls which
reach him for distribution
Poultry. dressed or alive, Is sold by n
sliding scale regulated by demand, ap-
pearance, weight, age and size The
producer has little to say rs to what
he will get, but in SO far as his stock
conforms to these requirements, he CON
trolls what they bring What waste
of material to ship a fowl ill-conditloncd
or carclessly prepared!
DETERMINING THE Eligible FOWL.
The shipper must assure himself
first that his poultry is sizahle. II must
he mature enough for its class and
plump. In immature fowls, food is
diverted to growth and they fattcn
slowly. To Kill them is shortSightcd
Other objections 10 tho scrawnv fowl
are that il dresses miscrahlv In addition
TO it's bonincss it adds unattraCtivc ap-
pearance. despite care The buyer asks
for the plump fowl nowadays
Attention TO the details of fattCning,
killing and dressing produces fine market
stock which never goes begging Il makes
or mars It. "Old and thin" stock is the pct
aversion Of commission men who find
difficulty in placing II except nj great
reductions.
Corn in some form is the great fat
tener, assisted by water. Other grams
conducive to growth may contribute y
trifle Of fat, but nothing produces tho
tender. Juicy flesh recruited by maize
To feed corn in these DAYS Of high prices
challenges ones resolution. but IS the
better part of wisdom BY combining
with other feed the expense IS lcsSencd
The only fowls fit to sell out Of the yard
are the hroller. squab gulnCas and young
ducks These, it may be noted, get their
quota of corn in chick-feeds.
VARIOUS METHODS or rtTTENING.
A course Of final conditioning must
be adapted to the nature Of the fowl.
With some ii occupies few days with
Others. weeks Some fare better with
freedom, others must be confined
Geese acquire avoirdupois most rap
idly when their quarters are restricted.
Activity permitted by range would de
feat the purpose. They must be COM
Portable and contented with half-kcg
Of water and sand-pile No shelter
except in severe climates Is necessary.
Ducks, too, are fattencd moro quickly
when penned awhile
From four to six or seven weeks arc
required to fattcn geese, and the period
has some connection with their feather
ing. They should be taken IN hand one
week after they are plucked. Goose-ralSers
agree that a full-plumaged goose Will not
fatten appreciably When new feathers
are growing the goose is subdued and
hungr1er.
With the attainment Of feathers they
become restless II is useless 10 feed
longer in hope Of increasing weight
OF all fowls, geese are conditioned with
most expense. But the farmer cs n econ
omize by giving them "nubbins'' and soft
and inferior corn.
bars penning. Most Of them CLEAN
good fattening ration from the complies,
After a few days In a coop, they arc ready
for killing or shipping.
Turkeys demand unrestricted liberty.
For several weeks before it IS intended
10 ship them, they should be gwen a
fattening ration regularly, with en-
phasis on regularly This means a mash
Of coarse corn meal with bran and alfalfa,
or whole corn with screenings or oats,
as one may have accustomed the flock
II is unwise to precIpltate a flock fresh
from the fields into an all-corn ration. 1t
sometimes upSets their lvers seriously.
Chickens with their robust digestions
and more robust appetltes plump quickly,
whether at large or not. If haste Is urgent
it is advisable to put them in the fatten-
ing coop.
Water In abundant quantities is the
efficient coadjutor OF corn. New flesh
Is many parts water. Carelessness some
times interferes with corn's best work by
ample drinking facilities
THE SCIENCE OF KILLING.
Importance attaches to selecting the
day for the killing With a holiday
market in view, the shipper should aim
10 deliver the poultry into the hands of the
commission man not less than one week
before the holiday date This allows ade-
1uate time for his disposal of it advan-
particularly if a glut is immi-
lent. Computing time for killing. cooling
and packing places the day of slaughter
somewhere around December IS for the
Christmas market 1t is well, if possible.
20 avoid having poultry IN transit on
Sunday.
All food should be taken from poul-
.ry from II to "a hours before killing.
This cleanses and empties the diges-
i've tract, without which no fowl is fit
o be shipped. This is the first precau-
ion In perfect condition. Sorry are the
ales of the fowls, turkeys in particular,
'ent to market with their last breakfast
n their crops. The slightest rise in temper
ure sets the contents TO fermenting.
4ffectlng the whole bird. In contrast, the
carcass of a well-cleaned fowl
n an even chill temperature has excellent
leeplng recommendations
All poultry is stuck, that is, keen,
Iarrow-bladed knife is inserted into
he mouth 10 sever the main artery
eading TO the brain. SQUAD guineas
nay be shot But subsequent dressing
depends upon the fowl. Geese and ducks, |
With their close, short down, are scalded.
Turkeys are dry-picked, while guineas are
being packed on ice
One is fortunate if poultry-killing day
'roves dry and cool Turkeys are killed
n groups, one TO each picker, hung by
he feet from pole to avoid beating and
'ruising themselves against walls After
eng stuck, they are allowed to bleed
while, after which, while still warm, they