The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1919-11-21

The mother turkey of the woods keeps her
children under control and at her side until mid
winter By that time the brood is full grown
The young gobblers Mr.. McIlhenny says. then
leave their mothers and sisters and form bachelor
clubs among themselves
Turkey society In the forests from December
until early In the spring, is made up of three di
vtsions-the old hens and young hens; the young
gobblers, and the old gobbers. At mating time,
in March. there is reunion. 1t is then that the
old gobblers strut and gobbie and call to their
plural wives well to the hunters.
At the moment the hens begin to set. the old
gobblers, in couples and groups up to 20. again
sequester themselves from all but their
society. So they live, summer, autumn and win
ter. They never fight except when they show
ing off to the ladies and then their combats are
not mortal. The rules of their contests Of
strength permit showing, pulling. pecking and
wng-beating
They brave BIRDS as the 1cIhennys All
famous hunters, will testify Furthermore they
are wise birds. 1t is the exceptional hunter who
gets sight of them in summer. They not
afraid, however. of the farmer who is plowing
husking reaping.
Notwithstanding the spectacular enterprise Of
turkey ranching in Texas and California on
grand scale. the old farm must still bc relied
upon for most of our Thanksgiving and Christmas
turkeys. says James Hamilton Byrd in Grit. On
thousands upon thousands of farms, side
issue to her regular work. it is common practice
for the farm wife to keep half dozen or per-
which to raise flock of 40 to so turkeys
Early in the spring the turkey hens begin lay
ing Then comes the broodng season. BY Octo-
ber l the young turkeys have grown to be big
rangy birds, the fattening finishing
process is begun Little do they know as they are
being fed and of the farmers corn
every night of the diabolical intentions of their
masters better half. Ten days two weeks be-
fore marketing they literally feasted on grain
stuffed three or four times day-until just be-
fore the enactment of the tragedy of their young
careers they should be fat butter balls
Although turkey ranching in Texas and Cali
new and spectacular industry, by far the greater
number of turkeys raised the farms of the
middle West-Ohio. Indiana, niinos, Kentucky
Missouri and Iowa. New England, long famous
for its turkeys raises comparatively few al
though It's reputation still fingers. Some of the
big turkey ranches have thousand or more tur-
keys and some of the turkey drives to market
are most extraordinary sights. The focks of the
middle West usually less than hundred
from Is to 25 pounds each is not a mean sight
and represents Indeed small value.
There still millions of acres in Texns Okla
homa and New Mexico where the wild turkey
breeds plentifully, and where turkey hunting is
great sport. But of far more Importance to the
turkey market is the "stll hunting" which is
carried on in the spring in many places to secure
eggs possibly the very young birds in order to
raise the pure wldblood turkey and Introduce #
into tame hocks The tame turkey has deeener-
ated until it is no longer the virile bird 1t was in
the days of pilgrim fathers, but the wild
turkey is subject to known disease. On some
of the forest reserves the government is protect
ing the wild turkey for this important purpose
of using it breeding stock