Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1919-11-25
z2z2El2A91yG III EzASE

proceeding is as important economically as the
first. And under that heading the art of Mr.
Jordan is final, though French Chefs amid their
smears and cococtions, may voice EXPLANATIONS
and denialS.
''If the turkey is young" Mr.. McIhenny says
quoting Mr.. Jordan, cook it in the way usual to
stove baking after first filling its cavity with
suitable dressing of bread crumbs, pepper. salt
and onions chopped fine, moistened with fresh
country butter. This is is the best dressing that
can be made, and it will detract nothing from the
flavor of the bird nor add to it,"
Oysters chestnuts, if put into the dressing
are proclamation, and shrimps an abomination
in the view of Mr.. Jordan. Wine and celery de-
stroy the rich turkey flavor.
Originally the wild turkey found in most
parts of the United States-from the forests of
Maine and westward far Nebraska and
southwark TO the lower parts of Mexico. Gonzalo
Fernandez de Ovedo the Spanish historian who
wrote many books about the West Indies. printed
a description of the wild turkey at Toledo in the
year 1927. He had the males in the gobbling
season and supposed they were peacocks.
Thus Oviedo brought the turkey into literature
But if the records reliable, it was Alexandra
Geraldini an Italian and the Roman Catholic
bishop of Santo Domingo who introduced the
turkey into Europe. A letter he wrote in 1923
mentions that he had sent a pair of turkeys to
a friend in Rome.
The domestication of the bird, however was
brought about by the Spaniards, whose naviga-
tors took it home in their queer little ships and
localized it in European barnyards," as John
Fiske states the This happened in 1890
Eighty years later Christopher Newport the
leader of the expedition that founded James
town, in Virginia sailed back to England With
him he took a large quantity of yellow sand that
he thought gold and several coops of wild
turkeys, "the first" again to quote John Fiske
that ever graced an English bill of fare" The
sand was found to be valueless but the turkeys
a1dy milf Oli od and
profit to British farmers.
During the reign of Charles l. king of England
the prices of many things were regulated by law
Hume, the historian, says turkey cock brought
four Shngs and six pence SLIP; turkey hen
three shilling, or rs cents, and goose two shil
ings, or 30 cents. A pheasant cock sold for S15O
a pheasant hen for SIPS and partridge for %
cents. Turkeys then a novelty in Great
Britain.
About 100000 turkeys are grown yearly in
this country. Texas produces more than any
other state. Missouri is second Illinois third
Iowa fourth, Ohio fifth and Indiana sixth An
ordinary western turkey weighing II pounds used
to sell for about 1886 at retail in the eastern
markets. As to its cost this Thanksgiving-vour
guess is as good anybody's
Mr.. nhenny will tell you that wild turkeys live
in the regions where they are born. If they 90
away, 1t is for the reason that there is shortage
of food in the territory constituting their natural
range. After feeding they will return TO their
old homes.
During the 60 years that Mr. Jordan spent in
hunting and studying wild turkeys he never saw
or heard of one that died a natural death Nor"
he said, shave 1 heard of any disease or endemic
among them" Blackhead, a common distemper
among domestic turkeys has bafled the doctors
so far and in regions has made the production of
turkeys not only improbable but practically out
of the question.