The Mellette County pioneer. [volume] (Wood, Mellette County, S.D.) 19??-1971, 1919-08-29

prepared by the United States Depart
ment of Agriculture.)
California fruit growers can success
fully sell their products in eastern mar
kets in competition with eastern fruit
because they pick, grade and pack
carefully and In accordance with up
to-date methods, thereby overcoming
the handicap of the 3,OO0-mile haul to
market. What is applicable to the pro-
duction and marketing Of fruit APP
plies with equal force tt the selling Of
market poultry. Fowl which are prop
erly fattened, killed, cooled, dressed,
and offered on the market in the best
condition, command q premium price,
while other birds-although they are
in good condition Of flesh, often sell
at discounted prices because they are
poorly picked and do not look we'll.
improper Picking.
IT isn't merely q case of fine feath-
ers making fine birds, but 1t is a case
of the improper removal of what may
have been fine feathers, rendering the
bird so un%attractive to the purchaser
as to cause him to dock the price.
Badly picked chickens not only cause
material losses to small flock owners,
but they also react in%juriously to the
net profits Of the commercial packers.
Such unseemly evidences Of improper
picking as torn skins, burnt" wings
and legs, the result of continued and
rough stripping" pin feathers that
showed d~iscolored necks because the
neck feathers were pulled first instead
Of last, can and should be prevented
by the practice Of proper picking.
Considerable losses also result from
'roughing" when the quilts and most
Of the soft feathers are removed. The
few feathers, pins, and down remain
Ing should be removed by the slipper"
or "pinner." Proper Draining Is es-
sential to easy dry picking-it makes
dry picking as easy as "scalding."
The proper procedure in dressing a
fowl features the use of a picking
shackle made Of galvanized iron one
eighth inch In diameter which Is sus-
pended from a support by a cord.
The feet of the bird are placed in the
shackle at such a height that the
wings Of the bird are level with the ell
bows Of the picker. AS soon as the
throat vein Is cut and the brain pune
tured. the operator should grasp the
wings In his left hand, being sure not
to clasp the neck. With his right
hand he should grasp the tail-thumb
down-then turn the wrist and twist
out the feathers as the fist turns up
ward. This done he should next pull
the large feathers by holding the
hand with the thumb upward and
grasping as many feathers as he car
In one hand. He should jerk them
out with a sharp, quick downward
movement. Experts follow the rule of
one grab for small birds-two for large
poultry.
Prevent Torn Skins.
The feathers on the breast and sides
are next to be removed. Beginning at
the wishbone the attendant seizes q
large handful Of feathers In his fist,
thumb upward, and pulls up and out,
twisting the forearm outward. Then
he starts operations upon the thighs,
removing large fstfuls Of feathers, in
each instance pulling upward and
twisting the forearm outward as the
twisting motion always prevents torn
skins. AS o o as the one side Is com
pleted, the feathers from the ether
should be removed. Then operations
are shifted to the legs. The attend
ant grasps the leg firmly at It's base.
keeping the thumb upward and moving
the closed hand along the leg press
Ing hard enough to strip the feathers.
It IL essential to work In the direction
Of the feather setting and to strip only
once over the anne region. Any feath-
ers which remain should subsequently