The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1919-11-22

proceeding is important economically as the
first. And under that heading the art of MI
Jordan is final. though French chefs amid their
smears and cOcOctions, may voice EXPLANATIONS
and denials.
IF the turkey is young" Mr.. McIlhenny 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 sat
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 add to it."
Oysters or chestnuts. if put into the dressing.
are a profanatiOn and shrmps 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 or
Maine and westward far as Nebraska and
southwark TO the lower parts of Mexico Gonzao
Fernandez de Oviedo the Spanish historian, who
wrote many books about the West Indies. printed
u description of the wild turkey at Toledo in the
wear 1927 He had seen the males in the gcbbling
season and supposed they were peacocks.
Thus Oviedo brought the turkey into literature
Rut if the records reliable, ii was Alexandra
Geraldini an Italian and the Roman Catholic
bishop of SantO Domingo. who introduced the
turkey into Europe A letter he wrote A 1923
mentions that he had sent pair of turkeys to
a friend in Rome.
The domesticatOn of the bird however, was
brought about by the Spanards, whose naviga-
tors took il home in their queer little ships and
localized il in European barnyards,' John
Fiske states the case. This happened in 1870.
Eighty years later Christopher Newport. the
leader of the expedition that founded James
town. in Virginia, sailed back to England With
him he took large quantity of yellow sand that
he thought was gold, and several coops Of wild
turkeys 1.-THE first" again to quote John Fiske,
that ever graced an English bill of fare" The
sand was found to be vaueless but the turkeys
lived and multiplied and became a source of large
profit to British farmers.
During the reign of Charles I, king of England.
the prices of many things were regulated by law.
Hume the historian, says turkey cock brought
four shillings and six pence SLIP; turkey hen
three shilling. 20 cents and a goose two shill-
ings or so cents. A pheasant cock sold for S150
a pheasant hen for lbs and a partridge for %
cents. Turkeys then were a novelty in Great
Britain.
About 100000 turkeys are grown yearly in
this country. Texas produces than any
other state Missouri is second, Illinois third
Iowa fourth Ohio fifth and Indiana sixth An
ordinary western turkey weighing u pounds used
to sell for about 1896 at retail in the eastern
markets AS to its cost this Thanksgving-your
guess is as good anybodys.
Mr. nhenny will tell you that wild turkeys live
in the regions where they are born. If they go
away it is for the reason that there is shortage
of food in the territory constituting tnelr 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 heard of any disease epidemic
among Them" Blackhead a common distemper
among domestic turkeys. has baffied the doctors.
so far and in regions has made the production of
turkeys not only Improbable but practically out
Of the question.