The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1919-08-23

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 3,000-mile haul to
market. What is applicable to the pro-
duction and marketing of fruit APP
plies with equal force to the selling Of
market poultry. Fowl which are prop
erly fattened, killed, cooled, dressed,
and offered on the market in the best
condition, command a premium price,
while, other birds-although they are
iii good condition Of flesh, often sell
at discounted prices because they are
poorly picked and do not look well.
Improper Picking.
1t isn't merely case of fine feath-
ers making fine birds, but it is a case
of the improper removal of what may
have been fine feathers, rendering the
bird so unattractive 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 injuriOusly 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 discolored 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 Upper
or 'pinner." Proper Draining is es
sential to easy dry picking--it makes
dry picking as easy as "scalding."
The proper procedure In dressing
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 cord
The feet of the bira are placed in thu
shackle at such a height that thu
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 th'
wings in his left hand, being sure no
to clasp the neck. With his RICH
hand he should grasp the tail--thuml
down-then turn the wrist and tWis
out the feathers as the fist turns up
ward. This done he should next pull
the large feathers by holding TIL
hand with the thumb upward ant
grasping as many feathers as he cal
In one hand. He should jerk then
out with sharp, quick downward
movement. Experts follow the rule o
one grab for small birds--two for largt
poultry.
Prevent Torn Skins.
The feathers on the breast and side
are next to be removed. Beginning a
the wishhone the attendant seizes
large handful of feathers in his fist
thumb upward, and pulls up and out
twisting the forearm outward. TheI
he starts operations upon the thighs
removing large fistfuls of feathers, IL
each instance pulling upward ant
twisting the forearm outward as tn
twisting motion always prevents tori
skins. AS soon as the one side is com
pleted, the feathers from the cthe
should be removed. Then operation
| are shifted to the legs. The attend
| ant grasps the leg firmly at its base
keeping the thumb upward and movinl
the closed hand along the leg press
Ing hard enough to strip the feathers
It is essential to work in the direction
Of the feather setting and to strip onl,
once over the same region. ANY feath
ers which remain should subsequent,
be pulled. The bird is in such a pc