Evening star., 1920-11-21

TEXAS, where there is an abundance
of range suitable for turkey raising,
iocks containing several hundred are
quito common. Throughout the mid
smaller in size. and for this reason it
is seldom that one can observe more
than fifty turkeys on any one farm.
That the number OF turkeys In the
United States Is decreasing IS wen
shown by census figures. In 1900 6.5s4,-
ss5 turkeys were reported as kept for
breeding purposes, while in 1910 this
humber had decreased to 3.SSS. .708. No
figures are available since the last CEN
sus. but statements made by poultry
dealers throughout the country indi-
cate that this decrease is continuing
Ono reason for the falling Of lies in the
fact that turkeys, having inherited
wandering nature from their wild ances-
tors, frequently invade the grain fields
Of netghboring farms, thus bringing
about the iu-will Of the owners Of
theeo farms and causing the turkey
grower to give up the business. Aside
from this, the high mortality among
young poults as ordinarily cared for on
the farm, the outbreaks of disease. and
-particularly Of blackhead among tur-
keys in certain sections Of the country.
and serious losses resulting from the
raids Of predatory animals, such as
foxes, coyotes. wolves, dogs and rats.
have all tended to discourage the turkey
industry.
Because Of the decreasing production
of turkeys on farms. the business OF
raising turkeys on large scale may
develop into an important and interest
il il in its infancy and has been tried
only In a moro or less experimental
way. In the unsettled foothill regions
Of California and in certain sections OF
Arizona and other western states, a
few persons have engaged in this in
dustry to the extent of raising thou
sand or more turkeys every year. Here
the range is unlimited and the natural
food Of the turkey, such as grasshop-
pers and other insects. green vegetation
and the seeds OF various weeds and
grasses, is abundant.
Advantage also is taken OF the
turkeys relish for acorn, and where
these are plentiful but little grain
need be used for fattening in the
autumn. These large focks Of tur-
keys are managed much like herds
of sheep. being taken out to the
range early in the morning and brought
homo TO roost at night. They are herd
ed during the day by men, either on
foot or on horseback. and by dogs espe-
edsIly trained for the work
4*
Notwithstanding the advent of ths
rather spectacular enterprise OF
turkey ranching. the farm must still
he relied upon for most OF the
Thanksgiving and Christmas turkeys
Here, as a side issue to her regular
work. 1t is a common practice fol
the farm wife to keep half doZer
turkey hens and a tom commonly
known as a gobbler. from which to rails.
annually q flock Of forty to fifty turkeys
The best hens are selected carefully
from tho previous years flock and a new
tom is secured from some neigh
boring turkey grower, or. perhaps
a pure-bred tom is purchased from
reliable Turkey breeder for thu
purpose Of improving the size. quail
iiy and appearance of the next crop
Toward the latter part of winte
or early spring the turkey hens be
gin laying. and then comes the tasl
of finding the nests. which are usual
~ well hidden in weeds or bush.
ihickets. sometimes near home an'
sometimes half a mile away tn
inexperienced turkey grower ma.
spend hours in following a turke!
lien before her nest is discovered