The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1921-11-28

FORMER CUSTOM
Several Hundred Birds In
Flock Common Sight
i'm Years Past
MORTALITY RATE
MAKES PRICE HIGH

Difficult to Raise Them Beyond Few
Weeks of Age for SOpe Strange Rea-
sOn-Very Few BrattlebOrO Tables
Graced with Them This Year.
Thanksgiving. as a holiday, was very
generally observed in Brattleboro, says
the Brattleboro letter in the Springfield
Sunday Republican. Probably not for
many years have so few turkeys graced
the festive board as was the case this
year. Prime birds brought 20 cents d
pound, which is the highest price ever
known in these parts. The high price of
turkeys has not been brought about so
much by any unusual demand as by the
excessively high death rate among the
birds As vet no one has been able to
determine what this disease is or to Sc
cure a remedy which will overcome the
maladv.
In former years turkeys were very
easy to raise and were one of the surest
known sources of income for the Ordi
nary farmer. Before the advent of the
railroad, it was the custom for breeders
of turkeys in this locality to club to-
ZetheT and drive the turkeys to market,
Just as cattle and sheep are now driven.
Oftentlmes hOcks Of several hundred
birds have been driven from BrattlebOro
to Boston. The average day : journey of
a turkey drive was about 20 miles.
The slogan of the birds themselves
seemed to be ''eariy to bed and early
to rise 1t was found, during these
drives, that as soon as the sun sank TO
rest and the first intimation of night ap
peared, the turkeys would Immediately
fly to rOOst in the nearest trees for their
night : rest, and the drivers would be
obliged to seek shelter aud entertain
mcht at the nearest farmhouse. In the
morning, however, at the first break of (
dawn, the fowls would descend and were
ready for their breakfast. The drivers
iOuUd it absolutely necessary to be on
the jolt at that time, else their featheTed
charges would disappear, never to re /
iurn.
The method employed in driving the
lock was similar to that of driving
sheep; pilot man generally went ahead /
with a measure of corn. which he fire. !
Guently ratified to attract the attention /
of his flock. while two. sometimes more, /
drivers came on behind with branches /
which they would frequently whip on /
The ground to urge the turkeys along. 1t /
was surprising how fast these hOcks !
would get over the ground. Often ~ !
miles were covered between sunrise and !
sunset. This was about as long dis |
lance As the drivers cared to cover in a T.
dav, travelling as they did. on foot.
Many of the old residents remember !
the difficulty sometimes experienced in I
trying to get their teams past a flock of /
turkeys. 1t was problem which side |
of the road TO take and frequently this
experience was PROLONGED for at least
half hour where the flock numbered 800
or 900 birds. Today : travellers fire.
guently wonder what would have hap
uencd had turkey driving continued up
tn this dav. when the highways are
choked with automobiles.
The custom Of turkey dTivng was not
confined strictly to Vermont. though the
Vermont turkey was everywhere TeCog
"izcd as the standard of perfection and
brought the highest prices. All over New
England this practice of driving TO
"arket the summer : crop of Thanks
rjvin@ birds was in vogue, and fire
"uently there was sharp rivalry between
( he owners of AocBs as to price and
quality. and which one should be first
INTO market 1t Is interesting to note
hat top-n0trh price in those earlv
lays was not far from cents per pound
live weight which would 6ourc about
. or 10 cents per pound dressed, as
?Eainst the present price of 10 cents per
,ouud
The present methods of marketing
"outrv would indeed be a revelation to
o'd-time residents of this section of