The Aberdeen examiner. [volume] (Aberdeen, Miss.) 1866-current, 1922-08-11
+ I. + + + + + + + + + I. f. 4. 4. + +
+ TURKEY-RAISlNC IN THE 1.
+ PRAIRIE SECTION OF MON. +
+ ROE COUNTY, MISSISSIPPI. +
+ By T. l.. Word. i.
+ + + 1. I. i. + + r !. + t. + I. I. + +

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Embarrassing in the Pra; RE sec.
ton of Monroe county we find is
very profitable side-line. Now, some
are saying that turkeys are too much
trouble, that they destroy more crops
than they they are worth, my ne Oh
bors vii not allow them in his fields
and many other excuses. But |
think | can prove to you in this ar
ticle that turkeys are really ben
eft to crops. and, if conditions arr
favorable, and they are handled care
fully. they are SOME side-liae. Of
course, it is best to have a nice SIZE
farm to raise turkeys, for they Ik-
to rambla in search Of Cd, esueci L.
.ly so if YOU raise them In large nJm-
bers. But it is not necessary t. own
a large farm where your ne,ghbois
are raising them also, and they UNI
derstaud the small per cent of dam
age they do crops,
This part of Monroe County whera
we live is not strictly prairie sec
ton. We have a great deal of black
prairie land which has an abundance
of lime, which is required in the
growing of large, healthy turkeys.
The prairie lands also grow a great
variety of grasses, oats, wheat, re
alfalfa, soy beans, etc, that turkeys
eat. and thrive on. They do exceed
ingly well on soy beans when the
begin to pop out in the fall. We plant
them in corn, chiefly, for the turkeys.
| need not speak of the benei. they
derive from oats, rye, and alfal a
the year around, as well as on any
other winter crops, such as cl9vers
all of which do well here. We have
the oak ridges that afford nearly
every year an abundance of acorns
These acorns begin falling n the early
fall, and as the leaves fall, they cover
the acorns, and the turkeys scratch
for them all winter On these OAK
ridges, we have a great many Will
berry bushes, and during the berry
season, young turkeys do well on
these. After the berries are gone, they
make for the fields, where thy e {
millions Of grass hoppers, worms and
insects Of all k'uds-bOll weevils in
Guided ! believe that turkeys are the
best boil Weevll deStrOyers of all TIE
fowls. have watched them, 100
strong and more scatter out aero $ a
cotton field, giving each plant Gloss
inspection, as they pass; and when
they spy weev. they are sure to
ret him. They nave also been seen
eating the fallen cotton squares.
Think Of the inse Is they destroy in a
day In 1920, May and June corn
suffered a great deal from worms
noticed a decided difference in parts
of my fields where the turkeys had
roamed, than where they didn't. They
DO scarcely no damage at all to the
corn in the field where the ears are
waist high and up; they get some of
the fallen corn, but that would rot
anyway, if there is much rain.
| Turkeys require the most attention
the first two months, especially if
there ic rainy weather at this tine.
They are very delicate while young,
and, of course, require some atten-
tion-but what can we gain in any,
thing without trouble. The best at
tentlon you can give them at that
time is not too good, if one intends to
succeed.
/ The turkey market has been good
for the last few years, and | feel
sure it will remain so, for the official
reports show that turkey-raising is
! decreasing, taking the country as a
whole. The market is always good in
season. There are two reasons for
this decrease. First, the country is
becoming more thickly settled, all the
time. Texas ranges are being cut up
: into small farms, and Texas is not
raising the turkeys as heretofore.
Second, the large per cent of the
young that die each year from chol-
era and black-head mot sore-head)
and other troubles in all sections of
the turkey-raising territory. These
diseases are easily prevented if the
remedy is used in time, and can be
controlled if the weather is clear. Ii
Is very hard to combat diseases in
rainy weather. | predict that it will
not be long until some smart man will
make serum to vaccinate turkeys
4 against cholera and DlaCk-head