The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1924-03-03
ADVANTAGE IN
TURKEY CROP
ISHELD GREAT
Quick Turnover and Cheap
Investment Necessary, Are
Determining Factors
WHAT VISITOR FOUND


on turkey raising in North Da-
kota.
one Of the advantages about rails.
ing turkeys in North Dakota, viii Oh
conmcnds itself 10 the farmer who is
trying 10 get away from the single
crop system, is the sNall initial in.
ves went that is involved. Another
advantage j. quick turnover. Even
though no attempt is made to go into
turkeys extensively, the results are
nearly unbelievable in many instan-
c,,. Even small florks buy the cloth
ing and pay the grocery bills Of
many families.
Il like TO raise turkeys, said ono
farmer to a Northern Pacific repre-
sentative. because | know when be-
gin to work in the spring that ] will
have returns in the fall or within "A
lines require considerable cXpendi-
lures for buildings, equipment, etc,
but turkey raising does not
There are certain things which
turkey producers have to combat in
every state. In some localities the
most serious menace is thicving ami
mails. Elsewhere it may be poultry
disease. Many farmers in North
Dakota are clearing neat profits in
spite of both.
Close ncighbors and too many Of
them do not always 20 well with en-
tensive turkey raising and North
Dakota farmers, for the most part.
do not have this situation 10 con
tend with, which gives them an adj
ditional advantage.
Three Years Experience
All these points are illustrated by
the experience of ID. S. Wilkinson of
Rugby. n. ID. during the last three
years.
In 1921, Mr.. Wilkinson began his
turkey flock from nucleus of two
hens and one tom. In 1929 he raised
has over 100 birds left.
The first year he raised 80 turkeys
and l59 the second year. Out of his
1928 flock he retained 10 from which
he expects to produce | 900 turkeys in
1924 and he still has 36 fowls to
sell.
Last year the net proceeds from
other products on my 320-acrc farm
could not begin to compare with my
income from the turkey flock, said
Mr.. Wilkinson.
Careful Packing Pays
Part of the results obtained By
Mr. Wilkinson have been due to his
methods of dressing, packing and
shipping. He ships in boxes, II fowls
to the box. The boxes ne makes in
two sizes out of half-inch boards. A
size II by ii by 80 inches is re.
CURED to properly hold a dozen r.
pound birds and for birds which av.
erage l6 pounds, a size l6 by lG b!
36 inches is required.
Each box is carefully lined with
heavy wrapping paper and the fowls
arc packed into the boxes in two tiers
of six birds each The heads are neatly
wrapped in paper napkins and care is
taken to see that every fowl is free
from bruises and otherwise in good
condition when packed. A card bear.
ing the name of the producer, the
number of fowls and the avcrag.
weight of each Is enclosed in each
box.
While Delaware and Maryland tur.
keys were selling on the market 70,
80 to 40 cents per pound, Mr.. Wiki
inson received AZ cents and he as.
cribcs the better price largely to his
method of shipping. One dozen fowls
which he shipped brought net price
of $1.25 more apiece on the New
York market than could have been
obtained on the Chicago market
which he declares indicates thai
North Dakota turkey growers can sci
profitably ON the New York market
i'll spite of the distance.
To raise 1000 turkeys this year
Mr.. Wilkinson has leased 320-acro
place adjoining his farm. In doing
this he has eliminated the possibility
of having very close neighbors ant
his flock will have a wide range
without giving trouble.
Turkeys and Wheat
1T has been the experience of Al.
fred Malmberg of route I, Crookston
Mimi, that good turkey almost
equals an acre of wheat for net pro.
fit. He expressed this opinion to /;
Northern Pacific writer.
The Malmberg farm is 800 acres
and the principal crops in the past
have. been wheat and corn. Some
dairying is done and this in connec.
ton with turkey and poultry raising
composes part of the diversificatior
program.
Only a few of the turkeys produced
are sold on the market. The bulE
of the flock is sold for breeding
Toms bring prices ranging from 81!
to $25 while hens for a minimum oil
$40. Just now, Mr.. Malmberg said
the demand for breeding STOCK
throughout the Northwest is very
heavy and he is experiencing no diff
ficulty in making ready sales.
Scrub cockerels would probably
reach weight of around Is pounds
at Thanksgiving" he said. We'll breo
birds with proper care frequentl!
weigh as high as 80 pounds b!
Thanksgiving and attain at least q
pounds. The extra pounds in weight
secured through good breeding is
the difference between producing
turkeys at a loss and producing them
at a very satisfactory profit