The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-11-11
Comes Back
TO City in
Fine Trim


KANSAS CITY, Mo-, Nov. IL
For that tired, jaded feeling, try
raising turkeys. That's the advice
of Mrs. S. r. Layton of this city.
Last spring Mrs. Layton was near
a nervous breakdown. AS the re-
suit of her work as a leading MEM
Der of the Athenaeum, women's
civic organization; committee chair
man of the Women's City Club, and
stanch church supporter, her
telephone rang almost constantly.
She had no time to rest.
In the midst of the social season
MRS. Layton, tired out, received an
offer from her sister, Mrs. A. E.
johnson, to go out to her farm and
raise turkeys.
Put Away Modish Dresses
''You do not make much money,
but you could have the summer
away from things which are driv-
ing you almost hysterical," Mrs.
johnson told her sister. Mrs. Lay
ton accepted.
She put away her modish dresses
and donned overalls and heavy
boots. She had her home telephone
disconnected. She sent word to all
of her club and church committees
4Iaf c1a vrya YOi17cr RI Ia ont IF Tho
city for the summer.
She paid 81 each for 583 baby
turkeys and turned them out into
a pasture on her sisters farm. Then
started a summer of great activity
in getting the young birds ready for
the Thanksgiving market.
Tired Easily at First
But even though the work was
hard, she enjoyed it, for it was diff
ferent from the trying, nerve
wracking social duties back in the
city.
At first Mrs. Layton tired easily,
but soon she was able to follow
her birds about the farm and along
the country roads. 1t became a
pleasure instead of a task.
About the time she had the birds
accustomed to the farm, a grass
hopper horde swept across the mid
west.
While these insects played havoc
with neighboring farms, the turkeys
kept them cleaned off the farm of
her sister. 1t wasn't long before
the neighbors were asking her to
drive her turkeys over their fields.
In this way, the turkeys got lot of
free meals.
Realizes Nice Profit
The price of 81 each for the tur-
keys seemed bit high to old hands
in the section, but Mrs. Layton
called attention to the fact that the
Matching of young turkeys is the
hardest part of rearing them for
market, and that she did not have
time when she started in the bust
ness to wait to get start by the
egg-laying and Matching route.
Despite the price paid for the
birds, however, Mrs. Layton will
realize quite nice profit from their
sale, she points out. She has sue
cessfully raised $50 out of the $50
birds.
BY Thanksgiving they will be
grown to their full size and weight
and will bring from 81 to SIS each,
she estimates.
Feed has cost about $3.50. Help
has cost about 5000. Figuring all
expenses, Mrs. Layton believes she
will gain between $500 and $1,7OO
on the sale of the birds.
Ready for City Again
Monetary gain, however, is not
the most profit Mrs Layton has re-
ceived from her experience on the
farm. She finds herself in excellent
health and with jaded nerves re-
stored to steadiness.
Now I feel fit for a winter of
activity in the city," she says.
Next summer hope to go into the
turkey-raiSing business more extern
Sively."
The remarkable thing about Mrs.
Layton's turkey venture is the large
proportion of the young turkeys
brought to maturity. This is at
tributed mostly to the close super
vision and care which farmwives.
with other tasks, ordinarily can not
give.