This section is from the book "Philadelphia Cook Book: A Manual Of Home Economies", by Sarah Tyson Heston Rorer. Also available from Amazon: Philadelphia Cook Book.
In winter game may be kept two weeks without spoiling or iosing one particle of its natural flavor, if it has not been packed and shipped. As our Eastern cities are supplied from the Western States, it is necessary that they should be packed for shipment, which causes fermentation, even if the weather is very cold.
Do not pick them, but make a small opening under the rump just large enough to take out the entrails, which do as carefully as possible, without breaking the gall. If you should be so unfortunate as to break it, pick the bird, wash it, and use immediately; it will not keep. Birds may be hung up by the feet in a cold, dry place for one or two weeks, until the feathers come out easily.
 
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