A SELF-SUPPORTING HOME 



no poultry farm, properly so called, was 

 complete without capons and the means to 

 fatten the birds artificially. His arguments 

 were so convincing, that $50 were de- 

 spatched to England for a machine to do 

 the stuffing. Caponizing instruments were 

 bought, and my first lesson was taken on a 

 dead cockerel. That seemed only a little 

 worse than drawing a bird for table use. 

 My English friend assured me that I would 

 think nothing of dissecting a live bird when 

 used to it. The next day he picked out six 

 cockerels, each about three months old, and 

 had them brought over to the feed house. 

 The day before a small table had been sent 

 over and prepared for the proceeding; one 

 must be able to move the birds wherever 

 the light is at its best. 



The fowl surgeon took one of the two pieces 

 of cord, which had been expressly prepared 

 with a slip-knot at one end and a weight at 

 the other. Slipping the loop twice over the 

 bird's feet, he placed it on its left side on the 



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