70 FARMING FOR LADIES. [chap. hi. 



to fatten, many of this breed, both male and 

 female, are deprived of their powers of pro- 

 creation, both to improve their weight and 

 flavour ; for having then nothing to do but 

 eat, drink, and sleep, they grow to a much 

 larger size, and their flesh becomes more 

 delicate, than when left in a state of nature. 

 So much, indeed, is their weight increased, 

 that a gentleman whom we could name, in 

 Surrey, lately made a bet that he would 

 bring a cock which had been thus treated — 

 and which was bred from a cross between a 

 Dorking and a Malay fowl — to the weight of 

 fifteen pounds ; and only lost it by a few 

 ounces. They have, however, been grown to 

 still greater weight ; and the practice is so old 

 as to be mentioned in some of the ancient 

 Roman authors ; but the average of the pure 

 Dorking, when thus operated upon, does not 

 exceed six or eight pounds. 



When reduced to this condition, the emas- 

 culated cock is called a " Capon ;" and the 

 hen, being prevented from perfecting the germe 

 of those eggs which are found in her ovary, is 

 termed a " Poularder Throughout France 

 fowls are constantly caponed by the farmers' 



