244 Farm Poultry 



ally on other classes of farm stock, and the pain 

 is probably less than in those cases. 



That capons are regularly quoted in markets 

 of many cities shows that there is sufficient demand 

 for them to warrant poultrymen in giving consider- 

 able attention to their production, particularly 

 if they are so situated that fowls which would other- 

 wise bring low prices can be turned to this use to 

 a good advantage. The regular quotations also 

 indicate .that a considerable number of poultrymen 

 find capon rearing a fairly profitable branch of the 

 poultry business. Were this not true, poultrymen 

 would cease to rear them and their presence in the 

 markets of so friany cities would be unknown. 



It is not difficult to learn how to perform success- 

 fully the operation of caponizing fowls of the proper 

 age, but some persons are naturally more deft in 

 finger manipulation than others and are able to 

 perform delicate operations neatly and rapidly. 

 In districts in which large numbers of capons are 

 reared, professionals are usually engaged by capon 

 rearers to perform operations on large numbers of 

 fowls at one time. They go about the country 

 doing the work more satisfactorily and more rapidly 

 than the owners could do it for themselves, and, as 

 they have become so expert, they are enabled to 

 perform the operation for a very small sum and still 

 make good wages. From two to four cents per head 

 usually pays for a skilful operator. Any one who is 



