248 Farm Poultry 



of soft food until the promise of clear weather is 

 near at hand. Experienced operators are not hin- 

 dered so much by improper light as are the inex- 

 perienced, yet all deem the brightest light desirable. 



The head-reflector used by physicians in per- 

 forming delicate operations upon the throat, is 

 used by some operators, and is found to work suc- 

 cessfully with artificial light. Expert operators 

 are enabled to work with the reflector with almost 

 as much .ease and satisfaction as in bright sunlight. 

 This reflector consists of a mirror fastened to the 

 head by a band in such a manner that the mirror 

 can be turned to any desired angle to throw the 

 light into the cavity, and to show the location of the 

 organs to be removed, as well as the place of the 

 near-by veins and arteries. 



When to make capons and the time to sell. 

 The production of capons for market should be 

 controlled largely by the market conditions. As 

 capons sell best from soon after Christmas until the 

 last of March or middle of April, they should be 

 ready for market at this time. It takes about ten 

 months to prepare properly a capon for market, and 

 they should not be put on the market when over 

 a year old. There is not much difference as to the 

 seasons of the year so far as the effects of the opera- 

 tion are concerned. Cockerels hatched in May 

 or June, especially of the early maturing varie- 

 ties, like Plymouth Rocks or Wyandottes ? or even 



