256 CAPONISIMG FOWL?. 



age of from two to three months is considered prefer- 

 able. If possible, it should be done before July, as it 

 has been remarked that capons made later than this, 

 never prove so fine. 



COCKEREL CONFINED FOR CAPONISING. 



All things being in readiness, the first step to be 

 taken is to confine the fowl to a table or board by lay- 

 ing him with the left side downward, the wings 

 drawn behind the rump, the legs extended backward 

 with the upper one furthest drawn out, and the head 

 and neck left perfectly free, as denoted in the above 

 cut. The feathers are next to be plucked from the 

 right side, near the hip joint, on a line with, and be- 

 tween, the joint of the shoulder, as at a. The space 

 uncovered, may be from an inch to an inch and a half 

 in diameter, according to -"he size of the bird. 



After drawing the skin off the part, backward, so 

 that, when left to itself when the operation is com- 

 pleted, it will cover the wound in the flesh, make an 

 incision with the bevel-edged knife, at the end of the 

 forceps, between the last two ribs, commencing about 

 an inch from the backbone, and extending it obliquely 

 downward, from an inch to an inch and a half, just 

 cutting deep enough to separate the ribs, taking duo 

 care not to wound the intestines. 



