CAPON. 



CAPON. 



backwards and forwards, and at the same time 

 pushing the lower end of the tube towards the 

 rump of the chicken, the cord or fastening of 

 the testicle is sawn off. The same process is 

 to be followed with the uppermost or right 

 testicle, after which the separated testicles, 

 together with any blood in the bottom of the 

 wound are*to be scooped out with the crooked 

 spoon. When performed properly, little or no 

 blood of consequence is observed, neither does 

 the fowl seem to experience any pain, after the 

 first incision, but will eat if food be given to 

 it. To enable the operator to produce the 

 sawing movement, the hair or other ligature 

 used may be tied in a knot so as to allow the 

 index or fore finger of the operator's right 

 hand to pass through it. This finger being 

 then turned or rolled repeatedly from side to 

 side, communicates to the loop below the saw- 

 ing motion which contributes to cut off the 

 testicle. The reason for cutting off the lower- 

 most testicle first, is to prevent the blood which 

 may issue, from covering the remaining one, 

 and rendering it difficult to be seen. After 

 this operation which, if skilfully performed, 

 occupies very few minutes, the hooks are to 

 be taken out, the skin drawn over the wound, 

 and this covered with the feathers plucked off 

 at the commencement of the operation.- The 

 chicken is then released, and as soon as let go 

 will take grain or other food eagerly, and in a 

 day or two be restored to its usual health. A 

 person well skilled may operate on fifty 

 chickens without killing more than one or two. 



In some fowls the fore part of the thigh 

 covers the last two ribs ; in which case care 

 must be taken to draw the fleshy part of the 

 thigh well back, to prevent its being cut, as this 

 might lame the fowl or even cause its death. 



For ligatures nothing answers so well as 

 that commonly employed by the Chinese, 

 namely, the fibre of the cocoanut husk. This 

 is rough, and makes a loop which saws off and 

 separates the testicle very readily. The next 

 best substance for this purpose is horse-hair. 

 Experiments with fine wire, silk, silk-gut, &c. 

 show that these are all inferior to cocoanut 

 fibre and horse-hair. 



Sometimes a portion of the testicle adheres 

 and is left behind, in which case the fowls will 

 not prove capons, as will soon be evident, and 

 may be killed for use as soon as the head be- 

 gins to grow large and get red, and they show 

 a disposition to chase the hens. The real 

 capon will make itself known by the head 

 remaining small, the comb and gills losing 

 their bright redness and appearing withered; 

 the feathers of the neck and tail will also 

 grow longer. They should be kept to the age 

 of fifteen or eighteen months, which will bring 

 them in the spring and summer, when poultry 

 is scarce and bears a high price. But they 

 should not be killed near moulting time, as 

 all poultry then is very inferior. The opera- 

 tion fails principally in consequence of the 

 bursting of the skin which encloses the soft 



alter of the testicle, some of which remains 

 n the bird. 



Fowls of five or six months are less liable 

 to have the testicles burst in the operation than 

 260 4 



younger ones, but they are also more apt to 

 bleed to death than those of from two to four 

 months old. As the large vessel that supplies 

 the entrails with blood passes in the neighbour- 

 hood of the. testicles; there is danger that a 

 young beginner may pierce this with the 

 pointed instrument in taking off the skin of 

 the lower testicle, in which case the chicken 

 would die instantly. There are one or two 

 smaller vessels to be avoided, which is very 

 easy, as they are not difficult to be seen. If 

 properly managed, no blood ever appears 

 until a testicle is taken off: so that should any 

 appear before that, the operator will know that 

 he has done something wrong. 



If a chicken die during the operation by 

 bleeding, it is of course as proper for use as 

 if bled to death by having its throat cut. They 

 very seldom, die after the operation unless they 

 have received some internal injury, or the flesh 

 of the thigh has been cut through, from not 

 being drawn back from off the last two ribs, 

 where the incision is made ; all of which acci- 

 dents may be liable to occur with young prac- 

 titioners. 



Where the testicles are found very large, the 

 silver tube may be too small for the opera- 

 tion ; in this case a larger one made of small 

 bamboo or elder, about |ths of an inch in dia- 

 meter, may be substituted, with a strong cocoa- 

 nut string or ligature. But for chickens of 

 small and medium sizes, the silver tube, with 

 a horse-hair in it, will answer perfectly well. 



When a chicken has been cut, it is neces- 

 sary, before letting it run, to put a permanent 

 mark upon it; otherwise it would be impossi- 

 ble to distinguish it at first from others not ope- 

 rated on. Cutting off the outside or the inside, 

 toe of the left foot, will enable one to distin- 

 guish them at a distance. Another mode is to 

 cut off the comb, then shave off the spurs 

 close to the leg, and stick them upon the bleed- 

 ing head, where they will grow and become 

 ornamental in the shape of a pair of horns. 

 This last mode is perhaps the best, but it is 

 not so simple and ready as the first. Which- 

 ever plan is adopted, the fowl should be marked 

 before performing the operation. 



It is very common, after the operation, and 

 whilst the wound is healing, for the side to puff 

 out with a windy swelling. This may be re- 

 lieved by making a small incision or puncture 

 in the skin, which will let the wind escape. 



Those fowls make the finest capons which 

 are hatched early in the spring ; as they can 

 be cut before the hot weather comes, which is 

 a great advantage. 



The operator should not be discouraged with 

 the first difficulties; for with practice they will 

 disappear; every year's experience will render 

 one more expert, until the cutting of a dozen 

 fowls before breakfast will be a small matter. 



It may be well to give a warning against 

 becoming dissatisfied with the instruments. A 

 raw hand, when he meets with difficulties, is 

 apt to think the tools are in fault, and sets about 

 to improve them and invent others; but it may 

 be only himself that lacks skill, which practice 

 alone can give. Those who have devoted 

 much time and attention to the subject say 



