234 THE POULTRY-BOOK. 



young, is emasculated, a remarkable change takes place in 

 him. His natural fierceness is quelled ; he becomes placid 

 and peaceful ; his pugnacity has deserted him ; he no longer 

 seeks the company of the hens ; he grows to a far larger size 

 than he otherwise would have done ; he acquires flesh with 

 far greater rapidity, and that flesh is peculiarly white, firm, 

 and succulent, and even the fat is perfectly destitute of rankness. 

 To these advantages another may, perhaps, be added viz., 

 the capon may, by a little management, be converted into an 

 admirable nurse. 



" The art of making capons has been practised," says Dick- 

 son, " from the earliest antiquity, in Greece, India, and China, 

 for the purpose of improving the flesh of birds for the table, in 

 tenderness, juiciness, and flavor. In England, it is chiefly 

 practised in the great poultry-breeding districts of Sussex, 

 Essex, and Berks, and is not so well understood in other parts 

 of the country. There are individuals, indeed, who make a 

 trade of it, and it is best to employ one of those, when they can 

 be had. 



Various methods are used in performing the operation. 

 The Chinese mode, as detailed by Dickson, is as follows : 



" The Chinese, who are very expert in the art of making 

 capons, use the following method. The wings of the fowl 

 being folded back till they meet, the left foot of the operator is 

 placed on them, the fowl being laid on its left side ; the great 

 toe of the right foot is placed on its legs. The feathers are 

 then plucked off by the side ; an incision, about an inch in 

 length, commencing about an inch from the back-bone, and 

 extending obliquely downwards, is then scooped out. The 

 other stone is removed in the same manner. No blood issues 

 from the spermatic cords, nor does the animal seem to feel any 

 pain. The hooks are then removed, the wound is closed, the 

 feathers which had been plucked off are stuck upon the wound 



