196 THE FARM. 



pert; but don't believe it. We once wrote out the directions for caponizing, 

 and sent them to a lady who was anxious to know how to perform the opera- 

 tion. With the written directions before her, she first operated on some 

 half-dozen of cockerels that had been killed for table use, and then tiied her 

 hand on the living birds, with excellent success. In three daj's, besides 

 doing her usual housework, she caponized 162 cockerels, and only three of 

 them iied from the eifects of the operation. 



If you live near any one who understands caponizing, and is willing to 

 teach others, go and learn how, but if you cannot do that, go and get a set 

 of instruments and teach yourself. A set of caponizing instruments consists 

 of a pointed hook, a steel splint with a broad, flat hook at each end, a pair 

 of tweezers, and a pair of crooked concave forceps. In the first place, kill a 

 young cockerel and examine it carefully, so that you will be able to tell the 

 exact position of the organs to be removed. You will find them within the 

 cavity of the abdomen, attached to the back, one on each side of the spine. 

 They are light colored, and the size vai-ies with the age and breed. 



After you have " located" the parts to be removed, practice the opera- 

 tion on chickens that have been killed, until you are sure that you can oper- 

 ate quickly and safely; then you may try your hand on the living birds. 

 Place the bird on its left side in a rack that will hold it firmly in position 

 without injuring it, or else draw the wings back and fasten them with a broad 

 atrip of cloth; draw the legs back and tie them with another strip; then let 

 the attendant hold the fowl firmly on the table, one hand on the wings and 

 head, the other on the legs, while you perform the operation. Eemove the 

 feathers from a spot a little larger than a silver dollar, at the point near th( 

 jiip, upon the line between the thigh and shoulder. Draw the skin back- 

 ward, hold it firm wlule you make a clean cut an inch and a half long be- 

 iween the last two ribs, and lastly through the thin membrane that lines the 

 abdominal cavity. In making the last cut, take care and not injure the in- 

 testines. Now take the splint and separate the ribs by attaching one of the 

 hooks to each rib, and then allowing the splint to spread; push the intestines 

 away with a teaspoon handle, find the testicles; take hold of the membrane 

 that covers them and hold it with the tweezers; tear it open with the hook; 

 grasp the spermatic cord with the tweezers, and then twist off the testicle 

 with the forceps. Eemove the other in the same way. The left testicle is 

 usually a little farther back than that on the right, and should be removed 

 first. Dixring the operation take care not to injure the intestines, or rupture 

 the large blood vessels attached to the organs removed. The operation 

 completed, take out the splint, allow the skin to resume its place, stick on 

 some of the feathers that were removed, which will absorb the blood and 

 cover the wound; give plenty of di'ink, but feed sparingly on soft cooked 

 food for a few days, or until they begin to move around pretty lively. 



To prepare cockerels for caponizing, shut them up ■without food or drink 

 for twenty-four hours previous to the operation, for if the intestines are full 

 the operation will be more difficult and dangerous. Cockerels that are in- 

 tended for capons should be operated upon between three and four months 

 of age. Cockerels of any breed may be caponized, but of course the larger 

 breeds are the best. A cross between the Light Brahmas and Partridge 

 Cochins will produce extra largo cockerels for capons, but only the first 

 cross is desirable. Capons grow fully one-thirtl larger than the ordinary 

 male fowl of the same age and breed. Their flesh is more delicate and juicy, 

 and they command prices, from thirty to fifty per cent, liigher than common 

 poultry, but outside the largest cities tliere is no market for thom, 



