CAPONS 391 
time; sweeter meat of finer flavor; a much higher selling price; a 
lower cost, due to ease of fattening; a more docile disposition and 
better endurance of close confinement; can be used when desired 
for hovering young chicks, 
During the same period of growth it is possible to produce 
capons which will weigh one-half more than they would normally 
weigh. A cockerel of the American breeds at eight months of age 
will weigh from four to five pounds. The same bird, if caponized 
when about twelve weeks old, can easily be made to weigh from 
six to eight pounds at eight months, and at the same time the 
flesh of the capon will be more tender, of finer texture, and of 
superior flavor. True capon flesh is much sweeter than that from 
the cockerel of the same age. The term ‘ Philadelphia capon ” 
is familiar to everybody connected with the industry, or who 
appreciates excellent quality in chicken flesh. At marketing 
time, or eight months of age, the capon will command on the 
market from twenty-two to thirty cents a pound, according to 
the season, while the cockerel would bring only from thirteen to 
twenty-five cents. These differences vary considerably through- 
out the year, the highest capon prices being during the holidays. 
The cost of feeding the capon during the eight-months’ period 
will have been much less than that for the cockerel, due to the 
fact that more of the feed consumed is stored up in the body as 
flesh, and less converted into energy. After caponizing, the dis- 
position is modified: The birds become more quiet and gentle, 
endure close confinement quite well, and lose inclination to fly 
over obstacles, or to quarrel and fight one another. 
When desired, the capon can be used in colony houses during 
the early spring to hover and furnish heat for chicks as they are 
put on the range. The capon develops such a maternal instinct 
that he will protect and care for the young chicks. 
The greatly enhanced value, resulting from sucn a simple 
operation, is a good reason why more capons should be produced. 
Another reason is that the markets throughout the country are 
but sparingly supplied with capons, and the demand for them 
from lovers of delicate poultry meat is great. In many European 
countries few, if any, surplus cockerels are allowed to reach ma- 
turity as cockerels, but they are caponized and converted into a 
high-grade and greatly demanded table luxury. France is noted 
for the high quality of her poultry meat. The time will doubt- 
less come when the poultryman will find it difficult to dispose 
