KILLING AND SHAPING. 91 



"the soul." We were recently told by a Gloucester- 

 shire farmer that excellent fowls sent up to London 

 could not be sold so well as Sussex birds, though of 

 equal quality, simply because they were not shaped 

 properly. 



Although French systems of shaping are practically 

 unknown in this country, it is desirable to refer to 

 them, as for the finer qualities of fowls we think they 

 might be adopted in many cases with advantage. The 

 first is that most common in Prance. In this case a 

 board, from 15 to 18 inches in length and 5 to 8 inches 

 wide (Fig. 16), in accordance with the size of the fowl, 

 is used. At either side of this board, which is usually 

 1 inch thick, are driven four pegs at equal distances. 

 When the bird is killed it is quickly plucked, and the 

 head, legs, and inner bowel most carefuUy washed. It 

 is then laid breast downwards on the board, and the 

 back pressed in with the hand, causing the ribs to 

 crack slightly and loosening the breast muscles. 

 When this is done the fowl does not again return 

 to its normal shape, and the meat being forced up on 

 to the breast of the fowl, gives that flat appearance 

 which is so desirable. The hocks have already been 

 tied with the wings through them. When placed in 

 position upon the board the rump and crop are sup- 

 ported by pads of stout paper, or small blocks of 

 wood, covered with cloth, in order to keep the fowl 

 level. A strong linen cloth (Fig. 17), which is some- 

 times first dipped in milk, and is the length of the 

 bird's body, is very tightly drawn over the back, and 

 the four tapes on either side, provided for the purpose, 

 are tightly attached to the pegs of wood, the head and 



