SUCCESS "WITH POULTR"? 



99 



Capons Dressed for Maricet. 



As to the style of dressing, the feathers are left on the 

 wings up to second joint, the head and hackle feathers, also 

 on legs half way up to drumsticks, all the tail feathers, in- 

 cluding those a little way up the back and the long feathers 

 on hips close to tail. These feathers add greatly to ap- 

 pearance of the bird when dressed, and are also a ready" 

 marker from other fowl in markets. Never cut the head 

 off, as this is a distinguishing feature of the bird. A capon 

 may readily be identified among a thousand cockerels, as 

 the comb and wattles cease to grow immediately after capon- 

 izing is - performed. Wash head and mouth well with cold 

 water, being careful to remove all blood. .A capon should 

 rot be torn in plucking. There isn o danger of this hap- 

 pening if proper care be taken. Place the plucked fowl back 

 downwards in the box frame already described. Cut care- 

 fully around the vent and pull out the interstines. These 

 will be found covered with fat, which, as they are pulled 

 out, should be pushed back. When the' end of the intestines 

 is reached, insert your finger and break this off, leaving 

 everything else in. As may be expected the fat will be 

 found very heavy around the opening, and if slightly turned 

 outward will soon become hard, which will give a rich ap- 

 pearance in this portion of the bird. Let the birds hang in 

 a clean, cool place until thoroughly cold. For packing use a 

 new box of the required size, lined with white paper (a>ny 

 good, clean paper will do). Pack the birds in solid, back 

 up being careful not to bruise them. Your birds are then 

 ready for market. With a bird not torn and the feathers 

 properly left on, you have a fowl which for inviting and 

 "taking" appearance it is impossible to equal. 



A "slip" is neither capon nor cockerel. He is much 

 inferior to the former and a great deal worse than the lat- 

 ter. The "slip" is caused by not entirely removing the tes- 

 ticles; The smallest fraction left in the bird will grow 

 again with no benefit to the fowl. 



Our first advice .would be, "Keep cool and make haste 

 slowly." If you are rather tender-hearted, read tie diree- 



tons over carefully and 

 then try your hand on a 

 dead fowl. All surgeons 

 do this in the first place, 

 and probably it would bo 

 as well for you to follow 

 their example. Have plen- 

 ty of light. It is impossi- 

 ble to properly perform 

 the operation unless you 

 have this. After your 

 first performance of cap- 

 onizing you will be sur- 

 prised at its simplicity. 

 Always keep your instru- 

 ments in perfect order. 

 Before using the indfe 

 see that the edge is sharp 

 and that he other toois 

 are as they should be. 

 After beginning the oper- 

 ation of oaponizing there 

 should be nothing to hin- 

 der you from going right 

 ahead. 



MABKETS FOB CAPONS. 



Open Letters from Leading Commission Men Treating on the 

 Capon Season, the Prices Obtainable, the Weight in De- 

 mand, Killing, -Dressing, Etc. Best Breeds and 

 Crosses for Capons — Suggestions for Feeding, 

 Fattening and General Care. 



With a view to securing reliable and timely information, 

 ' ' from headquarters, ' ' regarding the season for marketing 

 capons, the prices obtainable, how to kiU, dress, etc., we ad- 

 dressed letters of inquiry to several leading dealers in poul- 

 try and eggs in different cities. 



We reproduce herewith cuts of capons, taken at Selby 

 Poultry Co. 's killing and dressing plant of Quiney, 111.; show- 

 ing just how this class of poultry should be dressed for this 

 market. You will notice that the feathers are left on the neck, 

 legs, wings and rump, and also that the tail feathers are left 

 on. Otherwise capons should be dressed for market the same 

 as other fowls, except that they should be dry picked, as it 

 would be impossible to scald them and leave part of the 

 feathers on, and if they are scalded the same as other chick- 

 ens, they will not bring any more than the price of common 

 fowls, for they are distinguished more by the way they are 

 picked than in any other manner. All other chickens sell 

 bettor in the' market scalded, w'hile turkeys sell best dry 

 picked. 



Capons are in -the best demand from the first of Novem- 

 ber until the first of May. The highest prices are generally 

 obtained from January to May. For the last year or two 

 there have been a great many common roosters dressed in 

 capon style and sent to this market, which has hurt the 

 capon trade some, but still good capons always bring a good 

 price. The larger the birds are, the more they will bring 

 per pound. Birds that weigh less than seven pounds each 

 will not bring any more than common chickens, as a rule. 

 Each year the call in this market for genuine, large capons 



