30 CAPONS FOR PROFIT. 
tim on his left side upon the table, as shown in Fig. 
11. Next tothe hip, and where, in a lean bird, the 
Fig. 11. Brrp READY FOR OPERATION. 
ribs show quite plainly, you find a spot which, be- 
cause usually covered by the wings, is almost bare. 
There may bea dozen or two of pin feathers. These 
should be pulled out. Take hold of them between 
thumb and index finger, not one by one, but as 
many as you can take, and deftly pull them out. 
Don’t be nervous. Goatit asif you meant business. 
If you are quick and determined about it, the re- 
moval of these small feathers does not cause much 
inconvenience to the bird, for the latter never makes 
any fuss over it. The spot thus cleared need not be 
more than one and one-half inches in diameter. 
At this stage of the proceedings I take the sponge 
out of the water, squeeze most of the water out of 
it, and then wipe it over the chicken’s side. This is 
not absolutely necessary, butit moistens the feathers 
around the bare spot, and keeps them better out of 
the way. 
Now comes the incision. The right place to cut 
is between the last two ribs; that is, the two ribs 
next to the hip. In a lean chicken they are easily 
recognized, and often they are very prominent. 
They extend from the back-bone for an inch and a 
