ESSENTIAL PREPARATIONS. 29 
is two or three hours high, and the sky nearly or 
entirely cloudless, the operation may begin. The 
expert can manage to get along without much direct 
sunlight, but the light cannot be too good for the 
beginner. A clear day is absolutely necessary for a 
first trial, and if the day should be dark, the cock- 
erels may be given a very small quantity of soft 
food, to carry them over to the next (supposedly 
clear) day. Artificial light, with reflectors, etc., as 
used by some experimenters, is not available for the 
ordinary farmer and beginner in caponizing, and 
not needed on an average fair day. 
Set the caponizing table in a convenient spot and 
in direct sunlight, or on aclear, hot day of midsum- 
mer perhaps, under the rather open branches of some 
solitary tree, the foliage of which permits the pas- 
sage of occasional rays of sun, giving aslightly sub- 
dued or modified but direct sunlight. 
In all these things, of course, the judgment of the 
operator should be consulted. 
Spread the tools out on the cleat-enclosed part of 
the table On another table, stand, barrel or box, 
close by, have a dish with warm water seasoned 
with a few drops of carbclic acid, also a larger piece 
and half a dozen small pieces of-sponge. The latter 
may be of about the size of robins’ eggs or hickory 
nuts. 
Now pick out the first victim. Let it be a rather 
lean bird, weighing not more than two pounds, nor 
much less. Twist or wind the twine 
Securing the Joop around the wings close to the body, 
"and standing in front of the table, with 
the cleat-inclosed end to the right, fasten your vic- 
