Cramming with Liquid Food. 
81 
who do not use it constantly there is some danger of tearing or scratching the membranes of the 
throat ; it is therefore an excellent plan to cover the end with india-rubber, which makes it very 
little larger — this precaution will avoid accidents which might produce disease. 
“All this is very simple, and I have only described it at length to make sure of being 
thoroughly understood, and because it is of the greatest importance. 
“ The prepared food is placed in a vessel from which it may be easily dipped out with a 
long-handled spoon ; then when all is ready we take the bird by the wings near the shoulders and 
place him with his head in front, between the knees, so as to hold him without hurting or stifling 
him. He will struggle a little the first few times, but will soon become accustomed to it. When 
he is quite quiet we place the right forefinger in the handle of the funnel, seize the fowl’s head 
with the left, and stretching his neck well out, open his beak with the help of the right hand still 
holding the funnel. 
“ When the beak is properly open we must manage to keep it so for a moment with only 
the left hand, and quickly introduce the funnel the whole length of the tube, taking care not to 
hurt the inside of the throat. 
“The left hand holds everything quite easily — the fowl’s head in the palm and the three last 
fingers, holding the funnel with the thumb and forefinger. 
“We then take the paste, with which we fill the funnel, except it should be too much at first, 
keeping the neck properly stretched out. We lay down the spoon with which we have taken uj 
the paste, and with the right hand hold the fowl’s crop until we feel that it is full, which we car. 
hasten by passing the hand over it a few times. Then we put the astonished bird down, and go 
on to another. 
“ The meals should be given regularly three times every twenty-four hours, eight hours between 
each feed — six a.m., two p.m., and at ten p.m. in town houses ; at four a.m., twelve noon, and eight 
p.m. on farms. 
“To facilitate the operation and avoid accidents of forgetfulness, and vain attempts which 
fatigue and irritate the fowls, proper accommodation must be provided according to the number ol 
birds to be fattened, consisting of two, three, or four open pens, in which there ought not to be 
more than ten together. These pens, raised from the ground, are placed in some quiet situation, 
in a stable or some other temperate place, protected from draughts, and there ought always to be 
an empty one to spare. When all is ready we cover the bottom of the empty pen with fresh straw 
and then proceed to the feeding business, passing every fowl as soon as filled into the empty pen. 
We continue thus until all are done, and the straw ought to be changed every day in each pen 
as soon as empty ; for good raisers, and especially those who raise for themselves, never leave the 
birds on the dirty straw, as it always imparts a bad flavour to the flesh. 
“ It is necessary to watch the birds carefully, and if a bird makes no progress, to kill it 
immediately. We must be careful also to select for this treatment only birds in good condition 
and healthy, for we should try it in vain upon weak fowls, who instead of fattening would only fall 
sick and die, without any profit to the raiser. The time taken for fatting is from fifteen to twenty 
days, according to the species and the individual birds ; a longer time only makes the fattened 
fowls grow thin again.’’ 
The fattening by means of food in a semi-liquid state appears to be coming more and more 
into favour in France, and machines for cramming with food so prepared have now been employed 
for years by the largest French feeders. They are considered to disturb and excite the fowls less, 
the whole meal being injected at one operation; and the time saved is very great. In all of them 
