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New York AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. 237 
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February, at which time the birds are so nearly mature and the 
growth becomes so slow that it is only a question, of holding them 
longer or not for higher prices. | 
_ In the feeding trials skim-milk has been as profitably fed to 
capons as to young chicks. With every lot, sweet skim-milk has 
been fed during nearly all the time in place of water and has .nuch 
of the time constituted about sixty per cent. of the total food. Of 
the water free substance consumed the skim-milk has supplied 
from nine to nineteen per cent., generally from twelve to fifteen 
per cent. 
During the fall of 1891 and winter following, two lots of capons 
were fed for periods of several months and several smaller lots for 
shorter periods of from four to six weeks. Record of feeding was 
not begun with these birds until after they had been caponized 
and recovered from the operation. During last fall and winter 
four lots of capons and also one lot of cockerels were fed for periods 
of five months. These records of feeding include the time at 
which the birds were caponized and account for any loss of weight | 
or smaller gain during certain periods in consequence. 
Fowls of several breeds and a few crosses, have beén used: 
Light Brahma, Buff Cochin, Plymouth Rock, Black Langshan, 
Indian Game, Indian Game.— Light Brahma cross, Indian Game--- 
Buff Cochin cross and W. P. Rock — Black Minorca cross. . 
The cockerels were caponized at an average weight of 3.8 
pounds. The average weight of those caponized at smallest size 
(B. P. Rocks) was 2.7 pounds, and of those at largest (the Light 
4 Brahma) 4.8 pounds, when the operation was performed. While 
the former recovered from the operation much more rapidly, 
the latter made, after recovery, much the more rapid and profitable 
growth. 
The average loss in weight from the thirty-six hours’ fasting 
and operation was 11.2 per cent. Within five days thereafter the 
birds had generally recovered the weight lost, so that seven days | 
from the time of the removal found the cockerels back in the pen 
as capons at the same weight (the average showed a slight increase 
of three-tenths per cent.) with but the additional cost for food of 
that consumed during the five days. 
