New York AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. 969 | 
Average Results from Several Lots of Capons. 
The average results from the eight lots of capons for which 
records were kept during the longest time, are arranged in the 
form of the accompanying chart as a convenient way of showing 
them. (See chart V, opposite.) 
It will be observed that at no time did the per cent. of market 
value represented by the total cost of food (and hatching) fall 
below that of chicks at broiler age. Although the total vost per 
fowls for food increased more rapidly than the weight, the actual 
excess in cents of the market value over the cost also increased 
rapidly and quite regularly, so that the greatest difference in 
amount per fowl occurred at the higher weights, although the 
per cent. excess over cost for food was less. 
The total cost per pound live weight was lowcst at about four 
- pounds average weight and increased thereafter with the weight. 
-The lines showing the increase in total cost per fowi and change 
in cost per pound live weight would be less irreeulur if only the 
results from fowls which naturally attain the higher weights were 
averaged. The breaks in the gradual curves of these lines are 
caused by dropping at certain weights from the averages the 
results from those fowls which normally will not reach the higher 
weights given except by very slow and unprofitable increase. 
General Observations. 
While capons continue to command so much higher prices than 
the average of poultry of the same weights it will probably be 
found more profitable to caponize surplus cockerels of the larger 
breeds after the high broiler prices of spring and early summer 
have dropped— especially where cheap food is available. Wits 
the fancier, of course, whose time is occupied in the productioy 
of breeding and exhibition stock, the earlier the surplus chicks 
are disposed of, the better. hs | 
The labor required in feeding capons is less than with young 
chicks. The cost of caponizing is small where expert services 
can be obtained and an expert should be employed where possible. 
The methods of operation can be learned from the printed instruc- 
tions accompanying several of the different sets of instruments 
- advertised and sold, but anyone endeavoring to teach himself 
