Caponizing.

Capons are easily kept and fattened; they grow very large, and the flesh keeps tender till they are eighteen months old.

They will rear chickens if they are put in a coop at night, and the chickens put under them.

About four months is the age to operate. If any die, they die at once from loss of blood, so are quite good to eat.

Fast the bird twenty-four hours, place it on its side on the boss shown on the plate, fixing the wings with a strap run through the round hole A, and placing the padded stick B (weighted with half a brick at the free end) over the legs. The other end of the stick may he shifted back-word and forwards in the slot C to suit the size of the bird. The upper-most leg should be drawn back behind the other.

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Make a cut l½in. long between the two last ribs close up to the back, taking care not to prick the bowels, and fix the spring D so as to keep the cut open. The ends of the spring take a side turn like a fishhook to enable it to catch. The thin skin over the bowels must be torn through, and the testicles are then seen attached to the back. The loop of a horse-hair, run through a small pipe E, is hooked over the testicle, and then pulled tight. The testicle is detached by gently working the tube about, and is carefully lifted out. The cut is then sewn up with two or three single stitches of horsehair, the bird is turned, and the operation repeated on the other side. The bird may be held by an assistant instead of being fixed on a board.

Put in a cool, rather dark place, without a roost, and feed on soft food for a few days. If the bird swells much, it should be pricked to let the air out.

Some operators adopt the Chinese method, and pull the skin down over the ribs before cutting, so that when freed after the operation it will close the wound, and so avoid having to take up stitches.

Both testicles can be removed without turning the bird, but the operation requires extra skill and special instruments.