The Osceola times., 1883-01-13
GOOD FAT CAPoN."
How ~ Is Prepared for the Market and mt
What Cost.

What Cost.
New YORK World
is IL not about time for capon ?" re-
porter asked the proprietor of one of the
large hotels.
Almost" was the answer. 81 expect
to serve up tins prime favorite of the epi-
cure in few days. II is always greatly
sought after by those who understand
what good living is | think Sydney
Smith must have had capon when he said;
4Fste cannot harm me; have dined to-
day"
What do you pay for capon when i,
first comes 2"
81 have given as much as sixty cents a
poun' for it, and have been glad to get il
at that price; but ifyou want TO find out
all about the bird go 10 one of the large
poultry yards on the Hudson River or in
New Jersey and see for yourself
Following this advice the reporter visi.
ted poultry yard at Brick Church, N. J
The farm is pleasantly situated, and con-
tains many novel expedients for the
haichtng and raising of chickens. Six in
cubators are placed in row in room
where the temperature is kept at seventy
degrees. They are all furnished with an
improved thermostat bar, which is ex-
trcmely sensitive These thermoetsts are
connected with electric bells in the sleep
ing-room Of the manager. The doors and
windows of the houses are all connected
with burglar-alarm in the same room,
so that chicken thief would receive a
warm reception should he endeavor to
force an entrance.
To avoid any change of temperature
which would damage or kill the eggs, an
attendant is awakened by the ringing OF
bell. a drop exposes the number of the
machine which is in fault, and steps are
at once taken to restore the temperature
10 the right degree.
DO you consider the process of hatch
ing eggs by incumbation a Success ?" the
reporter asked the manager.
II do for larger per centage of chick
ems; and stronger chickens are hatched in
this way than by the hen. Theincubator
cannot break the eggs and will not neg
lect them or destroy the chickens by ex.
posure TO the heat or cold
What percentage do you obtain by
artificial hatching~
From 90 to so per cent of the eggs are
hatched. Fhe eggs are tested by holding
them TO very powerful light on the fifth
day, when the embryo, if the egg be fer
tile, can easily be detected. The uniertile
and clear eggs are then removed. The
chickens are then kept for forty-eight
hours without food. Their first food con-
sists of ard-boiled eggs chopped fine.
After this they are fed most generously
and kept growing until the sexes can be
determined. The time taken to mature
them varies in different breeds, about
three months being the usual period. The
pullets are then separated from the cock
erels, and the best marked are raised for
fancy stock, and when full grown sell for
from So S3 80 a trio. The remaining pul
lets are sold as spring chickens or broil-
ers, and weigh from two and half to
three pounds \ pair. The cockerels are
all caponized."
"Do yeu sell many capons ?"
"Yes; raise MS many of my fowls as
can for that purpose. find they pay me
better than anything else. The capon is
considered the greatest delcacy IN the
world, and will always bring good price
The capon at the end of eight to ten
months will weigh from eight TO ten
pounds, and it costs to raise about 81 30
per bird"
when does the capon first appear in
the market?"
Late in the fall, and it is then worth
from forty TO fifty cents pound. 1t af
terwards declines TO about thirty-fve
cents pound, SO that profit ofover 200
per cent can be made out of them"
DO you think that it is possible to OBJ.
tain these birds at all seasons of the
year,"
"Yes; / can supply them all the year
round. This, of course can only be done
by Matching and rearing them by artit.
cial means. have now running about
1000 capons, and ! attribute all my sue.
cess te hard work, constant care and the
incubating machine"
DO you have any difficulty in caponiz.
ing birds?"
mo. Ny method is very simple, and
il proper care be taken very few birds are
lost. After the operation the birds whole
nature and constitution seem TO change
They expand, lose their comb and wat
ties, and often their plumage will fade
They increase rapidly in weight, and
their flesh becomes delicate, tender and
delicious"
care capons harder TO rear and more
sensitive to diseases than other birds p
81 have never found them so. Cleanli
ness, light and proper ventilation
warmth and shelter in winter, and regu
larity in feeding is all that is required fol
their successful rearing"
"Do the hotels and restaurants require
many capons
"Yes; Delmonico's, the Brunswick anc
all the iirst-class hotels have a constant
demand for them, and often are obligec
to pay large prices to obtain them"
The Use of Flowers Forbidden.