PREFACE 



In boyhood I had a natural fondness for animal surgery. 

 My father being a physician, I naturally acquired, through 

 him, more or less knowledge in that line. I moved from 

 Kentucky to Illinois in 1846, where I had a large farm and 

 was raising all kinds of sto^k. There being no veterinarys 

 near, I was compelled to frequently use the knife, first for 

 myself, then for my neighbors. In those early frontier days 

 here in Illinois neighbor helped neighbor, and I appeared 

 to be the one always called upon to do the surgery, until 

 so much practice gave me a reputation second to no one 

 living near. Then ridgling horses were almost worth- 

 less, and my neighbors would sometimes ask me to "cut or 

 kill them." I always did one thing, and sometimes both, 

 but free of all charge. In thus experimenting, I obtained 

 a reputation thirty years ago, which caused me to stop 

 farming and travel most of the time, in answer to calls, over 

 this country, from Maine to California. I also spent one 

 year on the other side of the Atlantic, in England, Ireland 

 and Scotland, where I performed many operations in ani- 

 mal surgery in 1878. 



This little book is intended as an expose of my favorite 

 methods, ropes, instruments, and after treatment. I have 

 tried to make it plain, and truthful, as well as helpful, to 

 all castraters and farmers. Trusting it will be a benefit to 

 many thousands of owners, and a mercy to all stock yet to 

 be castrated, I am Yours truly, 



Farmer Miles. 



