456 AMERICAN FARMER'S ITORSE BOOK 



ions. Many persons seem to think that this is a question which 

 can not be decided until the colts are so well grown that 

 their size and form are fully determined, whereas it is one 

 that ought, in great measure, at least, to have been settled 

 before the foal was born, by such considerations as the blood 

 and qualities of the parents of each. 



The teachings of our own observation, though it is some- 

 what limited, are decidedly in favor of very early castration. 

 We can recall a number of cases in which it formed no draw- 

 back to a perfect physical development and the possession of 

 a rare combination of excellence in the mature horse. In 

 these views we are sustained by the opinions of many most 

 judicious and highly-successful breeders, with whom we have 

 discussed the Subject. English veterinarians seem more and 

 more inclined to favor the same practice, some of them ex- 

 pressing the opinion quite emphatically that in no case should 

 castration be deferred beyond the weaning-time of the colt, 

 as the mother's milk acts as a great preventive of inflamma- 

 tion and fever. 



Much perplexity and some trouble is often encountered 

 by inexperienced operators in castrating young colts, from 

 the difficulty of finding the testicle, which has not yet de- 

 scended into the scrotum from within the abdomen, where 

 its place is during the foetal life, and for some time after- 

 ward. In some colts they always remain there, but usually 

 drop down into the scrotum between the ages of one and 

 two years. ITo embarrassment need be caused hy not finding 

 the testicle just where it was expected to be. Let the operator 

 find the orifice just in front, through the lining of the belly, 

 and trace back the clue thus obtained to the testicle itself, 

 as he can readily do. This orifice is already sufficiently large 

 to allow of his bringing down the testicle, which is about two 

 inches within the orifice, either with the two fore-fingers or 

 by using an iron spoon, bent forward near the handle and 

 wrapped around with cloth. After the precise location of 

 the testicle has been discovered, this instrument will readily 

 scoop it out. 



