126 



Capons. — Cultivation of Hemp. 



Vol. VIII. 



causes a full growth of comb and gill. 

 Sometimes it so happens that the membrane 

 enclosing the testicle, one or both is rup- 

 tured, when the hair is thrown over it, the 

 testicle comes away apparently whole, yet 

 rough in appearance: in such instances a 

 failure takes place. In no instance can the 

 operator be certain of success when a rup- 

 ture takes place. Although a change ap- 

 pears in the external characters of the sub- 

 ject, the comb and gill shrink away, become 

 of a pale, unhealthy colour, loose the bright 

 florid red, and he ceases crowing; in short, 

 exhibits nearly all the " insignia" of a gen- 

 uine capon, yet when the bird comes to be 

 fed upon highly carbonaceous or stimulant 

 food, the comb and gill spring forth. The 

 greatest liability to failure, is operating 

 when the bird is too young, the old and mo- 

 dern writers to the contrary notwithstand- 

 ing. The proper age to avoid slips under 

 favourable circumstances, is when the comb 

 and gill assume a bright complexion, and 

 have grown about one-fourth their natural 

 size. At this period the testes are almost 

 oval, and hang pendulous, having no attach- 

 ment other than the cord and its appendages. 

 It is also true, that at this age the danger of 

 causing death is greater from hemorrhage, 

 than when younger, the volume of circula- 

 tion not being in the ratio of the contractile 

 power of the arteries; and I have no doubt 

 that this fact has been one of the most im- 

 portant in forming the opinion of writers, 

 that " the suitable age is as soon as weaned 

 from the hen." And it may be proper in 

 this place to remark, that tearing away the 

 testicle is attended with less danger to life, 

 than cutting away. The reason is this; 

 whenever force is applied to an artery so as to 

 divide it, its contractility is increased ; where- 

 as, when cut by a sharp instrument, the power 

 of contractility is decreased. This is a very 

 important provision of nature, and in thou- 

 sands of instances has preserved life, when 

 an injury of the parts by a sharp instrument 

 would have produced death. I have uni- 

 formly been more successful in removing 

 the testes at the age already mentioned, nor 

 have I so far as I can learn, been so unfor- 

 tunate as my contemporaries, in killing as 

 many; the number of my own operations 

 for the present season, being rising one hun- 

 dred and eighty — killing three. In some in- 

 stances I have removed testes as large as a 

 chesnut, fowls of this years growth ; and 

 those which died were of this class. 



Very respectfully, yours, J. N. Keelgr. 

 Mulberry Farm, N. J., Sept. 24th, 1843. 



It would, we think, be advisable for every beginner 

 to operate first and repeatedly upon a dead fowl. Not 



only do our young and inexperienced surgeons, but 

 those also, who are older, and most skilful, and most 

 prudent, when they have a difficult and important 

 operation to perform, prepare themselves immediately 

 for the case, by a thorough examination over a dead 

 subject. — Ed. 



CnltiTation of Hemp. 



Some of the British Colonial papers are recommend- 

 ing the growth of hemp, as an object worthy of atten- 

 tion in the provinces. A recent number of the St. 

 John's Herald, says : 



This plant is undoubtedly one of the most 

 profitable productions the earth furnishes in 

 northern climates, and as a staple product 

 for the colonies, its cultivation deserves the 

 serious consideration of the agriculturist. 

 In the remote parts of Russia, the farmer 

 affords his hemp at so cheap a rate, as jto 

 allow of a transportation of many hundred 

 miles by land, to St. Petersburg, Archangel, 

 and other ports, and from thence — after the 

 duty and charges are paid — some hundred 

 leagues to the southern parts of Europe. 

 This being duly considered by the provin- 

 cial farmers, it will be a means of convincing 

 them, that notwithstanding the supposed diS 

 ference in the price of labour, they may pro- 

 duce hemp with profit, since it maybe trans- 

 ported to market with a light charge, free 

 of duty, and vendible for cash, at more than 

 seven times the price it would cost at the 

 place of its growth in Russia. Should it be 

 said that the Russian farmer gets but little 

 for his labour, it will then follow that the 

 provincialist must grow rich by his, and we 

 doubt not, that a few years experience would 

 convince him thereof 



Hemp would furnish a ready remittance 

 to Great Britain, and become a reciprocal 

 advantage to both ; and as its cultivation in- 

 creased, we should be able to ship immense 

 quantities, which would result in a never 

 failing revenue. Indeed the editor of the 

 Toronto Cultivator, hesitates not to assert, 

 " that our exports would soon equal our im- 

 ports." Be this as it may, it could not but 

 prove a rich and increasing source of wealth, 

 and as such, is worthy the serious conside- 

 ration of the legislature, and of every man 

 who truly loves his country. 



The expense of raising hemp is but very 

 trifling ; it may be grown on the same ground 

 for twenty or thirty years in succession, with- 

 out lessening the crop or impoverishing the 

 soil ; and we are fully satisfied that no branch 

 of agriculture can be carried on to so great 

 an advantage, as that of raising hemp, and 

 we hope that our fanners will soon be con- 

 vinced of the truth of this assertion, by ex- 

 perience. 



