No. 7. 



Capons. — Cast- steel Ploughs. — Butter. — <^c. 



219 



For the Farmers'Cabinet. 

 Capons. 



Mr. Editor, — The subject of caponing 

 is one of interest to the community. By 

 the usual process many fowls are killed by 

 the operation ; and but few of our farmer? 

 are found either able or willing to practice 

 it. I desire to communicate to you a plan 

 unaccompanied with danger or uncertainty, 

 even to the unskilful. A keen knife, a pair 

 of scissors and a needle, are the only instru 

 ments required. As soon as the young cock 

 begins to crow, commence fattening him 

 When his comb becomes blood red, keep 

 him from food for twenty-four hours. Then 

 catch him and tie him down on to a board, 

 by fastening his wings with straps drawn 

 through holes made in the board for that 

 purpose. His feet may be left loose, or if 

 preferred, may be made fast to two uprights 

 fixed in the board. With scissors cut away 

 the feathers from below the anus ; then 

 make an incision as near to the anus as can 

 be done without cutting the rectum — let it 

 follow the side bones until the hole thus 

 made is large enough to insert the fingers: 

 push them along down the back bone, until 

 the testicles are felt. Then put the finger 

 over the testicle, and by bearing at its base, 

 pull it off: serve the other in the same way. 

 A little practice will enable the operator to 

 bring the testicles out on his finger. But 

 this is of no importance : break them loose, 

 and if you do not get them out, being cer- 

 tain that you have removed them, let them 

 remain. They will soon become absorbed, 

 and give no trouble. Sew up the incision, 

 being careful to take up the inner skin. 

 Turn the fowl loose after marking him, and 

 he will do well. This plan has been tried 

 with success for years, and is as safe as any 

 man could desire. One of the proprietors 

 of one of the Virginia springs, always has 

 on hand a supply of capons made in this 

 way. 



I intend to try the operation upon turkies. 

 Why will it not succeed in improving that 

 favourite about " Christmas time," as well 

 as the chicken f I will let you know the 

 result, if it prove successful. 



Thomas P. Hunt. 



Wyoming, Pa., Jan. 27th, 1845. 



Cast-steel Ploughs. 



A CAST-IRON plough will no more scour, 

 or clear itself, in most of our prairie soils, 

 than the end of a chesnut rail drawn end- 

 wise. A few are in use, constructed of 

 wrought-iron ; but this is generally too soft 

 a material, as it is easily scratched, and the 

 least scratch on the mould-board catches the 



earth and clogs the implement. Our best 

 ploughs, tlien, are made of the best of cast- 

 steel — that is, every part of them which 

 touches the earth, including mould-board, 

 land-side, and point: and these are polished 

 as bright as a razor before use, and must be 

 kept so to perform the required work. An 

 eastern plough may be made of as good or 

 better timber, as handsomely fashioned, or 

 more so — but have you any polished cast- 

 steel ploughs in Maine, friend Farmer'! If 

 yea, we have done. — Prairie Farmer. 



Butter. — The committee on butter, of the 

 Worcester Agricultural Society, in their re- 

 port says: 



" Good butter bespeaks first a good cow, 

 and a good cow a good pasture, and both to- 

 gether imply an intelligent farmer; and not 

 less requisite is a good cliurner, and for a 

 good churnergive us a good farmer's daugh- 

 ter, who never looks more blooming and 

 bright tlian after the healthful exercise at 

 the churn. No occupation is more befitting, 

 none more honourable. No accomplishment 

 should be more acceptable to the young hus- 

 bandman, seeking a partner, than that the 

 woman of his choice be well qualified to take 

 the charge of his dairy, and excel in the 

 difficult art of making good butter." 



Beautiful Experiment with a Plant. — 



The Brooklyn News gives the following in- 

 teresting bit of information: — "Cut a small 

 branch of Oleander from a thrifty plant, 

 place it in a vial partly filled with rain wa- 

 ter, so that the lower end of the branch may 

 be immersed about half an inch in water. 

 Place this in the sun in an open room, and 

 in about fifteen or twenty days, small roots 

 will shoot out from the end of the branch, 

 presenting a beautiful appearance. After 

 these roots have extended to three inches, 

 the branch may be set out in moist earth, 

 and if frequently watered, it will grow ra- 

 pidly and soon "form a large thrifty stock. 

 Ladies who are fond of flowers, may easily 

 propagate Oleanders in this manner, and in 

 a very few months multiply these beautiful 

 plants to an indefinite extent. — Southern 

 Agriculturist. 



I recollect, in passing through a part of 

 Derbyshire, in a region which I was told 

 afterwards was, from the contiguity of seve- 

 ral large estates, called the "Dukories," the 

 coachman, by whose side I was seated, said 

 to me, that this was the Duke of Devon- 

 shire's village ; and this the Duke of Rut- 

 and's; and this the Duke of Norfolk's; and 

 so on : and I could not help asking myself, 

 with some sinking of heart, where is the 

 people's own village'!' — Colmari's Tour. 



