ON THE EARI.Y CASTRATION OF THE COLT. 641 
age, I sent for Mr. Rolfe when the foal was ten days old. We 
cast it, and of course, without any difficulty, found and extracted 
both testicles, using the hot iron slightly. This foal, like the last, 
appeared to suffer little from the operation, and I resolved for 
the future to have all my colts castrated at the age of ten or twelve 
days. 
Unfortunately the mare has bred fillies for the last four years; 
but, after reading the discussion in The VETERINARIAN, I asked 
Mr. Rolfe, if he had since practised the operation on sucking colts. 
He told me that he has had two or three opportunities only, his 
employers preferring the old plan of waiting until the colt is one 
or two years old : but that in those few cases it succeeded as well 
as with mine. 
Now, Sir, I would recommend the trial, and, if that be success¬ 
ful, the general adoption of this practice. It possesses, I think, 
many advantages. In the first place, it is reasonable to suppose, 
that, all the parts being smaller, not only is the pain very much 
lessened, but the danger is equally diminished. Again, should 
death ensue, the loss is very trifling compared with that of an 
animal which has had twelve or twenty-four months’ keep, and in 
this case you would not lose the work of the mare. 
These are important points; but there is another of less conse¬ 
quence that may be mentioned. We know that a great change 
is frequently effected in the temper and spirit of horses castrated 
at four or five years of age. Is it not reasonable to suppose that 
a similar change, although less in degree, may be the result of 
cutting them when twelve or twenty-four months’ old 1—but at a 
fortnight old little or no change will be effected, and I have no doubt 
it will be found that such animals will possess equal if not superior 
spirit to those cut at a later period, and that their necks will be 
light and handsome. 
Although too late to try the plan this season at the age I should 
most recommend, viz. ten or twelve days, it may be practised 
on those foals which are still sucking ; and I should be delighted 
to hear of its success. A few cases tried now, and reported in your 
periodical, would be some encouragement for its more frequent 
adoption in the spring. I may probably be advocating no novel 
practice, but it is new to this district; and not seeing it mentioned 
in the discussion previously alluded to, I conclude that it is rarely 
adopted. 
I am. Sir, &c. 
A Member of the Harleston Farmers’ Club. 
[We avail ourselves of this intelligent letter to express the plea¬ 
sure we feel at the formation of these Farmers’ Clubs, and espe- 
VOL. XTII. 4 Q 
