402 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
Dec 
bone,) so as to allow the forefinger to be introduced 
freely into the cavity of. the abdomen; the finger is 
to be passed first on one side forward, by the side of 
the spine, and the testicle detached with the nail 
(which should be allowed to grow long, to facilitate 
the operation;) and having got out the one, the other 
must be removed in the same manner. The wound 
should then be closed with a suture, and the bird 
placed in a warm room, and fed on soft food for a 
lew days. Instead of cutting away the testicle 
with the nail of the finger it is the practice in sonae 
countries to introduce a small tube, or reed, with a 
double thread, forming a noose, which, beingpassed 
over the testicle, is drawn outwards through the 
tube, so as to cut off the connection, and the testi¬ 
cles are thus removed, one after the other. The 
Chinese adopt this method, and use a reed, and a 
thread of cane fibre, which, by its firmness, and at 
the same time elasticity, suits well for getting on 
the noose. The operation may also be performed 
by making an incision before the thigh, in the side, 
in the same manner as in spa} T ing pigs; but it is 
sometimes difficult to get out both the testicles in 
this way, and an incision is, therefore, sometimes 
required to be made in the other side, and the double 
operation is more likely to destroy the animal. Some 
make capons by passing the finger along the rectum, 
and break down the testicles by pressure, but it 
frequently does not succeed, and even if they are 
not removed from the abdomen, after the operation 
has been performed by incision, it sometimes happens 
that they adhere again, and resume their functions, 
and the bird is not castrated. Examine the body 
of a dead cock before operating. Pullets are made 
by dividing the oviduct, in consequence of which 
the abdomen gets filled with eggs; an incision is 
made the same as in making capons; the bird must 
be killed after a certain period. 
Knowledge of Geology Important to the Farmer. 
Eds. Cultivator —In the preliminary treatise on 
Natural Philosophy, on the objects, advantages, and 
pleasures of science, published by the Society for the 
Diffusion of Useful Knowledge, there are some ex¬ 
cellent illustrations given, with one of which we will 
introduce this communication. The writer says,— 
“ There is hardly any trade or occupation in which 
useful lessons may not be learned by studying one 
science or another. To how many kinds of work¬ 
men must a knowledge of mechanical philosophy be 
useful! To how many others does chemistry prove 
almost necessary! Every one must with a glance 
perceive that to engineers, watch-makers, instru¬ 
ment-makers, bleachers, and dyers, those sciences 
are most useful, if not necessary. But carpenters 
and masons are surely likely to do their work better 
for knowing how to measure, which practical mathe¬ 
matics teaches them, and how to estimate the strength 
of timber, of walls, and of arches, which they learn 
from practical mechanics. Nay, the farm servant, 
or day laborer, whether in his employer’s business, 
or tending the concerns of his own cottage, must 
derive great practical benefit for knowing something 
of the nature of soils and manures, which chemistry 
teaches, and something of the habits of animals, and 
the qualities and growth of plants, which he learns 
from natural history and chemistry together. In 
truth, though a man be neither mechanic or pea¬ 
sant, but only one having a pot to boil, he is sure 
to learn from science, lessons which will enable him 
to cook his morsel better, save his fuel, and both 
vary his dish and improve it. Science then makes 
men more skillful, expert, and useful in the particu¬ 
lar kinds of work by which they are to earn their 
bread, and by which they are to make it go far and 
taste well when earned.” Thus, 
“ Though nature weigh our talents and dispense 
To every man his modicum of sense; 
Yet much depends, as in the tiller’s toil. 
On culture, and the sowing of the soil.”— Coioper. 
New names must be given to new sciences as they 
are born, and the languages of the Greeks and Ro¬ 
mans are those most usually drawn upon for this 
purpose. The science which describes the solid 
materials of the earth, the order in which they are 
arranged, and the causes which have affected that 
arrangement, has been named Geolog}', from the 
Greek, ge, the earth, and logos, discourse. The 
knowledge of the relations of this science to the 
successful cultivation of a country, is at present 
possessed by few farmers. Some understand its 
connection with the formation of the soils they cul¬ 
tivate, but even these are a minority. It may safely 
be said, that this knowledge is a desideratum, the 
want of which, together with that of other sciences 
of a kindred nature, now distinguishes our agricul¬ 
turists. But it is remarked there are many good 
farmers who are not Geologists, who perhaps do 
not form a correct idea of the meaning of the word. 
They, however, neither understand the principles of 
their art, nor can they derive any intellectual en¬ 
joyment from the results of their practice ; such men 
are ' l born to blush unseen!” We do not mean to 
undervalue that sure practical guide of the farmer, 
experience , nor the result of long and frequent at¬ 
tention to numerous local circumstances; these are 
wheels within a wheel, yet of no subordinate im¬ 
portance. 
Numerous instances might be cited of the benefits 
conferred by Geology upon agriculture. The in¬ 
termixture of soils where one kind of earth is either 
redundant or deficient, is practiced in some places 
with great advantage. Red sandstone districts are 
converted into fertile land by intermixing with them 
the calcareous marl which they frequently contain 
in detached beds. So with the clay marl generally 
underlaying pine plains. The green sand marl of 
New-Jersey is applied to sandy soils with much 
benefit. “ When we behold,” says Pro. Rogers, in 
his report to the Legislature of that State, “ a 
luxuriant harvest, gathered from fields where the 
soil originally was nothing but sand, and find it all 
due to the use of a mineral sparsely disseminated 
in the sandy beach of the ocean, we must look with 
exulting admiration on the benefits conferred upon 
vegetation by a few scattered granules of this uni¬ 
que and peculiar substance. The small amount of 
green-sand dispersed through the common sand, is 
able, as we behold, to effect immeasurable benefits 
in spite of a great predominance of the other mate¬ 
rial, which we are taught to regard as, by itself, so 
generally prejudicial to fertility.” 
We would regard it as a great advance upon the 
present position of the farming community, if each 
proprietor was qualified to name the rocks and min¬ 
erals which are incidentally met with in crossing his 
fields. What pleasure would be derived by the 
formation of cabinets of geological specimens found 
on farms! How many young minds grow up sealed 
to knowledge, because those around them 1o whom 
they naturally apply, are sealed likewise! But it 
is gained by application, we will not say unremitted, 
but assiduous and continued, until its attainment 
seats its possessor on a throne. A. K. Albany, 
Nov. 1850. 
