The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1876-08-04
VOLUME 4.
LEECHES.
How They Are Raised-A Curious
Industry.

LEECHES.
How They Are Raised-A Curious
Industry.
The great demand which suddenly
sprung up for leeches for surgical pur-
poses at the end OF last century caused
their natural haunts in the swamps and
marshes to be invaded by armies Of col
lectors, who soon denuded them of their
ordinary stock. The French seem part
icularly partial to leeches, and their use
/ in that country has ALWAYS been more
general than elsewhere. As a consequence
of the drain upon her supplies she was
/ the first TO suffer from a diminished
yield; and in time the famine spread TO
Hungary, Turkey, Greece, and Ger
many, and even to Algeria and Syria,
all of which countries were ransacked
| in the search for these blood.thirsty
creatures. The scarcity and dearness Of
leeches at last attracted attention, and it
was, we believe, about 1880 that the idea
wrs conceived by a Frenchman that
leeches might be kept in regular farms
and bred, just like any other animal for
which there is steady market. The
idea was soon carried into practice, and
with such success that leeches breeding
has come to be regarded as distinct in
dustry Of no little importance, and is
carried on 10 a considerable extent in
different parts Of the continent.
Natural swamps- previously neglected
are cultivated and placed under con-
troll, their miasmatic effects are neutral
lied, and employment is given to many
poor people who would otherwise find it
hard to get living. The marsh is
undivided into compartments Of five or
six acres in extent, each Of which can be
inundated separately. 1t is surrounded
BY ditch eight feet wide by five feet
deep, outside Of which is bank ofearth
which acts as an obstacle to the escape OF
the leeches, and which also enables the
watchmen to go round the property at
, night without being seen, for there are
some thieves who cannot resist the temp
tation Of stealing even leeches when the
!, opportunity presents itself. Outside the
bank is a second ditch, connected with
the inner one by occasional breaches ir
" the intervening bank. Each compart
,, ment is ntersected with drains, and car
II be flooded or laid dry at will by opening
9 the matches with which the bitches arr
provided. In the case of draining th'
= water off, the lower matches are replaced
by perforated metal ones, through whicl
/, the water, but not the leeches, can es
" cape. Besides these breeding grounds i
a reservoir, similar to them in every op
;, portunity with the larger leeches; s.
that, when the other beds are laid dry
there is always stock on hand read
for the market. This reservoir is al
" ways kept covered with water to tn
- depth Of three to five inches, and hold
" from 10000 to $4,000 leeches to the acr
"a rate rather larger than that observe
in the breeding ponds, which are popu
= lated to the extent, of 10000 to 1000
leeches per acre. During the cold sea
son the leech remains quite unde
ground, but the first rays of the sprin
- sun bring him out, and then troop {
" horses is made to enter the breediD
grounds in the proportion of ten to tn
acre. The leeches attach themselves
the lower part of the legs of the anima
u and then gorge themselves. The san
u troop Of horses remain "on service" f
ID FIVE or six hours, when they are recalle
ar and rendered and sent back to their pas
o' ures, where they are allowed to rest ar
We regain strength. After eight or ten day
3 rest the horses are again despatch on dl
ne ty; the hitherto unfed leeches and tho
IN that have digested their last repast con
rs out again; and from about the 1st
o. March to the middle of June they a
u thus fed about eight or ten times each.
DIX In June the leeches all go unde
e. ground and the laying dry of the pal
IN commences. The horses are kept out
oe them, the weeds and reeds are allow,
VI to grow, and the soil becomes better kr
III together, as it were. In July and Augr
'is the leeches come out to deposit the
no no eggs in the turfs of herbage, and tn
E the drains before mentioned are fill
- with water enough to keep the grou
..- moist. The leeches having perform
- this duty, again burrow undergrour
and in a short time the young ones ma
their escape from the eggs.
70 The parks are now inundated, and
- the end of August the fishing CONNIE
:, 20 ces. The fishers, protected by high boz
" enter the pond arranged in lines, a
beat the water with sticks TO arise I
dormant leeches, which soon appear
great numbers, ready, after their 10
W fast, for another feast. The large ol
~ are carefully lifted out and placed
- bags, with which each person is prov
ed; and the line of fishers gradually ,
vances till the whole bed is thorough
beaten. 1t Is then left to be subject
-; three or four days afterwards, to anotI
% careful search, sufficient stock be
81. always reserved in the shape of
=. young and small leeches, and these Il
-. not having digested their food, do
put in an appearance on the uncerem
ious summons Of the collectors.
uon Absence Of Insects Destructive
.jbe Fruit.
been
--or, The severe cold weather of the viii
avas Of 1s74-5, followed by last seasons