The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1876-09-17
HOY LEECHES ARE R4ISED.
chambers Journal

The great demand which suddenI,
sprung up for leeches for surgical purposeI
at the end of the last century caused theil
natuI al haunts in the swamps and marshel
to be iovaded by armies of collectors, who
soon Geuuded them of their ordinary stock
The French seem particularly partial K
leeches, and their use in that country ha,
always been more general than elsewhere
AS q consequence of the drain upon hel
supplies she was the first to suffer from 6
diminished yield; and in time the ia.
NINE spread to Hungary, Turkey, Greece
and Germany, and even to Algeria and
Syria, all of which countries were ran
sacked IN the search for these bloodthirsty
creatures. The scarcity and desrness OF
leeches at last attracted attention, and il
was we believe, about $50 that the idea was
conceived by a Frenchman that leeches
might be kept in regular farms and bred,
just like any other animal for which there
10 q steady market. The idea was soon
carried into practice, and with such sue
cess that leech- breeding has come to be re
garded as a distinct industry of no little
Importance, and is carried on to a consid
able extent in different parts of the CONT
nent.
Natural swamps previously neglected are
cultivated aud placed under control, their
mlasmatic effects are neutralized, and en-
ployment is given to many poor people who
would otherwise find it hard to get living.
Ine marsh is subdivided into compart-
ments of five or six acres in extent, each of
which can be inundated separately. 1t is sur
rounded by a ditch 8 feet wide by 5 .eet deep,
outside which is bank of earth which acts
as an obstacle to the escape of the leeches,
and which also enables the Waterman to 90
round the property at night without being
seen, for there ale some thieves who cannot
resist the temptation of stealing even
leeches when the opportunity presents it.
g hop II 10 Il.
connected with the inner one by occasional
breaches In the intervening bank. Each
compartment is intersected with drains,
and can be flooded or laid dry at will by
opening the matches with which the bitches
are provided. In the case of draining the
water off, the lower matches are replaced
by perforated metal ones, through which
the water, but not the leeches can escape.
Besldes these breeding grounds is reser-
voir, similar to them in every respect which
ls rt plenished at every opportunity with
the larger leeches; 30 that when the other
beds are laid dry, there is always a stock
On hand ready for the market. This reser-
Jhe depth of three to five inches, and holds |
rom 40, 600 to $4,000 leeches to the acre |
rate rather larger than that observed in |
he breeding ponds, which are populated |
10 the extent of 80 900 to 40, 900 leeohes per |
'cre. During the cold season the leech re- |
u"lns quite under the ground but the |
irst rays of the spring sun brinRs;him out, |
nd then troop of horses is made to enter
he breeding grounds in the proportion of |
en- to the acre The leeches attach them
elves to the lower part of the legs of the
.nlmals and then gorge themselves.
me same troop of horses remain ''On SER
ice " for five or ak hours, when they are
ecalied and tended and sent back to their
assures, where they are allowed to rest
nd regain strength. After eight or ten
ays' rest the horses are again despatched
n duty the hitherto unfed leeches and
hose that have digested their last repast
ONE out again and from about the LIST
| March to the middle of June thew are
nus fed about eight or ten times each,
In June the leeches all go underground
20 the laying dry of the park commences.
ne horses are kept out of the them. the
eeds aud reeds are allowed to grow, and
le SOIL becomes better knit together, as it
ere In July and August the leeches come
IL to deposit their eggs in the tufts of
eroage, and then the drains before men
oned are filled with water enough to keen
10 ground moist. The leeches having
'Tformed this duty, again burrow UNDER
ound, and in q short time the young ones J
axe their escape from the egg,
The parks are now inundated, and at the
i'd OF August the fishing commences. The
'heFS, protected by high boots, enter the