148 AGRICULTURE OF MAINE. 



tion at the same time that it is carrying on fundamental investi- 

 gations, having for their object the discovery of the underlying 

 principles of science on which agricultural practice depends. A 

 good index of the immediate practical needs of the farmer is 

 found in the inquiries and requests for information which he 

 sends into the Station. Experience shows that a large portion 

 of the correspondence of the Station, relating in any way to 

 breeding, has to do with inquiries concerning one or another 

 phase of the general subject of the physiology of breeding. 

 There is a great dearth of information in the available agricul- 

 tural literature, regarding the biological or physiological pro- 

 cesses concerned in reproduction and breeding. 



As has already been pointed out in the preceding portion of 

 this report, the Experiment Station, through its cooperative 

 breeding record project, is in possession of a unique body of 

 original material throwing light on many of the most puzzling 

 of these biological questions relating to reproduction and breed- 

 ing in cattle. In view of this fact and because of the very evi- 

 dent interest in this subject, and desire for information about 

 it, it has seemed wise to devote a considerable amount of time 

 during the past year to the preparation of a comprehensive bulle- 

 tin on "The Physiology of Breeding." with "Special Reference 

 to Dairy Cattle." This bulletin is now nearly ready for the 

 press. It is expected that it will be issued as an appendix to this 

 report, sometime early in the year 191 7. It is estimated that it 

 will make a volume of about 150 printed pages. This will, of 

 course, be distributed free to residents of Maine. 



Some idea of the scope of this bulletin is given by the chapter 

 headings which are as follows : Chapter I — The Comparative 

 Anatomy of the Reproductive Organs in Domestic Animals. 

 Chapter II — The Oestrus Cycle (Heat Period) in Mammals. 

 Chapter III — The Germ Cells. Chapter IV — Insemination and 

 Fertilization. The Vitality of Discharged Germ Cells. Chapter 

 V — Pregnancy and Parturition. Chapter VI — Lactation. 

 Chapter VII — Abortion. Chapter VIII — Sterility. Chapter 

 IX — The Age and Condition of Breeding Stock. Chapter X — 

 Sex Determination. Chapter XI — Secondary Sex Characters 

 and Castration. Chapter XII — Telegony, Saturation and 

 Maternal Impressions. 



