DATRY FARMING DAIRYING. 77 



The author also conducted experiments for the jiurpose of determmmg whether 

 any support of the hypothesis of telegony could be obtained from breeding mares to 

 different breeds of stallions. These results were also unfavorable to the theory of 

 telegony, as were similar exi)eriments in breeding mares to various stallions of the 

 same breed. The author states that although at the beginning of his experiments 

 he "hoped to prove the fact of telegony," his experiments and ol)servations liave 

 thoroughly convinced him that there never has been an undoubted case of "infec- 

 tion" in dogs, rabbits, or horses. 



Poultry experiments, J. H. Shepperd {Xorlli Dakota Sta. Rpt. 1901, pp. S'J-91). — 

 A comparison was made of the egg production of 19 hens 1 year old and 12 hens 2 

 years old. The average number of eggs laid by the hens 1 year old in 180 days was 

 49.4 and of the hens 2 years old 15.7. The number of eggs laid by individual hens 

 is reported in connection with a brief discussion of breeding for egg production. 



Subdepartment of poultry, H. C. Gardner (i/owtonrt*S'to. Bnl. .32, pp. 50-52). — 

 Brief notes are given regarding the station poultry equipment and management of 

 ])Ouitry. Two feeding tests are noted, no details being reported. 



Incubators and brooders and their management, D. S. Thompson {Agr. Gaz. 

 Ketr Soiitli WaU'.'<, 13 (1902), Xo. 1, pp. 15-21). — Incubators are described and tests 

 of a nund)er of sorts at the Hawkesbury Agricultural College are reported. 



On the determination of the soundness of eggs by their specific gravity, 

 C. CoGGi {Gior. E. Soc. Ital. Ig., 1901, Apr. SO; abs. in Public Health, 14 {1902), No. 

 7, p. 423). — From experiments reported in detail, the author concludes that the 

 specific-gravity method of testing the freshness of eggs with a salt solution does not 

 give reliable results. 



DAIRY FARMING —DAIRYING. 



The immediate effect on milk production of changes in the ration, W. P. 



Wheeler [Ne.w York State Sta. Bui. 210, pyp. 373-433). — Records of 981 cows for lim- 

 ited periods, obtained for the most part in extensive tests of breeds covering a num- 

 ber of years, are grouped to show the immediate effect upon milk production of 

 changes in the ration as regards total digestible organic matter, fuel value, amount of 

 protein, and nutritive ratio. The record in each case is taken for the 2 to 4 weeks 

 preceding and following a change in the ration. No ration was fed that was radically 

 deficient in any respect, and the change was never very marked. Averages of the 

 111 groups based upon the character of the ration fed are presented in tabular form 

 and discussed. The author's summary of the results in part is as follows: 



"Total nutrient.^. — In general, the milk flow increased most or diminished least 

 when the greatest increase of total nutrients was made without regard to moderate 

 changes in i^rotein content. The most rapid shrinkage of milk flow generally occurred 

 when the percentage reduction of total nutrients was greatest, although this usually 

 was associated with a reduction of protein. 



"On the average for all records when an increase of the total nutrients was made, 

 there was no change in milk production. On the average for all when the amount 

 of nutrients was reduced, the shrinkage in milk flow was at twice the normal 

 rate. . . . 



"Fuel value. — An average of all records when an increase in the fuel value of the 

 ration was made shows a diminution in milk yield about one-fifth as great as would 

 usually occur under unchanged rations. An average of all records when the fuel 

 value was reduced shows about twice the usual diminution in milk yield. . . . 



"Protein. — In general, changes in the amount of protein within ordinary lindts 

 produced less effect than changes in the amount of total luitrients. On the whole, 

 the diminution of milk flow was less when the amount of jirotein was increased than 

 when it was reduced. 



