DAIRY FARMING DAIRYING. 575 



Ostrich farming in Australia, T. J. Herbert (Agr. Gaz. N. S. Wales, 24 

 (1913), No. 6, pp. 511-521, pi. 1, figs. ^).— An account of methods of rearing, 

 care, and management of ostriches for commercial purposes. 



Crosses between pheasants and fowls, J. R. Ainswortk-Davis (Agr. 

 Students' Gaz., n. set:, 16 {1913), No. 4, p. 120).— A report of work on hybridi- 

 zation conducted at the Royal Agricultural College, Cirencester. 



It is stated that no fertile hybrids have so far been obtained, and that most 

 individuals die at an early age. A female " neither laid eggs nor showed any 

 of the usual signs of sexuality. On dissection, the ovary was found to be 

 extremely rudimentaiy. no ovarian follicles being visible to the naked eye. 



On sterile and hybrid pheasants, G. Smith and Mrs. II. Thomas (Jour. 

 Genetics, 3 (1913), No. 1, pp. 39-52, pi. i).— Investigations carried out to de- 

 termme the causes for sterility in pheasants are summarized by the authors 

 as follows : 



"Evidence is brought forward to show that the sterility of the male and 

 female hybrid pheasants is due to abnormalities occurring at the synapsis stage 

 of the reduction division. The spermatozoa of the hybrids are either deformed, 

 with chromatic beads and thickenings on them, or else of abnormal size, double- 

 sized spermatozoa being of frequent occurrence as in hybrid pigeons. The 

 oocytes in the hybrid females fail to grow owing, probably, to the early ssmapsis 

 which should take place in the 19-day-old embryo having gone wrong. 



" Partial assumption of cock's plumage by the female as the result of ovarian 

 degeneration is shown to be of fairly common occurrence. The oviduct in these 

 cases may be either atrophied or greatly hypertrophied. Assumption of hen's 

 plumnge by the cock bird is much rarer and is generally due to hereditary 

 transference of this character independently of any disturbance of the testes 

 or the reproductive function. The sex ratio among hybrid pheasants gives a 

 large preponderance of males over females (228 males to 135 females). This 

 preponderance can not be accounted for by a greater death rate of female chicks 

 in the shell or subsequently, and must be presumably due to a selective fertiliza- 

 tion by which more male zygotes are produced than female, or else to a selective 

 death rate at so early a state of development that no trace of an embryo could 

 be detected." 



DAIEY FARMING— DAIRYING. 



Feeding dairy cows, T. L. Haecker (Minnesota Sta. Bui. 130, pp. 7-^3). — A 

 popular treatise on the feeding of dairy cows in which the author reviews the 

 dairy situation in the State of Minnesota and outlines the main essentials in 

 formulating desirable rations for dairy cows. The author's feeding standard 

 is explained, and tabular data presented in detail for its use. The problem of 

 balancing rations is considered from a practical standpoint, and sample rations 



are given. 



The author discusses the feeding of silage and roots and their relation to the 

 balanced ration. Several suggestions are appended on the proportion of rough- 

 age to concentrates to be fed, palatability of feeds, order of feeding, feeding of 

 cows when dry, and other related subjects. There are also included cost com- 

 puting tables, a feed weight table, and a gestation table. 



Sorghum crops for silage.— Feeding experiments with dairy cattle, O. E. 

 Reed and J. B. Fitch (Kansas Sta. Circ. 28, pp. 6).— This circular reports com- 

 parative feeding experiments with corn, sweet sorghum or cane, and Kafir corn 

 silage as feeds for dairy cows. 



During 1911-12, 2 lots of 4 cows each were fed in three 20-day periods, lot 1 

 alternating in the order of corn, cane, and corn silages, and lot 2, cane, corn. 



