590 JOUBNAL OP THE DEPARTMENT OP | AGRICULTURE. 



(2) The following is a further part of Professor J. A. Thomson's paper 

 entitled "The Biologist on the Farm," as appearing in the Scottish Journal of 

 Agriculture of January, 1920, and of which an abstract appeared in the previous 

 issue of this Journal:- — 



"Free-Martins."- — A great deal has been said and written about "free- 

 martins," but, so far as we can see, there is no longer any room for doubt as 

 to what a "free-martin" is. When a cow has two calves of different sexes, 

 one may be a normal male and the other a " free-martin " — a sterile and 

 abnormal female. We have studied several. Externally and in its udder the 

 "free-martin" is distinctly a female, but the internal organs of reproduction 

 are more or less of the male type. We know that several good authorities have 

 maintained that the "free-martin" is a disguised male, but we have been 

 convinced by Prof. Frank R. Lillie's arguments that it is rather of the nature 

 of a female. What, then, is the explanation of the predominantly male character 

 of the internal reproductive organs.? Prof. Lillie's ingenious theory is that there 

 is a secondary fusion of the foetal membranes of the twin calves, and that the 

 development of the female twin is badly disturbed by sex-hormones or chemical 

 messengers which are carried in the blood that has been circulating in the 

 male twin. The " free-martin " and its male co-twin are, of course, the products 

 of two distinct ova. 



" Bunts." — This is an ugly word for an ugly thing. It is technically applied 

 by breeders to undersized and abnormallly light new-born mammals, which are 

 produced when the mother is not in good condition during the time of gestation, 

 or sometimes when an unusually large number of young ones are born at once. 

 True " runts," which have been recently studied by Miss Helen Dean King in 

 the case of rats, are to be distinguished from small-sized offspring which are 

 born a little too soon or in unpropitious conditions. For in these cases it is 

 found that there is nothing radically wrong, and that careful nurture can be 

 made to counteract the birth-handicap. With true " runts," however, the 

 case is different. They are born with a growth-capacity so impaired that they 

 seldom grow beyond a certain stage. They may be said to be born old. If they 

 manage to grow up they tend to have an abnormally small nervous system, 

 and they are lacking in reproductive vigour. Fortunately, therefore, they are 

 in most cases unable to multiply after their kind. No one would be so foolish 

 as to try to breed from " runts." They are better dead. 



Sale of Cattle in Southern Rhodesia. 



In the course of his Annual Report for 1919, the Director of 

 Agriculture for Southern Rhodesia states: "An interesting- innova- 

 tion in the usual methods of selling cattle in this country was 

 initiated in April by the Farmers' Association of Plumtree, and has 

 since proved a most complete success. The association constructed 

 its own stock-yards, dipping-tank, and watering-troughs, appointed 

 an auctioneer, and arranged a series of sales. The cattle are marked, 

 cared for, and taken in charge for delivery by the society, and the 

 fees compare favourably with those of other sales, yet the prime costs 

 have been recovered, and future profits will be used for local public 

 purposes. Other very important advantages are that the local cattle 

 owner, including natives, soon acquire a true idea of the value of 

 their cattle, removing illusions, and helping them to do sound 

 business, whilst if dissatisfied with prices they can take the cattle 

 back to their farms without serious loss. A similar scheme has also 

 been adopted by the Sinoia Farmers' Association, and the plan is 

 worth widesjjread imitation." 



