3-' 



Journal of Agnciiltiir: 



[i I Jan., 1909. 



After the expulsion of the jjh\centa and membranes the uterus rapidly 

 contracts upon itself and undergoes a sort of degeneration, becoming smaller 

 and less muscular, and finally approaches the state characteristic of the 

 non-pregnant female. Its contraction is greatly aided by a nervous 

 reflex started by the young sucking at the teat. 

 Time Ixtekv.m. jsetwkkn (Estkis and 



Qi.STRr.S IN NoN-l"KE(!N.\NT StATK. 



Mare ... 3—4 weeks 



Cow ... ,S— 4 wt'cks 



Sheep ... 17—28 days 



Sow ... 0-12 (lay.s 



Bitcli ... 12 — 14 Aveeks (aiKL'struni) 



AvERAcK Duration of Ge.statiox. 



Time Intkrvai. Between Parturition 



AND liETIRN OE (ESTRUS. 



5 — !) (lavs. 

 21-28 days. 



7 nmntlis. 

 4 — 5 weeks, usually 



8 — weeks, ma.xiinuni. 

 2 months. 



A(iE OE PUBERTV. 



llabljit, rat, in 1st year. 



Cat, dog, sheep, pig, in 2nd year. 



Horse, cattle, in IJrtl year. 



Man, in 14th year. 



Elephant, between 20th and 30th year. 



Period of Si'cklinc;. 

 Foal ... 12—20 weeks. 



Lamb ... ... 8—16 ,, 



Calf ... ... 6—12 ,, 



Pig ... ... 4—8 



Incub.\tion Period of Ecjgs. 

 Goose ... 2S— 33 days. 



Duck ... 28—32 ,, 



Turkey ... 26—29 ,, 



Hen... ... 21 



Pigeon . 17—19 ,, 



[To be continued.) 



THE PROCLAIMED PLANTS OF VICTORIA. 



iCoiitiniicd from page 736, Vol. VI.) 



Alfred J. Eivart, ~D.Sc., Fli.D., F.L.S.. Government Botanist; and 

 ] . R. Tovey, Herbarium Assistant. 



The European Dodder. 



Cnscnfa europiva. L. {C o)iTolvidacece). 

 This annual parasite is easily recognis+'d by its slender, twining, 

 yellowish-green, practically leafless stems attached by minute surkers to 

 the host plant, and hearing clusters of whitish oir pinkish flowers. It is 

 as great a pest to agriculture as the Mistletoe is to forestry. Two native 

 species (6'. tasmanica, Engel, and C . anstr'..\is, R. Br.) are known and 

 have played some part in keei)ing (l(;wn native and introduced weeds (St. 

 John's Wort). The most injurious Dodders appear to be the introduced 

 ones {Ciisciita c pitlivninni. Murr.. C. europcca, I.., C. trifolii, Bab., 

 etc.) which are coiUnuialK i:iiported and s])reatl by .seed. The.se para- 

 sites w'ill de.stroy anv leguminous crop if unchecked. Where a whole field 

 is infe.sted the entire crop sl-.;>uld be ploughed under, and if this is done 

 before much .seed has been formed, after a \ear"s fallowing (bare or green), 

 followed bv wheat, oats, maize or a similar crop, ii will be safe tO' use the 

 land for clover, lucerne or leguminous crops. If .illowed to seed freely 

 the seed in the soil nia\- not be exhausted foi- li\e or six vears. 



