24 THE BREEDING OF ANIMALS , 



every external character like a female, so much so that 

 expert poultry men were deceived. 



We may conclude that the castration of animals is 

 successful in preventing undesirable animals from re- 

 producing, improving the fattening qualities of the meat 

 animals, increasing the size in some cases, improving 

 the quality of the flesh, and increasing the value of draft 

 animals. 1 



25. The reproductive organs of the female (Plate II). 

 The essential organs of reproduction in the female are 

 the two ovaries. The accessory organs are the Fallopian 

 tubes, the uterus, the vagina, the vulva and the mammary 

 glands. The function of the female organs of generation 

 is the production of the female germ-cells or ova and, 

 when fertilized, to provide nutrition and proper support 

 for the developing embryo. 



26. The ovaries. The female egg has its origin in 

 the ovary. This organ is composed of connective tissue, 

 blood-vessels, nerves and lymphatics enclosed in an outer 

 covering the epithelium. A cross-section of the ovary 

 of any mature breeding animal will exhibit a large number 

 of follicles or sacs scattered through its vascular substance 

 (Fig. 6) . The latter are small, varying from one-hundredth 

 to one-thirtieth of an inch in size. 2 These small sacs are 

 called the Graafian follicles, and each contains an ovum 

 or egg. The eggs or ova in these follicles exhibit various 

 stages of development, some being almost or quite mature, 

 while others are very small and undeveloped. The 

 beginning of the formation of a Graafian follicle is indi- 

 cated by a slight depression in the surface of the ovary 

 which gradually extends into the substance of the ovarian 



iPusch, "Allegemeine Tierzucht," 1911, p. 153. 



2 Smith, "Physiology of the Domestic Animals," p. 909. 



