404 



PRINCIPLES OF STOCK-BREEDING. 



L. F. Allen reports the period of gestation in fifty 

 cows for a single year as follows: Shortest period, 

 268 days ; mean, 284 days ; and longest period, 291 

 days. 1 



These cows were " Short-Horns, Heref ords, Dev- 

 ons, and their 'grades, and common ones ; " but no 

 difference was noticed that could be attributed to the 

 breed. 



C. N. Bement 2 reports the period of gestation for 

 five years in his herd of cows, consisting of "Durham, 

 Devon, Hereford, Ayrshires, and grades," which will 

 be found in the following table : 



1 " American Cattle," p. 253. 

 8 The Cultivator, 1846, p. 207. 



