134 AGRICULTURE OF MAINE. 



far fonvard, seeing how wide it is in the rear and in the front, 

 having in mind the ideal Jersey cow. How does this compare, 

 not with the other cow but with the standard, the ideal cow? 



We have considered the back and the loin, now let us turn our 

 attention to the barrel. Are the ribs well sprung? Has she a 

 large barrel, broad and deep at the flank? The animal must 

 have a large barrel, with ribs well sprung, and it must be carried 

 high. A pendulous barrel is objectionable. If she comes up to 

 the ideal in this respect she gets ten points. This cow which I 

 have on the chart I give nine points. Why do I cut her a point? 

 Because her ribs are a little too close together, she is tucked up 

 a little too much. If the barrel is too pendulous she should be 

 cut two, three or four points. 



Now we will take the hips and the rump. The hips should be 

 wide apart, the rump long. The length of the rump from the 

 hip bone to the buttock point and from the hip bone to the hock 

 should be considered. The judge measures with his ideal the 

 width across the hock, the width across the buttock, and the full- 

 ness and width of the rump. So a critical examination is made, 

 and that part is given eight, nine or ten points, as the judge 

 thinks is due. 



The legs are to be straight. She is not to toe out. The gam- 

 brels are not to come so near together that when the cow walks 

 she will rub the udder. Are the legs long enough? Are they 

 too long, too fine? Are they round or flat? The judge com- 

 pares them with the ideal legs and marks them two points, if per- 

 fect. 



The tail should be strong at its junction with the body, becom- 

 ing very fine, with a nice switch. Suppose it was very strong 

 and very short? He could cut it only one point if he cut out the 

 whole, while the barrel is given ten points. The barrel, udder 

 and teats are utility points. And yet how many a judge might 

 say, this is a mean animal because she has a mean tail. She 

 does not suit me. He might give her no award at all because 

 she had a defective tail, while she was perfect in other parts. 



Now w^e come to the color and mellowness of the hide. This 

 is an important point, and one on which some of us might, 

 perhaps, quarrel with the score card makers. If I alone were 

 the maker of the score card I should give the skin more import- 



