532 Transactions of the 



goose-rumped cows, with very ragged hips, are most excellent milkers. 

 The prominence given by Mr. Flint to the veins of the perineum accords 

 with the practice in Jersey, where a great point is made of the size and 

 knotted character of these vessels, when developed by arresting their 

 circulation by pressure. , 



There arc some minor points of an empirical character which may or 

 may not be of value, but which some practical dairymen rarely disre- 

 gard. One of these is that the curtain or fold of skin below the flank 

 should extend well down over the udder, and that the recess between it 

 and the udder should be deep, this skin being also very soft and flexible. 

 Another is that the skin on the belly immediately in front of the udder 

 should be loose, soft, and easily drawn into deep folds. These are, after 

 all, onl} r indications of that general looseness of the hide which seems to 

 belong to the more productive milkers of all breeds. 



It would be out of place in an essaj- so limited as this to enter into a 

 detailed discussion as to the value of the escutcheon, or milk-mirror, or 

 to give directions for applying the system in practice. It is enough to 

 say, generally, that, whatever its shape, the escutcheon should be large. 

 In some cases it reaches quite up to and beyond the vulva, without much 

 width below; and in others, without rising scarcely at all above the 

 udder, it spreads out widely, like an apron, over the thighs. Probabh" 

 in some cases, in which its development, as viewed from the rear, may 

 seem somewhat restricted, it has a sufficient extent on the belly in front 

 of the udder to compensate for this defect. The ideal escutcheon 

 towards which we should all breed, should wander well out over 

 the thighs, and reach in a broad band quite to the setting on of the tail, 

 its outline being uniform and well defined. Whatever may be the read- 

 er's opinion as to the value of the escutcheon, surely no one would pre- 

 tend that such an escutcheon as this could be in any way detrimental, 

 nor has the writer ever seen such an one on a cow which did not per- 

 form well at the pail. There is less justification for what has been writ- 

 ten on the subject (though it is quite likely to be true) to prove that the 

 quirl separating the hair of the fore part of the bag from that of the 

 belly should be as far forward as possible. 



It is impossible to give in writing such a description of a perfect Jer- 

 sey cow as will enable an inexperienced person to select with judgment. 

 The knowledge required comes only with experience, and experience 

 produces its best result only in the case of one who has a natural apti- 

 tude for observing the characteristics of animals; but there is an air 

 of kindness, docility, generous feeding, and generous milking in the best 

 Jerse}- cows, which, when once recognized, can never be overlooked or 

 mistaken, and which the skillful breeder will soon fix in his mind as the 

 type towards which his efforts should be aimed, and the point from 

 which (these having succeeded) his attempt at improvement should take 

 its departure. 



THE MILK OF THE JERSEYS. 



It is very well understood by all who have given attention to this race 

 of cattle, that, while the milk is somewhat less copious than that of 

 other races, it is much richer in cream than that of any other with which 

 Ave are familiar; that the cream has a higher color, and that its butter 

 has the advantage of coming more quickly and of being more easily 

 worked, and of being extremely firm and wax like in its texture. In ap- 

 pearance it is everything that can be desired, and it is as amenable as 



