204 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



the activity of the milky glands; that the direction of the 

 hair is subordinate to that of the arteries ; that, when a large 

 patch of hair is growing from below upwards on the perinoe 

 um^ it proves that the arteries which supply the milky 

 glands (which lie just behind this place) are large, and con- 

 vey a large amount of blood, and so indicate great activity in 

 these glands. 



I might place it in another and perhaps clearer form, by 

 sajing that the size of the escutcheon outside is an indication 

 of the extent of the mucous surfaces within ; so that, if the 

 escutcheon, or milk-mirror, be large and well-developed, the 

 secreting surface within is correspondingly ample. 



Guenon, in his enthusiasm, possibly carried his system too 

 far, and claimed too much for it ; but in the main it is cor- 

 rect, and oJBfers an important means of judging of the quali- 

 ties of the cow, in connection with other and well-recognized 

 signs, Probabl}^ in a large majority of cases, — perhaps in 

 nine out of ten, — where a large and good development of the 

 milk-mirror or escutcheon, as it is called, is united, or found 

 in connection, with other favorable indications, — a soft skin, 

 a fine head and limbs, and a large development of the hind- 

 quarters, — the cow would proA^e to be a good milker ; and 

 the cases which were apparently exceptions might be due 

 to some accident, or some mismanagement on the part of the 

 keeper. I regard it, therefore, as a valuable sign, and by no 

 means to be overlooked ; but at the same time I do not 

 believe it should be carried too far, or be depended upon 

 without the concurrence of other good indications. 



NoAV, in breeding dairy stock, the bull should be selected 

 with special reference to this object. He has his fine dairy 

 point !5 as well as the cow; and among them is the escutch- 

 eon, which, though not so largely developed as that on the 

 cow, is still very apparent on most bulls from good milk- 

 ing stock ; and, where a correspondence exists between his 

 perineal development and that of the cow, it would be so 

 much in his favor. 



With respect to the period during what is called the 

 "heat," at which the cow should be put to the bull, no rule 

 can be laid down upon any rational grounds. Perhaps we 

 have too few facts in regard to the effect or influence of a 

 service early or late in the heat. Some farmers thinlc con- 



