182 THE AMERICAN FARMER. 



themselves apparently, in the very best milkers, in a large cavity in the flesh, into which 

 the end of the finger can be inserted; but when the cow is not in full milk, the milk vein, 

 at other times very prominent, is not so distinctly traced; and hence, to judge of its size 

 when the cow is dry or nearly so, this vein may be pressed near its end, or at its entrance 

 into the body, when it will immediately fill up to its full size. This vein does not carry 

 the milk to the udder, as some suppose, but it is the channel by which the blood returns; 

 and its contents consists of the refuse of the secretion, or what has not been taken up in 

 forming milk. 



There are also veins in the udder, and the perineum, or the space above the udder, and 

 between that and the buttocks, which it is of special importance to observe. These veins 

 should be largely developed and irregular or knotted, especially these of the udder. They 

 are largest in great milkers. The knotted veins of the perineum extending from above, 

 downwards in a winding line, are not readily seen in young heifers, and are very difficult to 

 find in poor cows, or cows of only a medium quality. They are easily found in very good 

 milkers, and, if not at first apparent, they are made so by pressing upon them at the base of 

 the perineum, when they swell up, and send the blood back towards the vulva. They form 

 a kind of shield net-work under the skin of the perineum, raising it up somewhat, in some 

 cases near the vulva, in other cases lower down and nearer to the udder. It is important to 

 look for these veins, as they often form a very important guide, and by some they would be 

 considered as furnishing the surest indications of the milking qualities of the cow. 



Their full development almost always indicates an abundant secretion of milk; but they 

 are far better developed after the cow has had two or three calves, when two or three years 

 milking has given full activity to the milk glands, and attracted a large flow of blood. The 

 larger and more prominent these veins, the better. It is needless to say that in observing 

 them some regard should be had to the condition of the cow, the thickness of skin and fat 

 by which they may be surrounded, and the general activity and food of the animal. Food 

 calculated to stimulate the greatest flow of milk will naturally increase these veins, and give 

 them more than usual prominence. 



Magne states that in Flanders, a cow is considered a good milker, &quot; especially when 

 towards the middle of the spine the apophyses (or projections) are separated or scattered so 

 as to leave a space between of about two finger-breadths,&quot; for the reason that, when the 

 spine is thus formed, the haunches are better spread, and the thighs and croup larger. The 

 other members of the body in such cases are also better developed, the basin ampler, and 

 the organs placed in this cavity, as well as the udder, are more voluminous. Besides the 

 parts already mentioned, much can also be determined by an examination of the escutcheon, 

 or what is called the milk-mirror in cows. 



The Glienon System. This system is so called from the name of its founder, whose 

 discovery, whatever may be said of it, has proved of vast importance to agriculture. Francis 

 Guenon was a herdsman in France, a man of great judgment and penetration, a close observer, 

 and an excellent judge of stock. He was born in Bordeaux, in humble circumstances, and 

 in early life had the care of cows. He noticed upon the posterior of cows, on the space above 

 the udder extending to the buttock, and called the perineum, that part of the hair grew 

 contrary to the hair on the remaining part of the animal, and that the surface thus covered 

 varied, assuming different shapes, and that a connection existed between these external marks 

 and certain ones on the udder, and the milking qualities of the cow. To these marks he 

 gave the name of milk mirror or escutcheon. By these marks, according to Guenon s sys 

 tem, it is claimed that not only the milking qualities of a cow can be determined, but also the 

 length of time a cow will continue to give milk, thus instructing how to avoid purchasing 

 such cows as when pregnant begin to fail rapidly in their milk, and go dry too early to be 

 profitable. After many years of experiment and testing, based upon the form and size of 



