44 



TREATISE ON MILCH COWS. 



torn, to drive our only Cow to the grazing ground. I was very fond of her, and 

 could have identified her among ever so many. One day, as I was whiling away 

 the time in cleaning and scratching my poor old companion, I noticed that a sort 

 of bran or dandruf detached itself in considerable quantities from certain spots on 

 her hind parts, formed by the meeting of the hair, as it grew in opposite direc 

 tions ; which spots I have since called ears, from the resemblance they often bear 

 to the bearded ears or heads of wheat or rye.* This fact attracted my attention, 

 and I recollected having heard one of my grandfathers say that it was probable 

 there were external marks on Cows, whereby their good qualities or their defects 

 might be known just as we judge of the vital force of a plant and its qualities 

 by means of its leaves and the lines on its skin. My own thoughts now took 

 this turn. Reflecting on the subject, I arrived at the conclusion that if, in the 

 vegetable kingdom, there exist external signs, whereby the good and the bad 

 qualities of a plant can be positively known, there ought to exist in the animal 

 kingdom, also, marks whereby we may judge, by inspecting an animal, of its 

 qualities, good and bad ; and I thought that I had discovered one of these signs. 



All this, however, was as yet but mere speculation a brilliant theory, which 

 experience might belie : it was necessary to interrogate Nature. The Cow which 

 I tended was a good milker. I have already said that I knew her perfectly. I 

 examined other Cows within my reach, to see if I should find the same signs in 

 them. I sought for the bearded ears (quirls), and scratched those spots in quest 

 of dandruf; the abundance or the scarcity of this being what first engaged my 

 attention. Every new Cow was compared with my own as a standard, and her 

 superiority, equality or inferiority determined in my own mind. 



From this moment I spared nothing to follow up my observations ; no fatigue 

 was too great for me ; I have often traveled several leagues in order to examine 

 a single Cow. What was my exultation when, after I had formed my judgment 

 of a Cow, the questions with which I belabored her owner brought forth answers 

 that corroborated its accuracy ! How often has it happened that people were 

 convinced that the animal whose qualities I was pronouncing upon must have 

 been previously known to me ! My secret was the cause of astonishment to ma 

 ny ; I took good care to keep it to myself. 



In the course of the comparisons thus instituted by me, with reference to the 

 dandruf alone, which was at first the only thing that governed me, I had occasion 

 to remark that great diversities existed among Cows, in respect to the shape of 

 the bearded ears (quirls) which produced the dandruf. This suggested a ne\v 

 train of reflections and observations, which resulted in my becoming con 

 vinced that these shapes were the signs by which to distinguish Cows, and tr 

 know the good and bad qualities of every individual among them. From tha 

 moment my discovery was made ; but it was necessary to digest it into a systecr 

 above all, to establish its accuracy in all its parts, by proofs which should car* 

 ry my own conviction into the minds of others. It was here that all my courage 

 and perseverance was put in requisition. 



It did not suffice to have discovered signs that were characteristic of different 

 sorts of Cows ; it was necessary to make sure that the same mark might alwayfe 

 be relied upon as a positive and certain sign of the same perfection or defect. 



* These marks arc, in some parts of our country, celled quirls. Their occurrence in horses (particularly 

 on the neck, under the man ) is well known to be a sign of blood. This is a remarkable coincidence ; and 

 it seems far from impt obable that the discovery made by the author in regard to neat cattle will lead to sim 

 ilar disc-verico respecting other domestic animals. [American Translator. 



