EXTRACTS FROM THE MUCH LARGER NOTICES OF THE WORK. 



How TO Select Cows ; oe, the Guenon System Explained. By Willis P. Haz- 

 ard. In no way is the march of improvement in agriculture more decided than in the 

 new discoveries'and new methods of developing its resources. It is owing to these that 

 America is now the granarv of the world, and, as years roll by, if the developments 

 of the next decade are as great in proportion as the last ones, no matter how extensive 

 the foreign demand, there will be an ample supply at still lower prices than at the 

 present. No branch of agricultural interests has changed so much and received such 

 an impetus, especially within the last five years, as the dairy. Entire new modes of 

 makino- butter and cheese and of setting milk have largely taken place of the old ones. 

 Competition in making dairy products becomes keener each year, and every process 

 by which the labor can be lessened, or the products be cheapened, meets with recom- 

 pense. 



The first step, however, is in the selection of good stock, for by it the product of the 

 herd is increased from twentv-five to thirty-three per cent., and, therefore, the protits 

 must be immenselv greater. ' The old plan of our forefathers of judging of the value 

 of a cow by a crunipled horn and a large bag is now set aside by recent discoveries. 

 The most important and most reliable ono is that of Mons. Francois Guenon, of Li- 

 bourne, France. After a series of experiments he was convinced there were outward 

 marks in the hair which were an indication of the yield and quality of all cows. 

 Patientlj^ for manj^ years he labored at forming his discoveries into a system, with 

 classes and orders of each variation. He was finally rewarded by the approval of all 

 the leading agricultural societies in France, and by that government with a pension 

 of three thousand francs. 



The work of Guenon was partially translated and published in this country years 

 ago, but it was his first crude effort, and it presented the new science in so crude a 

 form as rather to dismay the learner than to invite him to master it. Last year the 

 State of Pennsylvania appointed a commission of three well-known agriculturists and 

 experts to test the svstem and report upon it. That report was printed and published 

 to the extent of twehtj'-five thousand copies, which but partially supplied the demand. 

 Messrs. Blight, Harvey, and Hazard examined the escutcheons of two hundred cows, 

 and interpreted them as regards the quantity, quality, and time of the yield of each 

 animal. Alongside of their statements the kno-wledge of the owner of each cow was 

 printed, and it is truly wonderful how accurately the character of each cow is given 

 by these gentlemen who had never seen the cattle before. The gist of their report 

 was that the svstem was invaluable and worthy of adoption by every farmer, and such, 

 adoption would add millions of value to the improved herds of the country. 



Upon the publication of this report, discussions took place in the leading agricul- 

 tural journals, and thus has been created a demand for more easily to be acquired 

 knowledge upon the whole subject. Willis P. Hazard, the secretary of the commis- 

 sion, has prepared a complete treatise vipon Guenon's system, and it has been just 

 issued in a clieap form, for wide circulation. 



Mr. Hazard in his book gives a sketch of the life of M. Guenon and the progress of 

 his system, and then fully explains it, so that in this simplified form any one can 

 quickly learn all the points so as to readih^ apply it. The opinions of others, both pro 

 and con, are introduced, argued, and answered, so that in this volume one gets a full 

 historv and account of the system, and its practical application is made easy. There 

 is a profusion of engravings, photographed from Guenon's designs, which thoroughly 

 elucidate the text and render it a valuable handbook which no farmer can afford to do 

 without, and which amateur agriculturists will find a most interesting development of 

 a wonderful discovery. — Philadelphia Inquirer, 



"A gentleman Avell known amon^ the dairymen, and who was appointed by the 

 Governor of Pennsylvania to investigate the value and practicability of the Guenon 

 system. He was induced to undertake the explanation of the system, which he has 

 very abh- performed in this volume. The low price at which it 'is offered should in- 

 duce every one even in the smallest manner engaged in breeding or management of 

 cows to procure a copy of it." — American Farmer, Baltimore, 



"At the New York State fair, in September, 1879, Mr. Hazard applied the Guenon 

 system to a large number of cows of different breeds on exhibition, and told the 

 amount of milk each gave, as indicated by the escutcheon theory. A conmiittco, with 

 Col. F. D. Curtis as chairman, was appointed to accompany him, and they state in their 

 report that he was generally accurate, not varying in any instance more tlian two quarts 

 in stating the daily average yield, and in most cases giving the amount exactly, and 

 also the lime the cows would give milk. He made his estimate on the average daily 

 vield for the first three months after calving, on liberal feed. In one or two instances 

 he over rated the cows, but generally where there was any difference lie was under 

 the amount stated by the owners. Mr. Hazard tafees into consideration in his estimates 

 the size of the cow and her whole contour, as well as the character of tlio skin. His 

 round of observation is first tlie shape of the escutehcon, then the milk veins and 

 quality of the skin. He offered to have the cows blanketed and then tell their milk- 

 ing capacity, but this was not done. It is fair to say that he judges mainly by the 



escutcheoni The tests attracted a large circle of breeders, who were greatly interested 

 novelty and general accuracy."— Coi. Curtis in 2\ew YorkTribune. 



on account of the 



