520 HANDY-BOOK OF HUSBANDRY. 



generations on poor land the size of the larger breeds will be 

 equally reduced. Thus nature is constantly seeking to bring 

 about a due conformity between the soil and the herds feeding 

 upon it. It would be useless, therefore, to attempt to raise any 

 herd to its highest pitch of excellence, no matter how pure the 

 breed might be, unless at the same time the proportion and 

 quality of food required by the perfect animal of the breed, 

 were regularly supplied. Either we should too greatly increase 

 the tendency to fat and to large development on the one hand, or 

 we should too much reduce these on the other. Having adopted 

 the type that we wish to attain in breeding, it is necessary always 

 to adjust the quality and quantity of the food to its preserva- 

 tion or improvement. By too great an increase of size and 

 tendency to fatten we may reduce the milking qualities ; or by 

 stinted feeding we may so enfeeble the constitution as to destroy 

 the especial quality on which our preference for a given breed has 

 been based. This question of breeding furnishes in itself ample 

 material for a larger book than this, and it would be improper to 

 enter here more fully into its discussion. The few hints already 

 given should suffice to induce any thoughtful farmer to study 

 carefully the principles set forth in more elaborate works on the 

 subject. 



THE SELECTION OF MILCH COWS. 



In the selection of milch cows care should be given, in the first 

 instance, to those general characteristics of the dairy animal which 

 are permanent in all breeds, and which are the universal indica- 

 tions, the world over, of good milkers. The following statement 

 by Mr. Flint very well covers the more important points of the 

 case : — * 



" In order to have no superfluous flesh, the cow should have a 

 " small, clean, and rather long head, tapering toward the muzzle. 

 " A cow with a large, coarse head, will seldom fatten readily, or 

 " give a large quantity of milk. A coarse head increases the pro- 

 " portion of weight of the least valuable parts, while it is a sure 



* Milch Cows and Dairy Farming. By Charles L. Flint. Boston : 1867. 



