THE DAIRY. 525 



Mirror. The shape of the Mirror is very different in different races, 

 and generally assumes one of two or three different forms. For 

 details concerning this subject the reader is referred to well-known 

 publications in which it is set forth. For the purposes of this 

 chapter it will be sufficient to say, in general terms, that, as a gen- 

 eral rule, the size of the mirror bears a pretty constant proportion 

 to the amount of the yield of milk ; and while it is true that this 

 indication of great milking qualities, in those cases where it is a 

 reliable indication, accompanies such other general characteristics 

 as of themselves indicate good milkers, at the same time it is one 

 which is so easily studied, that it constitutes perhaps the simplest 

 indication of the general dairy qualities of any individual animal. 



The great value of Guenon's system depends on the fact that 

 in calves which, neither by the texture of their hides nor the con- 

 formation of their bodies, nor, indeed, by any of the general 

 marks on which we depend in the selection of dairy animals, give 

 any indication of their future milking qualities, it is possible by a 

 sole dependence on the character of the escutcheon to predict 

 with considerable certainty their future usefulness for the dairy. 

 Of course, owing to the slight development of the udder, the 

 escutcheon is always very much smaller, even in proportion to the 

 size of the animal, than in the milch cow ; yet the different pro- 

 portions that the escutcheons of two calves bear to their size are 

 an excellent general indication of their future usefulness ; and any 

 farmer who will carefully study this peculiarity of his animals dur- 

 ing the various stages of their growth, with the assistance of the 

 plates laid down in Guenon's book (also to be found in Mr. 

 Flint's work), will arrive at a tolerably accurate means of judging 

 of the value of full-grown animals that it is contemplated to pur- 

 chase, and of the calves that his own herd produces 



THE FEEDING AND MANAGEMENT OF DAIRY COWS. 



In the chapter on " Winter Feeding and Management " the 

 subject of the treatment of milch cows is considered at length, 

 and a general reference to it will be found in the chapter on 

 " Soiling and Pasturing." It may be well, however, in this con- 



