684 Cf CLOPEDIA OF LIVE STOCK AND OOMFLBTE STOCK DOCTOR. 



deep ; the twist wide, to accommodate a clean, good-sized udder ; the 

 flanks medium; the hocks or gambrel joints crooked; the hind legs 

 omali ; the udder capacious, square, set well forward, and covered with 

 soft, silky hair ; the teats fine, standing well apart and nicely tapering ; 

 the milk veins prominent. On the whole she is a homely, blood-Hke, 

 gentle, useful little housekeeping body, with a most kindly temper, lov- 

 ing to be petted, and, like the pony with the children, readily becomes 

 a great favorite with those who have her about them, either in pasture, 

 paddock, stable or the lawn. The colors are usually light red or fawn, 

 occasionally smoky grey, and sometimes black, mixed or splashed more 

 or less with white." 



Vn. Milk Mirrors. 



To M. Francois Guenon, a farmer of Siboume, France, is due the 

 credit of having perfected a system for determining the value ct a cow 

 for milk, by the escutcheon or milk sign, (mirror as it is sc letimes 

 called) extending from the root of the tail, in the best animais, down 

 over the udder behind and between the thighs. The writer studied it 

 and Lrcd by it when engaged in active farming, and, while not willing to 

 accord full credit to the judgment of the French committee of agricul- 

 ture at Bordeaux, in 1828, he believes them conscientious in their report. 

 They used this strong language : " This system we do not fear to say is 

 infallible." My own ol)servation. leads me to regard it as being so essen- 

 tially correct, that a careful study of the "signs" will enable any person 

 to judge pretty correctly as to the quantity and quality of the milk 

 given and also as to the time of giving milk, after the cow is again in calf. 

 In breeding, ex'unine also the coiTcsi)onding escutcheon in the bull, for 

 we have always found that the bull showing the marks eminently will be 

 pretty sure to get calves that will grow up to be good milkers. 



Vni. Guenon's Theory of Milk Mirrors. 



In the Guenon system there are twenty-seven diagrams representing 

 the various grades of milking qualities, including what is called a bastard 

 escutcheon to each grade. These vary from the fullest development in 

 the growth of upward hair, and in the "scurf marks," down to the least 

 possible exhibit — the "bastard escutcheons" showing, by peculiar signs, 

 that the cow will not only give poor milk, but will fail early after again 

 coming to be with calf. The hair indicating a good milker turns upward, 

 is short and tine, and contains peculiar oval marks or scurf spots. The 

 skin over this whole surface is easily raised, and is especially soft and 

 fine in good milkers. 



