1891.] PUBLIC DOCUMENT — No. 4. 87 



ernor for his admirable lecture, and to add a few practical 

 words to what he has said which possibly may be of service 

 to those who are interested in dairy cattle. 



His analysis of the structure of the cow has been most 

 admirable, and what he has said in regard to her nervous 

 organization has also been most admirable. Now, in order 

 to simplify the whole thing, let me give you a rule for judg- 

 ing of a good cow exactly in accordance with the theory 

 which he has given us. In the first place, the head must be 

 clean and well-shaped, as he has said ; she must have a long, 

 fine neck ; and the spine should show a rough and uneven 

 surface as you pass your hand over it. The spinous proc- 

 esses should be prominent. The shoulder should be very 

 open at the base, — I mean above the fore leg, — and should 

 have at the joint a little cup-shaped cavity into which you 

 can insert your finger. That will tell a great deal in regard 

 to the capacity of a dairy cow. The ribs, as the governor 

 has described, should be wide, flat, and delicately con- 

 structed, and widely separated. Then with regard to her 

 foot, a long hind foot and a wide fore foot is the foot of a 

 good dairy cow. An upright, straight, stumpy hind foot 

 always indicates a capacity for taking on fat. The hide of 

 a dairy cow should be elastic and thin ; and, as a well- 

 developed nervous system always indicates a milk-produc- 

 ing faculty, her milk-vein should be large and prominent. 

 So much for the structure, which, if followed, will alwa} r s 

 secure to you a good dairy cow. 



Now, one word about milk-fever. What the governor 

 has said in regard to it is entirely in accordance with my 

 own observation and my own experience, and the remedy is 

 the simplest in the world. I have had many cows ill with 

 milk-fever, and have lost some of the most valuable of my 

 imported cows. I learned after a while that if" I wrapped a 

 cow that was ill with this disease in thick, heavy blankets, 

 soaked in hot water, she would instantly come into repose, 

 she would cease that gritting of the teeth which always in- 

 dicates the approach of milk-fever, and would almost invari- 

 ably get well. That is a thing worth knowing, because, 

 if you have a cow sick with milk-fever and send for a 

 doctor, he doses her with something, you don't know what ; 



