BUYING. — HARLEY'S RULES. 21 



ten years old, and from eight to twenty pounds a head. 

 Prime young cows were too high-priced for stall feed- 

 ing ; old cows were generally the most profitable in the 

 long run, especially if they were not previously in good 

 keeping. The cows were generally bought when near 

 calving, which prevented the barbarous practice called 

 hafting, or allowing the milk to remain upon the cow 

 for a considerable time before she is brought to the 

 market. This base and cruel custom is always perni- 

 cious to the cow, and in consequence of it she seldom 

 recovers her milk for the season. The middling and 

 large sizes of cows were preferred, such as weighed 

 from thirty-five to fifty stone, or from five hundred to 

 eight hundred pounds. 



According to Mr. Harley, the most approved shape 

 and marks of a good dairy cow are as follows : Head 

 small, long, and narrow towards the muzzle ; horns 

 small, clear, bent, and placed at considerable distance 

 from each other ; eyes not large, but brisk and lively ; 

 neck slender and long, tapering towards the head, with 

 a little loose skin below ; shoulders and fore quarters 

 light and thin; hind quarters large and broad; back 

 straight, and joints slack and open ; carcass deep in the 

 rib ; tail small and long, reaching to the heels ; legs 

 small and short, with firm joints ; udder square, but a 

 little oblong, stretching forward, thin-skinned and capa- 

 cious, but not low hung; teats or paps small, pointing 

 outwards, and at a considerable distance from each 

 other ; milk-veins capacious and prominent ; skin loose, 

 thin, and soft like a glove ; hair short, soft, and woolly ; 

 general figure, when in flesh, handsome and well pro- 

 portioned. 



If this description of the Ayrshire cow be correct, it 

 will be seen that her head and neck are remarkably 

 clean and fine, the latter swelling gradually towards the 



