POINTS IN COWS. 453 



of color which specify that the animal possessing them is truly and 

 distinctly a member of the class demanding the specifications pos- 

 sessed. The average farmer gives but little attention to the finer 

 points, but with his experience and habit of association judges very 

 critically at times. While farmers are seemingly anxious to improve, 

 they endeavor to do so without knowing in which direction to ben- 

 efit themselves. Nearly every farmer claims to be an expert at se- 

 lecting milch cows, yet in breeding his stock he does not consider 

 first what he is to breed for. Does he stop to consider whether he 

 wishes the offspring of his favorite cow to be a superior milker or 

 a great butter-producer ? The influence of the sire is to- be consid- 

 ered above all others in such a matter. Jersey bulls are scattered 

 far and wide now, and are within the reach of all, and yet the 

 dairyman who sends his milk to market, and cares not to make 

 butter, is foolish in patronizing Jersey bulls. The Jerseys are for 

 butter-producing only, and are not heavy milkers. The milk such 

 cows give is very rich ; it is almost pure cream ; but it does not 

 come up in quantity. The farmer who desires large yields of milk 

 from cows should seek to have transmitted to his young stock the 

 blood of the Holstein or Ayrshire ; for, although the milk from 

 cows of these breeds is not as rich in quantity as that from the 

 Jerseys or Guernseys, it greatly excels them in quality. Thus, 

 those farmers living within reach of cheese-factories can best pro- 

 mote their interests by selecting Holsteins or Ayrshires for improv- 

 ing their stock, while those who send butter to market should have 

 nothing but the butter-producers. 



A great milker shows her qualities in her looks and make-up. 

 The eyes and hair also give good indications. The first point 

 for a farmer's observation, and the principal one, is to observe that 

 she does not show a tendency to become "beefy" or rounding, with 

 points that denote good fattening qualities. A first-class cow does 

 not get fat as a rule, but is rather bony and ugly-looking. The 

 shape of the Jersey should be deer-like, with a large, mild-looking 

 eye and soft feeling of hide to the touch. The udder should be 

 full, reaching far up at the rear. One of the most prominent points 

 is the large milk-ducts (sometimes as large as a person's arm) run- 

 ning from the udder to the middle of the stomach. They are sure 

 indications of good milking-qualities. Jerseys have black nozzles 

 and tongues, the udder being usually smoother than in other breeds, 

 and velvet-like when examined by touch. The Holsteins are a 

 very large breed of cows, equalhng the Shorthorns in size, but 

 largely excelling them in milking-qualities. The young male 

 calves from such cows can be kept with profit, as the Holsteins, 



