Cruenon Examined. 25 



establish a system without any other basis than the coinci- 

 dence between yield and the Yield Mark. 



In his second chapter, Guenon says : " I divide cows in- 

 to eight classes or families, and these classes each into eight 

 orders. In each class I distinguish three different sizes, 

 the high, the low, and the medium. This classification 

 embraces all kinds of cows known to me." This is the 

 substance of his classification. He attempts to explain and 

 illustrate this illusive system by cuts of the Yield Mark in 

 the various classes and orders of cows he has created, as- 

 cribing important influences to accidental marks that have 

 not the remotest connection with milk yield. 



The number of classes and orders together is sixty-four. 

 The eight classes are based on mere difference in outline 

 forms of the Yield Marks, while each of the eight orders, 

 in each class — sixty-four orders in all — is based on differ- 

 ent sizes and forms of Yield Mark, commencing with 

 the largest size and numbering down to the smallest in 

 each class ; eight orders each in eight classes, makes sixty- 

 four, multiplied by eight classes, gives two hundred and 

 seventy-two divisions in Guenon' s system. Call his classes 

 sixty-four in number, and cutting off one-half of these — 

 composed of cows yielding too little milk to pay for milk- 

 ing — and we have thirty-two classes or orders of marks and 

 cows. Now as every one of these orders or classes blends 

 or laps more or less, leaving no clear line of demarkation or 

 distinction between them, what real ground is there for 

 classification according to difference in size or form? 

 Moreover, the same outline form of Yield Mark is not in- 

 herited or reproduced in any case, as the influence of the 

 male modifies the form of breech growth in the heifer 

 calves while the size of cows does not control the size of 

 the mark, the size of the Yield Mark being according to 

 weight of yield, which probably averages more in propor- 



3 



