Guenon's System of Selecting Cows hy the Escutcheon. 473 
those who can appreciate good milk, the flavour and body of 
some milk is far superior to that of others ; and this, too, 
independent of the varied quality of the several breeds. The 
fa?tus, too, will grow larger, and make a finer and healthier calf 
than from an unhealthy animal. 
It is evident, therefore, the health of the animal should be 
taken into consideration, especially in estimating the quality as 
well as the quantity of the yield. 
7. The Food. — To maintain a cow in good health, and to get 
from her the greatest returns for profit, it is evident she must be 
well fed, and intelligently fed. To be well fed she must have 
sufficient to satisfy her appetite and to fulfil the demands made 
upon her. In the majority of cases the feeder as he passes along 
the different stalls will give to each cow about the same quantity 
of food, never considering that there are gross feeders as well as 
delicate feeders among animals as there are among men. That 
some are stronger, larger, and healthier than others. That 
some yield much more than others. There are always certain 
cows that take better care of themselves than they do of their 
masters. In other words, these cows will give less milk and 
keep themselves in better condition than other cows. Now, if 
a cow is constitutionally right, and can digest thirty pounds of 
hay with six quarts of meal a day, und yield a proportionate 
amount of milk and butter, she may pay a great deal better 
profit than one that eats less and pays less. The good worker 
and eater should have more than the poorer worker ; they should 
not be treated alike. 
To feed intelligently requires this discrimination, which may 
be made by ascertaining the yields of every cow in the herd, 
and testing each one by various amounts of food. Also, by 
studying by practice, and from the analyses of experts, the 
different values of various foods, and the proper combinations of 
the several kinds of foods. The scientists of the German 
experiment stations have proved that up to a certain point 
special foods may be given to produce certain results, but beyond 
that point it would not be profitable to increase that food. 
This proves that the system may take and assimilate and convert 
food to a profit in changing it into a marketable product, but 
that after a certain stage the extra amount of food is no longer 
assimilated and profitably converted. These results may be 
proved for himself by any farmer. His first step would be to 
study the values of different foods. He will find one will make 
more muscle, another one more fat, another one more milk, and 
so on. He will find, too, the different combinations and pro- 
portions to feed them in to be the most valuable to him. 
Now, Guenon knew he might go into one herd, and after 
VOL. XXI. — S. S. 2 I 
