Year: 1861

Mr.. Geo. w. Ogden of Lexington,
KY, asks how he may be able to tell by
inspecting calf or cow, that it will make
a good mixer,


To the initiated this is very easy; he
Will scarcely be mistaken one time out of
twenty in making bis selections. But to
convey this knowledge to another, by the
pen alone, is impossible; the most we
can do is to give few general rules to
guide Mr.. 0. In selecting. We could
give him more information, orally, in one
hour with us among a herd of COWS and
calves, than if we were to write volume.
What misfortune that farmers sons are
are not taught these things, as well as
many others of great practical value re-
lating toltheir profession. Are they not
as important to them as reading, writing,
or arithmetic? And still more import
ant than much they are required to learn
at school. But to the question.


There are three points in calf or cow
which indicate great milking qualities.-
The most important and certain of these,
especially in the calf, is the udder. This
should be broad and full, extending, well
forward along the belly, and well up be-
hind !; the skin rather soft and elastic,
neither thick nor thin; and the hair
around of a, silky touch. The teats
should be of good size, placed rather wide
apart, and at right angles to each other,
the ends slightly pointing out in an obli-
que direction.


1t is favorable indication for the udder
to show fifth or even sixth teat, though
these should be much smaller than the
others, especially in the grown COW. In
the calf the relative difference may not
be so great.


The second important consideration is
he milk veins, which should be large and
quite Jagged. These will be well devel-
oped several months before the heifer
drops her first calf, and Invariably show
large ever after. We never knew COW
wife such veins that did not give large
quantity az .milk-whatever the quality
might be-urless some accident had hap
pened to her, or she had been very i'm
properly managed. We have also known
cows that were great mixers, which did
not show large milk veins, but these are
mere exceptions to the general rule.


The third important consideration Is
the eScutcheonS- OF these a pretty ac-
curate notion may be obtained by perusing
Guenon's little work on this subject, pub
lished with numerous illustrations. These
marks, however, are not quite so certain
a test as the udder and milk veins. We
speak from our own experience, which
has been considerable in these matters;
though we know there are many who are
so enthusiastic as to look upon the ess
cutcheens as the only infallible point in+
dicating a good mixer. Perhaps this ap-
plies more particularly to the large Flem-
ish breed of cows than to any other. as
these were Guenon's models.


In addition to the above, there are other
points which may be taken into considera-
ton in making up ones mind whether
COW is a good or poor mixer. If the
former, her eye is generally bright; her
head long and clean; her chest slightly
thin for'the breed; and her body rather
wedge shaped from the hips forward,
while she is extra capacious behind, with
thin thighs the skin rich cream color
and very elastic. In the latter we have
noticed that the eye was not ordinarily so
yrominent; the head thicker; the should
ers and thighs coarser and more meaty,
and the posterior development narrower.
Farm and Garden.