Fifty years ago there was dawning upon the world the first ray of a great discovery. A star was rising in the agricultural world, which was about to shed new light, and like many other valuable discoveries, it was made by one among the lowly, and partly by chance. The author of this new discovery has said, “Error flies with the rapidity of lightning, all obstacles vanish before it. Truth, on the contrary, is admitted coldly, often even with doubt, suspicion, and distrust.” It is owing partly to this, partly to the fact that this new light was given to the world when the mind of farmers were not ready to receive new ideas of progress as they now seek them, and much to the fact that it was the invention of a foreigner described in a foreign tongue. True a translation of it was made through the medium of an American monthly magazine of agriculture; but it was one of limited circulation. At that time the number of periodicals devoted to that interest was few, and such new and important questions were not thoroughly discussed and the knowledge of them placed in every farm-house in the land, as it is at the present day. Shortly after the appearance of M. Guenon’s treatise in the magazine, it was reprinted in book form, and received the large circulation of sixty-five thousand copies, between that time and now, and the book most probably sells better to-day than it did then. By many who procured that book the subject was studied, and advantage taken of its revelations, being stored away in the reader’s mind for actual practice. By the great majority it was read, but not studied; driven from it by the apparent complications of the system and the two hundred sub-divisions of it; by many, perhaps, it was attempted to be put into practice, but without their having given the subject that close investigation which was needed to prove the system correct. It was mostly by this class of persons, because the system was not found to be infallible, that it was denounced and given up, even by men otherwise intelligent; as if anything human could be infallible. Thus it is that by the ignorant its revelations were received with incredulity, and by many of the intelligent with doubt; but to the earnest seekers after practical information, it has unfolded a mine of wealth, and they have proved the system by continuous experience, and found it to be the most reliable mode of judging of the value of every member of the bovine species.
It was a happy thought that suggested itself to the Pennsylvania State Board of Agriculture, to have the system tested by uninterested parties. But extremely difficult, it was, to obtain persons to make the test. For those to whom application was made declined it on various grounds, principally because, as Guenon himself has stated in his latest edition, many pretended savans would endeavor to throw ridicule upon it; many others would identify the gentlemen making the tests with it, as if it was their system that they were testing; while not a few still more narrow-minded, would think they were trying to humbug them. Thus it was difficult to fill the places, which offered neither honor nor profit.
It will be seen, by these extracts, that the Governor appointed three experts to test the system. This they did in the summer of 1878, examining two hundred cows, jotting down their opinion of the yield, quality, and time of each of them, and afterwards printing them alongside of the reports of their owners, so that the public could form their own estimate of the results of the examinations of the commission. They are here reprinted, to show how it was carried out. Particular attention is called to the examinations of the blanketed cows in Thomas Gawthrop’s herd.
On M. Guenon and his System.
It is proper we should inquire into M. Guenon, and the origin and development of his system.
Monsieur François Guenon, a husbandman of Libourne, in France, was the son of a gardener, and followed for sometime his ancestor’s trade. He seems to have had a mind above those in his position. As we look at his portrait, he appears to have a clear eye, a cool head, great determination, firmness of character, a well-balanced mind, and with it all, a vigor of constitution which buoys him up, and enables him to over-ride obstacles. He says himself, he was of an observant turn of mind, fond of comparing things, and deducing consequences from what he learned by observation and comparison, particularly from the Book of Nature. Young, ardent and healthy, with the vivacity of his race, he felt himself destined for better things than those a gardener’s life would insure him. What wonder then that his eye was keen to see, his mind to grasp and analyze any new turn of thought that chance might throw in his way.
Like most self-made men, who have made their mark in life’s pilgrimage, he set himself to work to improve himself—to acquire that which would expand his mind, and fit it to receive any new inspiration, and be able to develop it. He studied the works of the best writers on botany and agriculture; and applied his knowledge by following up all the ramifications of the vegetable kingdom, and studied their external signs, that distinguish the different sorts, and ascertained their qualities and productiveness.
In France, they have few fences, and the cattle of a neighborhood are driven to the grazing ground, and herded together, and, in turn, members of each or several families, (the younger portion,) are put to watch that the cattle do not stray out of bounds. Such companionship with their stock makes the owners fond of them, and they are treated as pets, and become very docile. When young Guenon was about fourteen years of age, he would drive their cow to graze. His cow he was very fond of, and could identify her among any number. She was a good milker.
The Escutcheon or Mirror.
In his authorized account of the discovery and perfection of his system, Guenon uses the following language: “When fourteen years of age, I used, according to country custom, to drive our only cow to the grazing ground. I was very fond of her, and could have identified her among ever so many. One day as I was whiling away the time in cleaning and scratching my old companion, I noticed that a sort of bran or dandruff detached itself in considerable quantities from certain spots on her hind parts, formed by the meeting of the hair as it grew in opposite directions, which spots I have since called ears, from the resemblance they often bear to the bearded ears or heads of wheat or rye. This first attracted my attention, and I recollected having heard my grandfather say that it was probable that there were external marks on cows whereby their good qualities or their defects might be known—just as we judge of the vital force of a plant and its qualities by means of its leaves and lines in its skin. Reflecting on the subject, I arrived at the conclusion that if in the vegetable kingdom there exists external signs, whereby the good and the bad qualities of a plant can be positively known, there ought to exist in the animal, or its kingdom, also, marks whereby we may judge, by inspecting an animal, of its qualities, good and bad, and I thought I had discovered one of these signs. I sought the bearded ears or quirls, and scratched those spots in quest of dandruff, the abundance or scarcity of this being what first engaged my attention. Every new cow was compared with my own as a standard, and her superiority, equality, or inferiority determined in my own mind. In the course of the comparisons thus instituted by me, with reference to the dandruff alone, which was at first the only thing that governed me, I had occasion to remark that great diversities existed among cows in respect to the shape of the bearded ears (quirls) which produced the dandruff. This suggested a new train of reflection and observation, which resulted in my becoming convinced that these shapes were the signs by which to distinguish cows, and to know the good and bad qualities of every individual among them.”
Imported Jersey Cow BLACK BESS.
Imported Jersey Cow TIBERIA.
Belonging to C. L. Sharpless, Philadelphia.
In his original plan, Guenon divided these different shapes into eight classes, each of which was sub-divided into eight orders. As he progressed in his investigations, he afterwards added two more classes, and reduced the orders to six in each class. These he supposed would cover all cases which might come up for examination. He also divided cows into three grades, which, in accordance with their size, he styled high, low, and medium. From this it will be noted that Guenon, in classifying cows, was governed first by the class, second by the order in the class, and finally by their size. These classes he divided and named as follows:
| 1st | class, | or | Flanders. |
| 2d | ” | ” | Left Flanders. |
| 3d | ” | ” | Selvage. |
| 4th | ” | ” | Curveline. |
| 5th | ” | ” | Bicorn. |
| 6th | ” | ” | Double Selvage. |
| 7th | ” | ” | Demijohn. |
| 8th | ” | ” | Square Escutcheon. |
| 9th | ” | ” | Limousine. |
| 10th | ” | ” | Horizontal. |
The ten orders in each of these classes were simply designated by their appropriate numerals. Each class was better than the succeeding one, and each order better than the following one of the same class, but might be better than the preceding order of the next class.
Of this seeming multiplicity of classes, orders, and sizes, Chalkley Harvey, one of the commission appointed to test the system, writes thus:
“Now this may seem somewhat discouraging to your readers, but with all due respect to Guenon, to whom all honor and praise should be accorded for his brilliant discovery, I think that it may be so simplified that every farmer, dairyman, and dealer can learn it all in a short time, and may find the study quite interesting. I began it laboriously, supposing that a mastery of all the details was necessary to make it of any use, but more than twenty years of constant application in practice has simplified it to my mind, and has added a little, I think, to the original discovery. The substance of Guenon’s discovery is that the milking qualities of any cow, of any breed, are indicated by an outward sign that all may see and easily understand. The hair on a cow, as on other animals, grows downward on the hind-quarters, but there is an exception to this rule on the back part of the udder, where it usually grows upward. The first lesson for a beginner is to notice this fact. Let him stand behind a quiet cow, and rub the hair on the udder both ways until he sees or feels just what I mean. Guenon called the surface that is covered by this upward growth the escutcheon; others have called it the milk-mirror; but this is no improvement in any respect, and I shall name it as Guenon did, for there is no real objection to that name, and there is serious objection to making confusion by calling the same thing by different names. The escutcheon, then, is that surface on the cow’s udder where the hair grows upward. But it is not confined to the udder, it extends upward above the udder, often to the vulva, and outward upon the thighs on both sides of the udder. (See Flanders cow, class first, order first.) These escutcheons are different in size, in shape, and in quality, (quality means the quality of the skin, and of the hair growing on it,) and these differences indicate the different milking qualities of the cows, including quantity and quality of milk, and the length of time they will give milk after being with calf. On the edges of the escutcheon where the upward and the downward growths of hair meet, a feather is formed, and this is most conspicuous on the back part of the thighs where escutcheons extend that wide. If the hair is long, as it generally is in winter time, the observer can define the limits of the escutcheon better by applying his hand, and smoothing the hair to its natural place. He will now perceive that the hair on the escutcheon is shorter and softer than elsewhere, as well as turned upward in its growth, and sometimes nearly resembles fur.
“Let us now particularly consider the shapes and sizes of these escutcheons. There is one general shape to which they conform, and that is that they are wider below than above, and at or near the top of the udder they narrow in abruptly; some continue up as far as the vulva, and even above it, and others but a little distance above the udder. The size and shape of this upper part of the escutcheon is of less importance than that of the lower part, but both must be considered—the larger the escutcheon the better. All great milkers have very large escutcheons. In large ones the upturned growth often begins on the belly, in front of the udder, extends along between the teats and up the back part of the udder, over the whole width. Indeed, the udder is not wide enough for it, and it encroaches on the thighs, where we may find the hair having an upward growth on them, inside next the udder, beginning not far above the hock joints, and running up as high as the wide part of the escutcheon extends up the thighs, and which often terminates with corresponding curls in the hair at the outlines, and the higher up and wider these are apart the better. Though the extension of the escutcheon to the front part of the udder on the belly has been mentioned, that is not a matter of practical interest in ordinary cases. All that needs to be studied is plain to be seen by standing behind the cow. When the escutcheon is small, it does not reach the thighs, and often does not cover the whole of the back part of the udder. These differences in size can be distinguished at the first lesson taken in the cow-yard, and when that has been done, the next thing is to consider their shapes. A good escutcheon is symmetrical. The feathers on the two thighs are at equal distance from the middle line of the body, and extend up to equal heights on the back parts of the thighs. A broad and high escutcheon, (speaking now only of the lower broad part of it,) that is alike on both sides, certainly indicates a superior milker. There is nearly always another sign accompanying such an escutcheon, and that is one or two ovals just above the hind teats, on which a fine coat of hair grows downward. These may be large or small, may be one or two, and may be alike in size, or unlike, but they are always good signs. Two are better than one, and the larger and more uniform they are the better; they are almost always present on large and symmetrical escutcheons. No escutcheon is ever first class if it has not one or both, and one, at least, of good size. What constitutes ‘good size’ will be better learned by a few observations than can be taught by inches, and I want to leave something to the ingenuity of the learner, to make the study interesting.
“Now, let us consider the shape and size of that part of the escutcheon which I have spoken of as the upper part; that is, the narrow portion that has its base on the top of the lower and wider portions, and runs up toward the vulva. Sometimes, though very rarely, this does not exist at all. Sometimes it is broad, and extends all the way up, with perfect symmetry. Sometimes it terminates in a curved line, at a greater or less distance up; and, indeed, it may be seen of almost any shape. As a sign of excellence, the larger and more symmetrical it is, the better—but a good lower part of the escutcheon is the main thing, and that, as a sign, can hardly be vitiated by any imperfection of the upper part. When the lower part is very good, there is usually uniformity in the part. A poor escutcheon is one that is small, or that is imperfect in form.”
The Progress of His System.
With his mind keenly alive to the pursuit of his investigations, he soon perceived the difference in the shape of these quirls or marks in the hair. We can imagine how, when he saw any cow with the same escutcheon as his own had, he would eagerly and closely question the owner, and then make his comparisons and deductions. Then, again, when he would see variations from his cow’s escutcheon, whether larger or smaller, though of similar shape, how he would study them over! When he would ask of the owner such questions, directed by his knowledge of the cow’s marks, the owner would stare, and think how the lad could know so well of his cow. And then his secret exultation when the answers showed him that he had judged aright! We can imagine this young enthusiast going on, from step to step, filling up his leisure with his acquisitions of his new theory, which was becoming fact, and growing into a system.
From his first step of discovering the dandruff, its scarcity or abundance, to his noticing the great diversity existing among cows as to the shape of the bearded ears or quirls, and being convinced these shapes were the signs by which to distinguish cows, and then to make sure that the same mark might always be relied upon as a positive sign of the same perfection or defect; were all steps in the discovery that engrossed his whole mind. He gave up his trade, traveled about, visiting cattle markets, fairs, and stables. Conversing and cross-questioning all whom he could; fixing the results in his mind, and getting the classification shaped out. He talked with farmers, dealers, and veterinary men, ascertained their modes of judging of the points of an animal, and found they were all by their own favorite signs and marks. One looked to the udder, the horns, the hide, or the shape; others to the hair, the veins, or something else; but none judged by the signs which he had found out. All were uncertain. The most the best judges could do would be to guess rightly, perhaps, three times out of five, but none could tell how long a cow would milk. Perfecting his judgment he would visit the same places and the same cows several times in a year, to see how nature was operating upon the animals, and their changes of character in the different periods of gestation, their treatment and food.
Of course, he soon began to put his theories to practical value, and he dealt in cattle on his own account. This brought before him cattle from Holland, Switzerland, Brittany, and other countries. This improved his opportunities by proving to him that, no matter what country gave them birth, all individuals possessing the same marks belonged to the same class and the same orders; in short, that nature acted through uniform laws.
Imperfections and Tufts.
Variations would arise, from crossing two animals with different escutcheons, from some defect in marking at the birth, from lack of development, or from those freaks that nature sometimes plays. They always prove stumbling-blocks in forming the judgment on some animals, and furnish texts to the opponents of the system.
As Guenon continued his examinations, he found that his classes did not afford a place for all animals, or rather that there were occasionally to be found cows whose escutcheons while apparently belonging to one of these classes, had at the same time, certain distinguished features which he styled imperfect escutcheons. These Mr. Hazard, the secretary of the commission, described as follows:
“The perfect escutcheon of each Class is the one which is in Order No. 1. All variations from this are rated lower in the scale; these variations may consist of a smaller size, therefore, the escutcheon would not be so broad or high upon the thighs, nor so broad upon the vertical portion; they may consist of the lack of ovals, which would place them below the first order; they may consist of blemishes, which are tufts of hair growing alongside of the vulva, or below it; or they may consist of strongly marked imperfections, which may be cuts or slices taken out of the escutcheon; or, coarse, harsh, wiry hair on the back and upper part of the udder. Finally, they may be so decided as to place the animal among the bastards.”
Of the tufts, Guenon says all tufts encroaching on the escutcheon diminish its value, except the oval ones on the udder; that is to say, they indicate a diminished aptitude for yielding milk. The size and location of these tufts make the animals descend one or more orders in the classification. It is, therefore, important to attend to all the patches of descending hairs which lessen the size of the escutcheon, whether these occur in the middle of it or form indentations on the sides. These indentations, partly concealed by the folds of the skin, are sometimes perceived with difficulty. Many cows, which at first glance appear to be well-marked, on close examination display their deficiencies, and want of this scrutiny often causes mistakes in estimating the value of cows, and thus the system suffers.
Guenon says the cause of the defects, as exhibited by the tufts on the thighs, is that the veins situated beneath, on either side of the belly, have a peculiarity; that they are contracted, and there is a small opening for it where it pierces the abdominal muscles.
Sometimes there is an intermingling of two forms of escutcheons. This depends upon the crossing between a cow of one class and a bull of another. This is one of the difficulties to be encountered in precisely estimating the value of the animal.
Guenon classified the seven tufts, into two kinds: Those on which the hair ascends, and those on which it descends. Those with ascending hairs are simply traces which encroach on the descending hair outside the escutcheon, either on one side or beneath the vulva. Those with the descending hair are on the escutcheon, and are five in number.
1. Epi ovale, oval tuft. These are situated on the udder, like those on class one, two, three, four, order first. They are good signs, if of descending fine hair, small, and regular. They are mostly seen on only the best cows, though occasionally to be met with in some of the lower orders.
2. Epi fessard, ischiatic tuft. These are found on the vertical escutcheon on one or both sides of the vulva, as in class four, five, orders two, three, four; and very conspicuously in the bastards of class three, four, five, six. They are of ascending hair, and never seen in first class cows, but in most others to a limited extent.
3. Epi babin, lip-shaped tuft. This is only seen as a sign of deterioration in the two first classes; it is made by descending hairs, and is a defect for milking qualities. It is like a string hanging over the top of the vulva, and making its outline a little below it on each side. It is seldom seen.
4. Epi vulvé, vulvan tuft. This is also a deteriorating sign; is a tuft of descending hair directly under the vulva, as in class one, orders three and four.
5. Epi batard, perinæal tuft. This is always a bad mark, as it exists on otherwise good marked cows, and indicates a diminution of milk, as soon as the cow becomes pregnant. It is seen on class one, bastard. A cow is to be looked upon with suspicion that has this mark largely developed.
6. Epi cuissard, thigh tufts. These are diminutions of the escutcheon by encroachment of descending hair, and denote a diminishing of the quantity of milk, proportionate to their extent. See class one and two, order four.
7. Epi jonctif, mesian tuft. The mesian or dart-like tuft, with soft silky ascending hair, is rarely seen, and only in those classes in which the escutcheon does not ascend to the vulva. It is like a V hanging beneath the vulva, and is not fully represented in the plates, though class ten, order two, shows it somewhat.
In these observations among cows, not only during their work as members of the commission, but also in preceding examinations, Messrs. Blight, Harvey, and Hazard noticed a series of marks, which they have denominated thigh ovals. The plate showing the escutcheon of Mr. Hazard’s Jersey cow furnishes one of the best illustration of these marks yet met with by the commission. Where the vertical escutcheon joins and widens out into the thigh escutcheon, there is usually a dip of a curved shape more or less in extent. In the plate above alluded to these thigh ovals descend nearly to the base of the udder. In their careful examination of more than two hundred cows, the commission always found these marks only on good cows.
In his examinations Guenon found cows of apparently each class with certain variations in their markings which distinguished them and prevented their incorporation into any class, and, yet the similarity gives them a claim in their particular class. In all cases he claims to have noted that cows thus marked would milk as well as other members of their class, until they were got with calf, but as soon as this was accomplished, the quantity of milk fell off rapidly. The commission claim it is this style of marking which is most likely to deceive the superficial or amateur investigators, and that these have caused the assertion that a poor cow may be well marked, when in reality, if properly understood, she was not well marked. This class of cows Guenon styled Bastards, and he practically assigned to them a distinctive or seventh order in each class.
In 1822, Guenon seems to have first reduced his system to a classified basis, and from that time until 1828 he appears to have given it much of his time and attention. Having, as he deemed, sufficiently arranged and tested his system, he, in 1828, applied to the academy of Bordeaux for a public test of the correctness of his mode of judging of cows and their milking value.
Escutcheon of ROSIE.
Thorough-bred Jersey Cow, belonging to Willis P. Hazard.
The following, from the proceedings of the academy, shows that Guenon did not make his system common property. The minutes of the academy, under date of June 3, 1828, contains the following record: “Mr. Francis Guenon, of Libourne, possessor of a method which he deems infallible for judging, by mere visual examination, of the goodness of milch cows, and the quantity of milk which each can yield, has solicited the Academy to cause the efficaciousness of this method to be tested by repeated experiments. The case presented by this request was one of a secret method of judging, which the possessor was not willing to reveal. On the other hand, it seemed difficult to admit that the external sign, whatever it might be, by which Mr. Guenon judges, could always bear a proportional relation to the quantity of milk yielded by a cow. Nevertheless, the academy deemed it proper to appoint a committee charged with making the examination. Trials have been made with care, and under precautions necessary for precluding all collusion. The cows used for the purpose belonged to three different herds, and amounted to thirty in number, and the result has been to establish, to the satisfaction of the committee, that Mr. Guenon really possesses great sagacity in this line. So long, however, as his method shall be kept secret, it cannot be judged of, nor rewarded by, the academy. Governed by these considerations, the academy, having ascertained from Mr. Guenon that he is willing to submit to every test that may be proposed, and to disclose his secret, upon receiving a just indemnity, has referred him to the prefect, and has engaged to recommend him to the favorable notice of that magistrate, who is ever disposed to promote all that tends to improve it.”
From 1822 to 1827, it would seem that Guenon perfected and studied his system, but it does not seem to have come promptly before the public, until the agricultural society of Bordeaux took upon itself a careful investigation of the whole system. From the detailed report of this committee, appointed by this society to test the knowledge of Guenon, we take the following as illustrating, not only the results reached by them, but also the manner of conducting the examination:
“Every cow subjected to examination was separated from the rest. What Mr. Guenon had to say in regard to her was taken down in writing by one of the committee; and immediately after, the proprietor, who had kept at a distance, was interrogated, and such questions put to him as would tend to confirm or disprove the judgment pronounced by Mr. Guenon. In this way we have examined, in a most careful manner—note being taken of every fact and every observation made by any one present—upward of sixty cows and heifers, and we are bound to declare that every statement made by Mr. Guenon, with respect to each of them, whether it regarded the quantity of milk, or the time during which the cow continued to give milk after being got with calf, or finally, the quality of the milk as being more or less creamy or serous, were confirmed, and its accuracy established. The only discrepancies which occurred, were some slight differences in regard to the quantity of milk, but these we afterward fully satisfied ourselves were caused entirely by the food of the animal being more or less abundant.
“The result of this first test seems conclusive, but they acquire new force from those of a second trial in which the method was subjected to another test through M. Guenon and his brother. Your committee, availing themselves of the presence of the latter, caused the same cows to be examined by the two brothers, but separately, so that after a cow had been inspected, and her qualities as indicated by the signs in question had been pronounced upon by one of the brothers, he was made to withdraw; then the other brother, who had been kept aloof, was called up, and desired to state the qualities of the same animal. This mode of proceeding could not fail to give rise to difference, to contradiction even, between the judgments of the two brothers, unless their method was a positive and sure one. Well, gentlemen, we must say it, this last test was absolutely decisive. Not only did the judgment of the two brothers accord perfectly together, but they were in perfect accordance also with all that was said by the proprietors in regard to the qualities, good or bad, of every animal subject to this examination.”
On the 26th of May, 1837, a similar test was made by the agricultural society of Aurillac, whose committee, in their report, use the following language:
“Each cow was examined separately by M. Guenon, who wrote his notes upon her, and delivered the paper closed to one of us. Immediately after, another member of the committee questioned the owner of the cow, or the person in charge of her, in regard to her daily yield of milk, its quality, and the time during which she continued to give milk after being got with calf. The answers were taken down in writing, and then compared with the notes written by M. Guenon. They were generally found to accord, and proved to the satisfaction of your committee and of every one present, all of whom attended with lively interest to these proceedings, that M. Guenon possesses great sagacity in judging of cattle, and that his method rests upon a sure foundation.”
The Bordeaux committee added: “To the proprietors and to the lookers-on, all this was very surprising for the examinations were as quickly made as the results were certain. As to ourselves to whom the method was no longer a secret, it was with renewed interest and astonishment that we viewed the accuracy of the results. This system we do not fear to say is infallible. We only regretted the whole society was not present.”
The committee further reported that Mr. Guenon had, after more than twenty years observations and researches, discovered certain natural and positive signs that were proof against all error, while the writers and professors who have particularly occupied themselves with the bovine race, can only indicate some vague signs for judging of the fitness of cows for secreting milk. That this method is valuable, whether it tells the yield of milk only, or indicates the improvement of breeds, which are liable to deterioration from mismanagement in crossing, and that it is applicable not to full-grown animals alone, but also to calves at as early an age as three months. Thus it affords a sure means of forming a judgment of full-grown animals, about which we might be misled on account of their form and their parentage, and secures the improvement of herds by enabling us to dispose of those calves which will not repay the cost of rearing them. We shall thus no longer rear calves at great expense for two or three years that should have been consigned to the butcher, nor sell calves that would pay best to rear. If this system is pursued, only cows and bulls of best quality will be kept, and in very few years how great will be the improvement of our herds, and largely increased the cheapest and best of all foods, milk, and the production of butter and cheese.
The committee of the Agricultural Society of Bordeaux, therefore, decreed Mr. Guenon a gold medal, made him a member of the society, ordered fifty copies of his work, and distributed one thousand copies of their full report among all the agricultural societies of France.
The next public test Mr. Guenon submitted his system to, was that by the Agricultural Society of Aurillac, and that society reported that Mr. Guenon examined the herd of their president, of one hundred cows, from which were selected designedly, the best, the moderately good, and the most indifferent of the establishment. Upon each, Mr. Guenon pronounced with precision, and his decisions corresponded almost invariably with the statements of the persons in charge. The only variations were very slight ones, in regard to the quantity given. But this herd was fed unusually high, and Guenon was totally unaccustomed to the usages of the country in feeding cattle, and this caused him to pronounce the yield a little less than it really was. A proof of his system, for he declares the yield will vary according to the feed and management, which all observant farmers know to be the case. Mr. Guenon examined some of the cows a second time, and also the calves, and those calves he assigned to the first orders the cowherds said were from their best cows, that gave a great deal of milk.
The notes of his reëxaminations corresponded exactly with his first statements. The committee therefore awarded Mr. Guenon a gold medal, made him a corresponding member, subscribed for twenty-five copies of his book for each of the sub-societies, and distributed their report through all the agricultural channels of France.
With these testimonials, the highest that could be procured in France, Mr. Guenon went on with the publication of his book, which had a wide circulation in every department of France. And he was finally granted a pension for life of three thousand francs a year by the French government, after the National Assembly’s committee on agriculture had given the system a thorough test. In the presence of fifty of the most eminent agriculturists, M. Guenon made his examinations, and judged correctly of all but one of the quantity, of all but one of the time, and of all of the quality; and the committee reported the results were altogether conclusive, and that his discovery had reached to the dignity of a science. They also declared the daily production of milk in France might be increased by several millions of pints daily, and that the abundance and quality of milk in the dams must contribute largely to the improvement of the progeny. They voted him the pension, and invited him to deliver lectures in the different veterinary, agricultural, and normal schools of the kingdom, and before the different agricultural societies, as “the speediest and best means of spreading the knowledge of this discovery,” and “to repair the time lost in ridicule, doubt, or indifference—the inevitable preface to all under-takings beneficial to humanity.”
In the foregoing account of Mr. Francis Guenon, it will be seen that, by his indomitable perseverance in perfecting his system or method, he raised himself from the ranks of a poor gardener’s boy to the position of a great benefactor, and was presented with various medals and decorations, and a large sum of money voted to him. Surely, such a brilliant position must have been won entirely by merit, for he had neither means nor influence to advance him into notice.
Of the Ovals.
The ovals on the udder are spoken of by Guenon, and our experience is that they are always indicative of a good yield; particularly, when they are uniform in size and position, and of fine, soft hair, descending on the udder. But there is another set of marks, which the Pennsylvania Guenon Commission have denominated thigh ovals, which are an invariable indication of a good cow, particularly when she is otherwise well-marked. Of these, Guenon does not speak. Eusebius H. Townsend and Chalkley Harvey were the first to call attention to them, and Charles L. Sharpless has written of them. Our own cow, which took the premium over all the Jersey cows, at the fall exhibition, in 1878, of the Chester County Agricultural Society, has them most extraordinarily developed. As she is a very thorough example of this marking, we have had the likeness made of her escutcheon, and request the reader’s attention to it.
Of the Bastards.
Guenon denominates those cows which give milk, much or little, so long as they are not got with calf; but, when impregnated, begin to fall off in their milk. The term he uses is batard, which means, in English, bastard, spurious, of a mixed breed, mongrel. We should have preferred to call them spurious cows, as the term bastard does not exactly express the meaning we apply to that word; but, as it has before been translated bastard, and is so known by many, we retain it.
The bastards are often the best looking cows; have finely developed escutcheons, and many give a great deal of milk, some poor quality and some rich; but, as soon as they are pregnant, they go dry very soon, or fall off rapidly in their milk, while others give very little milk at all. From their fine show, they deceive a great many, and Guenon cautions buyers, as the most skillful will make mistakes. He has, however, given a series of drawings, by which they can generally be discovered.
These bastards mostly conceive well, and the first time they are put to the bull, they vary in the quality of milk they give like other cows. The flow of milk is at its height during the first eight days after calving, though of bad quality. It then diminishes a little, and keeps on at about the same yield until she conceives again, when it diminishes again, more or less rapidly.
To discover a bastard, consult the engravings which are given to each class. To the first class, the Flanders, there are two kinds. The first, which is the most common, has on each edge of the vertical escutcheon, a feathery appearance, and where this is strongly marked by the down- and up-growing hairs meeting, and they interlock and stand out from the skin, and, besides, are harsh and wiry, and generally shiny, glistening, and looking of lighter color, beware of them. The harsher, coarser they are, the shorter time will the cow milk after getting with calf. The second kind of bastards among the Flanders will have an oval on the vertical escutcheon, generally near the middle part, of about two to three inches in length, by one and a half to two inches wide, on which will be found coarse wiry hair, and the harsher it is, and the larger the oval is, the sooner the cow will cease to milk. It may often be discovered by the glistening appearance of the hair on it.
On all the other classes, the bastard marks consist of two oval patches of hair, one on each side of the vulva; and the larger they are, the more pointed in shape, and the coarser and more wiry the hair on them, the sooner the cow will cease to milk.
The importance of learning the bastard marks is very great, as the buyer can safely avoid them, and leave them to those less skilled. While he may buy the less showy looking cow for much less money, and get a better animal than the unskilled man will obtain even for the higher price.
All animals are more readily judged correctly, and the system can be learned more easily, in summer than in winter, both on old and young; for then the winter coat of hair is off, and the hair is shorter, and the escutcheon is more easily perceived. The skin, also, is more natural and soft, and the hair is usually not so harsh to the feel; and the cows are cleaner, and all marks or blemishes more quickly seen.
How to Apply the System Practically.
We will now proceed to apply the foregoing rules and hints practically. In doing so, we may repeat some that has been before said, but it will only impress it the stronger in the mind of the learner.
This classification embraced all the kinds of cows known to Guenon, each individual escutcheon corresponding with one of the orders of those classes. The class, the order and the size of an animal indicate her yield of milk, and this will always be found to correspond with her escutcheon. Every cow has an escutcheon which can be recognized, and according as it is free from blemish or imperfection, just in that degree does she approach perfection in her class.
Guenon, in the last edition of his work, has altered and simplified his classification somewhat, for he divided it into ten CLASSES, and six ORDERS to each class. He maintained his three grades of size. But our experience shows that the cows in this country do not vary so much in size as they probably do in France, for there they have the little Brittany cow, which is very small but good, and, of course, they have also cows as large as our Durhams or the Holsteins. Only this, bear in mind, that cows, as a general rule, all other things being equal, will vary in their yield somewhat according to their size; and in judging cows apply that rule, for it is part of Guenon’s system, and they will vary in the quality according to the breed. Well, then, for practical purposes, we need only study sixty escutcheons, that is ten different shapes called Classes, and six grades to each of those shapes, more or less perfect, which are called Orders. To these must be added ten more for a Bastard to each class. And it is really necessary to study perfectly only the first four orders of each class and the Bastard marks, as it is not worth while to purchase or pay much attention to any cows lower in the scale than the fourth order of any class. And to simplify it still more, you will notice the thigh escutcheons of the first orders have all nearly the same shovel shape, so that by remembering this you need only study the vertical portions to readily place the animals in their proper class.
The Escutcheon.
The escutcheon was so-called, we presume, from its similarity to the shape of a shield or escutcheon, and on a first-class cow it will be very like it, and somewhat like a round-pointed shovel. On this escutcheon, the hair will generally be of a different color from that bordering it, most generally rather darker, always shorter, and more nearly resembling fur. This difference in color is produced by the UP-growing hair contrasting with the DOWN-growing surrounding it. The hair of the escutcheon should be short, soft, and fine; and the skin very soft, like a kid glove, thin, and oleaginous. And if the cow gives good rich milk, this skin will be of a rich, golden, or nankeen hue. Often where you handle a skin of this character the hands will feel oily, and soiled with rich dandruff.
The Shape of the Escutcheon.
The Escutcheon varies in shape, and Guenon named his ten classes from their shapes.
The first class, he called Flandrine or Flanders, because it is the best, and he named it from the best cows he knew, those from Flanders, or the Flemish breed, and they had more of this shaped escutcheon than any other breed; a quiet but sure proof of the truth of his system.
The second class he called Flandrine à gauche, because although it had the Flanders shape, it was on the left flank, he called it therefore the Left Flanders.
The third class are the Lisière, or The Selvage, from its appearance to a selvage, or binding of a piece of cloth.
The fourth class are the Courbe-Ligne, or the Curveline, because their escutcheon is lozenge-shaped, formed by a curved line which sides to the right and left, and rises to about five or six centimeters from the vulva.
The fifth class he denominated Bicorne, or the Bicorn cow, because the upper part of this escutcheon forks in two horns.
The sixth class, Double-Lisière, or Double Selvage, has an entirely arbitrary name, and it is an odd freak of nature.
The seventh class is called Poitevine, or Demijohn, from a fancied resemblance to some kinds of demijohns.
The eighth class is Equerrine, or Square-Escutcheon, as it is square at the upward part.
The ninth class is the Limousine, as it was on a cow from that Province that Guenon first saw this shaped escutcheon.
The tenth class is called Carrésine, or Horizontal, because the upward part of the escutcheon is cut off squarely by a horizontal line.
To each of the above ten Classes, Guenon has placed six Orders, which are variations of the escutcheon, formed by a reduced size and by various imperfections. If the reader will remember always, that the first class is better than the second class, and the second class better than the third class, and so on down the scale, to the end of the classes, he will have gained the first step in acquiring the system. Then the next point to remember is similar, that is, that the first order of every class is better than the second order of that class, and so on down the scale of the orders, until the sixth. Then he must learn the different shapes; first, the characteristic shape of each class, as represented by the first order of that class, and connect with this, in his mind, the number of quarts a first-class cow, in good feed and condition, should give, as represented by that escutcheon, in her full flow of milk. Then he can next learn the variations in size and shape from this pattern escutcheon, and that will enable him to tell which order of her class to put her in, and that will then inform him what quantity of milk she will give, and how long she will give it when with calf. And we repeat here, it is necessary only to acquire the knowledge of the first three or four orders of each of the ten classes, as if the cow examined does not come within those orders, she is not worth examining further nor keeping longer, nor certainly worth purchasing. Then the learner must next acquire a knowledge of the distinguishing marks which point out a Bastard cow, for an account of which marks, see under that head.
Now all of this knowledge must, to put it into profit practically, be supplemented by the careful examination of the hair and the skin, of the escutcheon, and the udder: of the hair, whether it is short, fine, soft, and furry; of the skin, whether it is soft and close-grained like a kid glove, thin, oleaginous, and yellow or golden. For if the hair is harsh, and long, particularly on the back part of the udder, it will shorten the time of giving milk, and indicates a poorer quality. The more oily or greasy to the feeling the skin of the udder and the perineum is, the more it indicates good quality and richness of milk, for the oil or fat is there, showing it is in the nature of that animal to give butyraceous milk. So with the color of the skin, if it is golden it is indicative of rich milk, and the majority think it will make a finer colored butter. There is one point more in judging by the escutcheon, and that is its size and position, and the general rule is, the higher up it is on the thighs, and the broader it is on the thighs, together with the higher and broader it is on the perineum, even up to the vulva, then the better it is. Then remember the escutcheon has two principal parts, called the thigh escutcheon and the vertical escutcheon; the thigh escutcheon extends over the udder and the thighs; and the vertical is over the perineum or that part of the posterior which extends from the udder up to the tail and above the vulva.
If the thigh escutcheon is high and broad, therefore very large, and extends far outward on to the thighs, it indicates a large flow of milk. If the vertical or upper part is broad and smooth, it indicates a prolonged flow of milk.
If the thigh or lower portion of the escutcheon is narrow, the flow will be proportionally small. If the vertical or upper part is narrow and irregular, it is unfavorable to a prolonged flow.
Chalkley Harvey says further of these marks: “Imperfections, that is blemishes of form, occur in considerable variety on both large and small escutcheons. They are all certain evidence of a diminished value of the cow as a milker. A small and imperfect escutcheon on a good cow, is something I have never yet seen. Any want of symmetry in the form of an escutcheon is an imperfection. The two sides should be alike. A small but perfect escutcheon may be better than a larger one that is imperfect. A very good one is both large and perfect.
“Thus far we have considered the escutcheon in reference to its form and size alone, and may now say, that the quantity of milk depends on these, but its quality is indicated by other signs, which we find to a great extent in the same place. It is too well known to require any assertion, that some cows give a large quantity of very poor milk, and others an equally large quantity of rich milk. It is equally well known that some cows give but little milk, though they yield a good quantity of butter; and I repeat, that the signs indicative of these differences of quality are found in the escutcheon, and they are easily recognized. If the skin in the escutcheon is soft and oily, and particularly if it is of a rich yellow color, (though this is more easily seen by examining the end of the tail,) suggestive of “gilt edged” butter, that cow will give good milk. In such cases we will find her hair soft and short. There may be some long hairs, too, but the undergrowth will be as mentioned, and often has almost the quality of fur. But if, on the other hand, the skin is white and dry, and the hair thin and harsh, the cow gives poor milk. If her escutcheon is large and symmetrical, she may give a large quantity of poor milk. The form and size of the escutcheon indicate quantity, the skin and hair indicate quality. These signs are true also as applied to bulls, being in such cases a proper guide in the selection of animals to breed milkers from. My own experience and observation, which has been considerable in the matter, convinces me that cows inherit their milking qualities more from their sires than from their dams; and it is probable that many who have been disappointed in heifers raised from some favorite milkers, will be disposed to agree with me. If this be true, then the Guenon method has an application that must prove valuable to those who breed cows for dairy purposes. Another interesting fact is, that we can discover all the signs on a calf, and are thereby enabled to select with much certainty those that are fit for the dairy, and to reject those that would be only a disappointment, if raised for that purpose. Of course, a very small cow, with ever so good an escutcheon, cannot be expected to give a very large quantity of milk, and might be inferior in that respect to one having a less perfect one, where the animal is of greater size. But in such cases, the small cow would give much more in proportion to the cost of keeping. In all cases, therefore, the size should be taken into account.
“There is a sign that may be mentioned here, (though it does not properly belong to the Guenon system,) which is a very certain evidence that a cow will give a large quantity of milk, though it expresses nothing in relation to quality. It is the large size of the vein running forward from the udder, on the belly, and just under the skin. This is called the milk vein, and when it is very large and crooked, and enters the abdomen through a hole that will allow the entrance of a man’s finger, it is, I repeat, a sign that the cow will yield a large quantity of milk.
“The time that a cow will continue to milk after she is with calf, varies in different cases—some ceasing almost as soon as pregnant, and others milking up to calving. Generally the best milkers milk the longest. Hence it follows, that a good escutcheon usually indicates continued flow as well as large quantity. Those escutcheons that are not large at the base, but that run up to the vulva symmetrical all the way, and pretty wide, indicate a yield of milk up to the time of calving.”