HOW TO SELECT COWS; OR, THE GUENON SYSTEM EXPLAINED. By _Willis P.
Hazard_. In no way is the march of improvement in agriculture more
decided than in the new discoveries and new methods of developing its
resources. It is owing to these that America is now the granary of the
world, and, as years roll by, if the developments of the next decade
are as great in proportion as the last ones, no matter how extensive
the foreign demand, there will be an ample supply at still lower prices
than at the present. No branch of agricultural interests has changed
so much and received such an impetus, especially within the last five
years, as the dairy. Entire new modes of making butter and cheese and
of setting milk have largely taken place of the old ones. Competition
in making dairy products becomes keener each year, and every process by
which the labor can be lessened, or the products be cheapened, meets with
recompense.
The first step, however, is in the selection of good stock, for by it the
product of the herd is increased from twenty-five to thirty-three per
cent., and, therefore, the profits must be immensely greater. The old
plan of our forefathers of judging of the value of a cow by a crumpled
horn and a large bag is now set aside by recent discoveries. The most
important and most reliable one is that of Mons. François Guenon, of
Libourne, France. After a series of experiments he was convinced there
were outward marks in the hair which were an indication of the yield and
quality of all cows. Patiently for many years he labored at forming his
discoveries into a system, with classes and orders of each variation.
He was finally rewarded by the approval of all the leading agricultural
societies in France, and by that government with a pension of three
thousand francs.
The work of Guenon was partially translated and published in this country
years ago, but it was his first crude effort, and it presented the new
science in so crude a form as rather to dismay the learner than to
invite him to master it. Last year the State of Pennsylvania appointed
a commission of three well-known agriculturists and experts to test the
system and report upon it. That report was printed and published to the
extent of twenty-five thousand copies, which but partially supplied the
demand. Messrs. Blight, Harvey, and Hazard examined the escutcheons of
two hundred cows, and interpreted them as regards the quantity, quality,
and time of the yield of each animal. Alongside of their statements the
knowledge of the owner of each cow was printed, and it is truly wonderful
how accurately the character of each cow is given by these gentlemen who
had never seen the cattle before. The gist of their report was that the
system was invaluable and worthy of adoption by every farmer, and such
adoption would add millions of value to the improved herds of the country.
Upon the publication of this report, discussions took place in the
leading agricultural journals, and thus has been created a demand for
more easily to be acquired knowledge upon the whole subject. Willis P.
Hazard, the secretary of the commission, has prepared a complete treatise
upon Guenon’s system, and it has been just issued in a cheap form, for
wide circulation.
Mr. Hazard in his book gives a sketch of the life of M. Guenon and
the progress of his system, and then fully explains it, so that in
this simplified form any one can quickly learn all the points so as
to readily apply it. The opinions of others, both pro and con, are
introduced, argued, and answered, so that in this volume one gets a full
history and account of the system, and its practical application is made
easy. There is a profusion of engravings, photographed from Guenon’s
designs, which thoroughly elucidate the text and render it a valuable
handbook which no farmer can afford to do without, and which amateur
agriculturists will find a most interesting development of a wonderful
discovery.—_Philadelphia Inquirer._
“A gentleman well known among the dairymen, and who was appointed by the
Governor of Pennsylvania to investigate the value and practicability of
the Guenon system. He was induced to undertake the explanation of the
system, which he has very ably performed in this volume. The low price
at which it is offered should induce every one even in the smallest
manner engaged in breeding or management of cows to procure a copy of
it.”—_American Farmer, Baltimore._
“At the New York State fair, in September, 1879, Mr. Hazard applied
the Guenon system to a large number of cows of different breeds on
exhibition, and told the amount of milk each gave, as indicated by the
escutcheon theory. A committee, with Col. F. D. Curtis as chairman, was
appointed to accompany him, and they state in their report that he was
generally accurate, not varying in any instance more than two quarts in
stating the daily average yield, and in most cases giving the amount
exactly, and also the time the cows would give milk. He made his estimate
on the average daily yield for the first three months after calving,
on liberal feed. In one or two instances he over rated the cows, but
generally where there was any difference he was under the amount stated
by the owners. Mr. Hazard takes into consideration in his estimates the
size of the cow and her whole contour, as well as the character of the
skin. His round of observation is first the shape of the escutcheon,
then the milk veins and quality of the skin. He offered to have the cows
blanketed and then tell their milking capacity, but this was not done.
It is fair to say that he judges mainly by the escutcheon. The tests
attracted a large circle of breeders, who were greatly interested on
account of the novelty and general accuracy.”—_Col. Curtis in New York
Tribune._