strippings; and should this gorged state of the tubes be
permitted to continue beyond a certain time, serious mischief will
sometimes occur; the milk becomes too thick to flow through the tubes,
and soon produces, first irritation, then inflammation, and lastly
suppuration, and the function of the gland is materially impaired or
altogether destroyed. Hence the great importance of emptying these
smaller tubes regularly and thoroughly, not merely to prevent the
occurrence of disease, but actually to increase the quantity of milk;
for, so long as the smaller tubes are kept free, milk is constantly
forming; but whenever, as has already been mentioned, they become
gorged, the secretion of milk ceases until they are emptied. The cow
herself has no power over the sphincter at the end of her teat, so as to
open it, and relieve the overcharged udder; neither has she any power of
retaining the milk collected in the reservoirs when the spasm of the
sphincter is overcome.

Thus is seen the necessity of drawing away the last drop of milk at
every milking; and the better milker the cow, the more necessary this
is. What has been said demonstrates, also, the impropriety of holding
the milk in cows until the udder is distended much beyond its ordinary
size, for the sake of showing its capacity for holding milk--a device to
which many dealers in cows resort.

Thus much of the internal structure of the udder. Its external form
requires attention, because it indicates different properties. Its form
should be spheroidal, large, giving an idea of capaciousness; the bag
should have a soft, fine skin, and the hind part upward toward the tail
be loose and elastic. There should be fine, long hairs scattered
plentifully over the surface, to keep it warm. The teats should not seem
to be contracted, or funnel-shaped, at the inset with the bag. In the
former state, teats are very apt to become corded, or spindled; and in
the latter, too much milk will constantly be pressing on the lower
tubes, or receptacle. They should drop naturally from the lower parts of
the bag, being neither too short, small, or dumpy, or long, flabby, and
thick, but, perhaps, about three inches in length, and so thick as just
to fill the hand. They should hang as if all the quarters of the udder
were equal in size, the front quarters projecting a little forward, and
the hind ones a little more dependent. Each quarter should contain about
equal quantities of milk; though, in