The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1875-09-16
Jersey Cattle.

lu treating OF the merits of 4 breed Of
domestic animals, it IS the first importance
to- distinguish between eXcellenCies OF the
Individual and those oil the breed \ dis
turL breed implies that certain peculiari-
Ties of form, size and superiority in pro-
dUstIon ol milk, butter or beef are inherent
lq ID. and are consequently sure to be de
vvloped in the offspring, The value OF the
individual animal IS largely dependent on
ihls- whether the excellence, OF whatever
Kind it may be, is accidental, traceable to
neither sire nor dam or whether it is de-
rived From an ancestry, AL possessing Ger
tain eNtoFisaI MARKS and productive quail
lies, inherent ia them so long 'that the
memory OF lnau Irlunath not to the con-
,rarT"
Lis point, we think, has an important
bearing Oh the subject before us, as with
tAe exception OF the Devon, none Of our
present improved breeds OF domestic ami
mals c-u lay so valid a claim to an origin
III and distinct breed as the Jersey. There
are n9 records existing which show that
the present Jersey cow has been made
what she s bV crossing; such as was
lracuced to make up our present Ayrshire
az ShorhOrn. She can be traced back for
about century, exhibiting even then to
some extent her peculiar faculty of secret
ng rich milk; and it would appear from
the best authorities that she was Of Norman
descent, as cows possessing her gener i
characteristics are still seen in various
parts Of Normandy and Brittany They
differ widely, however, from the present
Jersey cow in more or less coarscness in
their structure, and especially in the
,Gt h,
which belongs to her. par excellence, at
the present time, No one has ever seen
or heard of any Jersey COW giving thin or
wately milk. 1t is foreign, both to tie
individual animal and to the case. Ad-
uniting her to be of Norman descent. her
present beautiful form and other peculiari-
lies have undoubtedly been more fully de-
Yeloped by the temperate climate of the
Channel Islands, and the comparative iso-
lation OF the inhabitants under govern
lnent which enabled them to prove their
own laws and internal convulsions have
ever reached or disturbed the inhabitants
Of this beautiful cluster of islands They
seem to have guarded .iealously by enact
ments the purity Of their own against the
Introduction of foreign stock.
Col. lie Conteur, resident OF the island
and entirely familiar with the subject
writes that: An act of their local Legis-
lature, SO lar back as 1889, prohibited the
importation into Jersey of COW, heifer,
calf or bull, under the penalty of two
hundred livres, with the forfeiture of boat
ana Tackle, besides fine of fifty liyres to
be imposed on every sailor on board who
dld not inform Of the attempt at importa-
ton. Moreover the animal was decreed
TO be Immediately slaughtered, and its
flesh given to the poor. Later laws are
equally stringent; no foreign horned cat
tie are ever allowed to come to Jersey but
as butchers meat.
The Jersey farmer has always been en-
trely satisfied that he had COW entirely
suited to his locality; and while there is
evidence that stock from Jersey has been
sent to Scotland, and by crossing with the
Shorthorn, has been the foundation of the
present Ayrshire COW, there is no evidence
that foreign blood from any country was
ever imported into the Isle OF Jersey.
TPractical Farmer.