The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1877-06-27
Agricultural 5pef,fpleet
: -.
". S. SHIELDS. EDTroR. T 81
- = - ------
Essay on Jersey Cattle.
BY Campbell L. BROWN.

pectation Of contributing anything
here on the subject. Elaborate eita-
tions of authorities would be out of
place and tiresome here. I viii there
fore at once renounce all pretensions
to originality, and inform you that
1 draw freely on the ample materials
supplied by the labors of others. in
hopes Of compiling foryour benefit
short and readable history of this
valuable breed.
The Channel Islands. of which
Jersey is the largest and most fer
tile, would not. all put together, equal
i'll area the smallest county in Ten.
nessee. Yet they have sent out two
disdnct varieties of dairy cattle, The
Jersey and the Guernsey, both Of
very great value and of market Pc
culiarities. It will not therefore be
uninterestfng to trace their history
briefly. r. r.-.
They belonged to William the
Conqueror, as duke of Normandy,
and when the dnchy Of Normandy
was-restored to France, the Channel
Islands remained in the possession
of the English crown. Lying much
nearer the French than the English
coast, inhabited by people of French
descent, who speak the French Ian
guage, and whose manners and GUS
toms are French, they have vet been
always intensely loyal to England.
An examination Of the map will show
that they lie in a sheltered bay on
the west coast of Normandy, ex-
pose only to the tempering Influences
of the gulf stream and to the south.
west breezes which Prevail during
nine months of the years. Add to
this in the case of Jersey. that the
whole island, high and precipitous
on the north and west, slopes gently
TO the south. forming an inclined
plane exposed to the warm rays of
the sun and comparatively sheltered
from northern blasts. The climate
is as delightful as we should expect
from such a conjunction of favorable
circumstances, and the fertile, den
sely populated little island is, to the
eye of q stranger, a succession Of
orchards and gardens. Most of the
farms are very small, and the prac-
tice Of lettering the cattle at grass
is universal. The small extent of
the island eleven miles long and
seven widel precludes using them
for the yoke, and the high value of
land makes it Improbable to grow
them for beef. All the butchers
meat used on the island is brought
from the mainland of Normandy,
sixteen miles distant.
The records with regard to Jersey
extend back over one hundred years.
As long ago as 1889 the importation
of any foreign cattle was prohibited
under severe penalties. Since then
the Jerseys have been bred solely
for the dairy, and the powerful sti-
malus Of selfinterest has impelleG
the farmers to constant efforts at i'm
proyenlent of the breed. The tenn
perate climate, the quiet life they !
are compelled to lead, the succulent
food supplied them. mainly roots
and grass-scarcely any grain or
other fattening substances.) the con-
slant wedding out of inferior or un-
profitable animals, have all tended |
to constant and gradual Improve |
ment, till, at the present day, the
typical Jersey cow is one of the most
beautiful of domestic animals, with
head and limbs almost as fine as
those of a deer, eye full, gentle and
expressive, colored and attractive,
and outlines far removed indeed
from the grand proportions of the
or the perfect roundness
and smoothness of the Devon. Is &
It may be best at this point to
clear up the confusion that exists
between the names Of jersey and
AlderneY. The island of Alderney
is about forty miles nearer the Eng
lish coast than Jersey, is a small
rock, inhabited only by few fish
ermen, and a British garison-for it
has been a military post. About /
seventy years ago we find Jersey
cattle sent as a present TO the then
of AldeFhey. At this dag !
the five or six head Of -Alderney
properly speaking, owned in
the United States, are said to be not
distinguishable in appearance from
Jerseys. They are not, however,
to registry in the American
Jersey herd register. The confusion
in names probably arose from the
fact that English officers, stationed
in Attorney, would naturally take
cattle home with them, or
on seeing Jerseys in England, would
recognize them as Attorneys. What
ever the reason, Jerseys have always
been miscalled Attorneys both in
and America until the last
few years. -.-
Guernseys are a distinct breed
Of cattle, larger, more ragged and
somewhat coarser in form, with buff
or fiesh-coiored noses, of a yellow
red color, often shaded with brindle,
less attractive in appearance than
Jerseys, but said to be fully equal to
hem at the pail, and in the richness
and flavor of their butter.
Some years since very active
controversy ragged among jersey
breeders on the question of color.
This is no place to enter into its
merits. TIE result has been / think ]
20 weaken the stress laid upon the
color of the hair, and 10 direct al
IGNITION TO therealiy important points
Of beauty of form, richness of skin
and dairy quality; while 1t has IN ,
loubtedly led to an increase in the :
number of solid colored animals.
Solid. color has become dead is
,ue, but not before every body was {
pretty tired Of it and the subject /
mite exhausted. A breeder who /
listed the island as late az 1865.