The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1879-10-10
COlOrs in Jerseys and ShOrt.HOrns.

"Too much off in color TO be fashion
able'-such was the Notifying confess
sion on the pecunialy result of Mr..
Fawcetts sale of a superior herd of
Jersey mich cows, Gall frst-class but
ter makers" as stated OH page 5S7 +,
Country Gentleman of 21st nit. They
lacked'thc "solid colors, black tongues,
black switches, cscutcheons," and other
marks and points which our modern
tanciers attach to the, Jerseys in order TO
give them value in fhe eyes of a pur-
chaser. No matter whether the COW
gives two or ten quarts 10 milking,
whether her udder be no larger than a
quart bowl, with teats no larger than n
lady's thimble, if she have the ''fashion-
able" colors and points, her sale value
at the highest figures is fixed, in popu-
lar estimation-accordin to the law
givers of the Jersey Herd Cooks.
Will men always be foolish in such
important details with the Jersey or
any other breed of cattle whose colors
and other marks are original i'm their
and uncomfortable in breeding, and
whose economical value lies solely in
their yield of milk, butter and flesh !?
II is certain that much as the Jerseys
are admired--and range myself among
the category of their friends-they have
little of personal beauty to boast except
the deerlike head they show, and they
are more unique than graceful. AS for
the general contour of their bodies,
have not known their most ardent advo-
Gates to pronounce them beautiful, COM
pared with either the Shorthorn, Devon
or any other popular breeds of cattle.
SnVna n MI / I'D
quite passible in shape-for JERSEY
but if good mixer, the COW soon
grows angular-absolutel ugly, indeed
and SO retains her innocent little
ugliness for the balance of her life.
Nor does such ugliness detract from the
economical value of the COW, she is
worth just as much as though she stood
a model of bovine grace and beauty,
and still your correspondent says, as
1.-THE sale was for cash, the prices were
cows and yearling heifer. A short
time ago l was looking at nice little
herd. of Jerseys in pasture, among
whichwas one of uncommon good looks
-"solid' colors, and all the choice
points for a perfect Jersey attached. /
rather admired her, and pointed her ont
in the herd. GAN wrong" he answer
and shall get rid of her the first fair
opportunity. She is mot worth hel
keeping" And so it is, probably, with
hundreds of others which are bred with
an eye more 10 color aud points than
for actual merit and tactical profit. We
know that the imported Jerseys-years
ago usually called Alderneys-were of
any and of all colors, fawn and white,
red and white, black or brown and
white. Various intermlxtures came
out with certificates from their native
islands of their purity of blood, yet-pow
such class of cows or bulls, soil in
color" at the auction block will not sell
for half or third of what those of fash
ionable colors will bring, when they
are worth twice or thrice the money for
dairy use.< II is high time for a reform
in such unjust and fanciful tests of Jer-
sey values.
And so with Shorthorn colors. Thirty
years ago AIRED Shorthorn was seldom
seen In the United States, or among the
choice herds in England. The import
ations into this country were nearly all
roans, with more or less red mixed With
white, and white altogether, both bulls
and cows. Such were the prevailing
colors in England, Those cattle, and
their deseendants Of Ike colors iaboql
On their respective 9oaiidegs 'i Xd pedi'
grees regardless Of color, only that
inll red was not SO acceptable as pure
white, fearing that remote cross Of q
red breed of other kind had crept into
their veins. But about twenty years
ago the ''Bates Duchess" tribe, mostly
of red color, came into the country and
soon became popular -deserycdly SO too
and public opinion began rapidly 10