Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1880-08-06
A Vermont Cow.
THE BIGGEST BUTTER STORY YET-77O POUNDS
A YEAR.

THE BIGGEST BUTTER STORY YET-77O POUNDS
YEAR.
Prof. Henry E. Alvord of EaSthampton,
Mass, writes to the Country Gentleman:
recent issue of the Boston Cultivator
called my attention to the remarkable record
of COW in Vermont, and l have been look
ing up the facts. Those which have been
substantiated to my satisfaction are as follows:
For several years the Messrs. Fairbanks of
st. Johnsbury have owned and bred a strain
of Jersey cattle, including numerous animals
of great excellence, although few of them
have been registered in published herd books
Among others they bred Jersey Queen, drop
ped Jan. 2, 1874, and sold her while heifer
to Asa Hoyt of Peacham. Her first calf was
a heifer, June 2G, 1876, still living her sec
ond bull, dropped late in 1877. 1t was after
this calf, and while still owned by Mr. Hoyt,
that she first showed remarkable butter ca
pacity. March 10, 1879, she dropped her
third and last calf Ga bulD, and, having no
other COW, Mr.. Hoyt then determined TO keep
an account of the butter made from Jersey
Queen. From March 10, 1879, to March 10,
1880, Mr. Hoyt testiies under oath that this
COW produced GIG pounds of butter, carefully
weighed and recorded, though not, unfortu-
nately, by the week or month. During the
same time 4GS measured quarts of her un-
skinned milk were disposed of Repeated
tests showed that it took from to quarts
of her milk to make pound of butter SO,
at g quarts, an additional credit of ~ pounds
of butter is due to the COW. A product of
74S pounds of butter in 3G5 days is thus re-
ported for Jersey Queen. So far Mr. Hoyt is
certain he states, moreover, that his family
used cream from the COW, estimated at enough
to make 80 pounds of butter, but, having no
record of this he does not count it. AS a
nE ,,k.t IN Il.
from all can learn nothing need be asked
beyond his own vouching), it happens that
for month or two last autumn sickness in
MIR. Hoyts household caused him to send his
COW to a neighbor to be cared for. Mr.. Nc
Clary states that while in his keeping Jersey
Queen averaged (seven months after calving)
l7s pounds of butter week. Last April the
COW was sold to j. s. Kenerson of Barnet,
who, being Jersey fancier but not farmer,
placed her in charge of s. X. Hazelton of
Barnet, disinterested party. From Mr. and
Mrs. Hazelton l learn that during the week
ending April 18th Q3th month farrow) the
cow gave 60 quarts of milk, from which they
made II pounds of butter; and during the
week ending June 18th, 70 quarts of milk,
producing ID pounds of butter. So this COW
Is now yielding milk, Is months after calving,
which gives an annual product of $50 pounds
of butter, or more. She will calve next in
February, 1881
During the time of these performances,
Jersey Queen has never been fed more than
five pounds daily of grain, mixed meal and
BRAN and during pasturage season none at ALL
She has been kept in all respects like the ave-
rage of cows upon the good dairy farms of
Caledonia county, Vermont
In the language of Judge Poland when
drinking the bowl of mixed milk, "Heavens,
what COW !" No jury would hesitate on
such evidence rs this to find verdict of gull
ty in murder case. But juries sometimes
make Mistakes yet we see no way of escap-
ing belief in this COW. When such cows
come into fashion, won't butter be drug in
the market?
The foregoing letter was written June 18th.
Under date of July 18th, Prof. Alvord writes
When wrote before had fully satisfied
myself, by extensive correspondence, reference
and re-reference, of the reliability of what
was claimed for Jersey Queen. But, to avoid
risk of any mistake in the matter, within ten
days have been up TO Caledonia county on
purpose to investigate the whole matter thor
Oughly. l saw the COW herself her only liv-
ing sister, all the calves of both, the stock
from which they sprung, and saw and talked
with every man who ever owned Jersey
Queen or her calves, or the bulls serving her
their pastures, stables, creameries or ''but-
teries," their pans, chuns, wives-the whole
thing. The result is, that, while l might add
numerous interesting details 10 the account