Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1881-08-24

the value OF Dutter recOru Will anyways uo
in dollars and cents, and the
best Jerseys will always sell at large prices.
This being the case, it will be well for us
to examine the records as they are now
offered for our acceptance. and ii there is
good reason for doubting the correctness
Of any, to reject them until they are verl-
tied 1t must be admitted that there Is
some ground for the sweeping statement
at the head of this article. For instance.
since | wrote my last letter, a Jersey cata
logue has reached me which contains this
note under one of the cows: =" In breeding
she cannot be excelled, tracing seven times
to the sire and dam of the great Alphea
III, whose history is given in full in the
= American Agriculturist for May, 1881,
,Ohere she is credited With % pounds of but
ter IN seUen days" The italics are mine.
Is it not evident that the very breeder who
quotes this statement does not believe 1t.
and is not willing to be responsible Tor It 7
But there are other classes of Oubtful
records. Last summer remember seeing
test of 1877 pounds in seven DAYS, claimed
in apparent good faith and simplicity for
COW on very poor pasture. This, OF
course, is impossible. The owner was
probably deceived by his dairyman. In
amusing contrast with this, ls the report
of another large yield where the COW twas
not pushed or highly fed during the trial
but had the run of II good pasture and
only ta0elUe quarts of bran ut each
milking, niQht and morning" The italics
are mine again. Of course such careless
statements as these cast doubt upon the
entire report IN which they occur. Then
n Nun, hnr of, ,l,intat nr ounnOSa6
records, which rest upon no named author
lty but on a sort of floating tradition an-
alogous to the "said to be by imp. Mes
senger," which is such nuisance III
IrotIing horse pedigrees. Some OF these,
doubtless, can still be traced and establish
ed. Others are fctions, assumptions.
guesseS, or estimates. All estimated yields
may be fallaclOus, and while they are
Tn tiled To some consideration, should be
kept distinct from actual performances.
DuL Lne greater NUMBER oil butter recolus,
especially more recent ones, depend upon
esis made or vouched for by welI-known
breeders. There are so many practical
obstacles in the way of that very desirable
hing, system of official tests conducted
ny an organized body, that none Is likely
10 he adopted, at least for some time, ana
he certificate of a respectable breeder VIII
he as good evidence as we can have. As
we shall also have certificates from others
who are not reputable, there will be room
left for the exercise of private Judgment IN
discriminating; but do not think there is
or ought to be, anything like general IN
credullty as to most OF the reported butter
yields of Jersey cows.
In he first and second OF the subiOinec
tables have set down the yields ota mum
her of COWS, aud the names of the owners
who tested them. These are not OFT 5ret
rs complete lists, but merely as bringing
together in convenient shape few of thu
best records. If other breeders will con
ribute 10 their amplticalion, they my bt
made valuable. AS matter of course
many excellent tests are unintentionall.
omitted. The third table contains Yield
that, s far as know, are supported by nj
named authority. Some, perhap, most o
them, can yet be traced to trustworth.
sources. 1t will be seen that few yearl,
tests have been published. While they arr
more accurate and complete indications
the value of dairy COW than tests for an,
shorter period, comparatively few breeder
are so situated us TO be able to make them
In the table below. Alpne.'s best week y
record Is gwen at II. pounds. 1t Is prob
ably not Just measure of her actua
capacity, but it is the best weekly test
can hear OF her making. She is not tn
only cow on the list whose record does no
represent her best performance. A wor'
of explanation is necessary in another Isl
In Nh Wing catalogue of 1879, Echo
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