Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1885-09-17
DaiIp Kfnnetrr 3ournal.
Jersey Cattle.

which are in favor, more or less. accord
ing to the desire, wish or taste OF each in
dividuai possessor or breeder. there is one
very patent fact which can not escape the
attention of the observer, namely. that
where certain purposes have been had in
view in the breeding of these different
breeds, these purposes have resulted in
producing certain we'll defined character
istics and points. and in many cases these
characteristics have been produced with
direct loss and injury to other attributes
of the breed in question, posses sed by the
animal before the process OF elimination
had been entered upon by the breeder,
skillful or otherwise, as the case might be.
In the Shorhorns we have an extreme and
immature development of beef. common
IL and frequently attended with lowness
of vitality in the Ayrshires and Holsteins
Improperly so calIed) we have an inor-
dinate increase in the flow Of the milk. in
many cases pursued to an extreme-atford-
ing merely an increased quantity at the
expense of the quality. change which
many modern agriculturists are every day
more and more inclined to regard as an
exceeding disadvantage. In the case of
the Jerseys, which are now and sure 10 g
TO continue prime favorites, the character
islics and valuable points have become
part of the deer-lke little animals, with
out any organized or systematic effort on
the part of breeders in the first place :;
these characteristics. namely. large milk
era, the milk being extremely rich in
cream, their small forms and docile dispo-
sitions have without doubt been the direct
result of their natural surroundings in their
island home. Accustomed to quiet lives and
very gentle treatment. they lead luxurious
lives, as compared with other cattle in
other and more genial climes. and every
thing has tended to the development and
maintenance of the milk and butter char
acteristics of this breed. That these cows
have lorg possessed exceptional butter
and milk qualities is exemplfied in the
case of what is known in the Province of
Quebec as the Canadian cow" This
COW possesses many of the marked traits
of the Jersey. and has, through thick and
thin, through good and evil report, always
been good mixer, a docie animal. the
pet of the ha6itan's youngsters, land good
mother. 1t shows many Jersey points
and is doubtless descended from the i'm.
portations of the first and later settlers
who came from British and Northern
France. And the same type may be found
throughout various parts of Europe but
where different methods of feeding Gin
some cases the cattle are used under the
yOke) and other points of difference tend
to give different result in the butter or
milk yield
THE ISLAND OF JERSEY.
al =, e
being about eleven miles in length and
eight miles in breadth. and having an area
Of ahout SIXTY square miles. The farms
are small, the0average size being about
twenty acres The land is very fertile
and the variations of temperature are but
very slight. All the beautiful hot house
flowers. with but few exceptions. grow
ont of doors the camellia. the fGchsia
he oleander and others blooming freely
at all seasons of the year.
Two-,hirds of the island is cultivated in
some shape or manner, the cultivation be-
ing extremely deserving of the name of
"high class farming, as but little ground
ia allowed to 60 to waste. The island is
much cut up into small fields. which has
been necessitated by the local law of heir
ship or succession, which has divided
properties up amongst numerous heirs.
Every farmer keeps ut least one jersey
And in this genial climate the Jersey COW
has lived and prospered. And she has
been kept free from foreign or alien blood
nv legislative enactment, as the importa
ton of all foreign cattle has been strictly
prohibited, under very severe penalties.
for nearly hundred wears. The only
cattle allowed to be landed are cattle from
the Islrnd OF Guernsey, but these have not
hitherto been in very great favor amongst
jersey breeders. as thew are too coarse
boned and possess other defects not at all
pleasing to him who loves the deer-like
forms OF the "slver'd jersey" But until
within the past decade, or rather score of
ye,rs, more attention was paid to the
milk qualities and development than to
the Improvement of the form of the ami
NAL Lat,erly the demand has been for
prettier forms in combination with the
butter qualities. which has led to the in
PRODUCTION of handsomer animals amongst
breeders, and increased greatly the Jer-
seys in popular favor.
Some writers maintain that if we wish
to continue the improvement of the Jer-
sew, we should. as nearly as our condi-
tians will allow. conform to the ciruum-
stances OF the original breeding and treat
meut. One writer states. The jersey
cow is product of the Island of Jersey
- of its soil its climate. its
system of agriculture, the circumstances
of its farmers. and the needs of the dense
population there concentrated" As I
have above written. the Canadian COW
has preserved the marks and traits of its
Jersey blood through very adverse condi-
tons for scores of years, and under cir
cumstances entirely opposite to those of
the Island of Jersey. A more pointed H.
lustration of the wonderful adaptability,
the trueness and value of the JERSEY. is
within the writer's own experience where
, imported JERSEYS were formed into herd
in the cold climate of Canada, and the
progeny actually improved upon the i'm
ported ones. and under the cold winters of
Canada; this was the case with the St.
Lambert herd OF Jerseys. with which the
writer was personally and actively inter-
es,ed from its establishment till its dis
posal last year. This herd had none of
the genial climate of the Island of Jer-
sey on the contrary they had the cold
winters and hot summers of the Province
of Quebec. and vet suffered no deteriora-
ton; direct improvement by careful Sc
lection and breeding was effected For a
f,u- x-aars xro mara .rnrl1aI ,,L L.