Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1885-01-10
lIolsteIn Cattle.
Written for the Courier-Journal.

tie have been bred In Holland in ali
their purity. When compared with
Them, all other improved breeds are
but OF yesterday. A French histo-
rian, writing in 1850, says "that at
a certain siege the besieged could
only receive their supply OF butter
from Holland, which had been fa-
nous for its dairy products Tor 500
years." This carries US back TO
$50, but even beyond this date tra-
dition assigns the origin Of the
Holstein race. In the Seventeenth
century, as narrated by Motley In
his history Of the United Nether-
lands, the cattle interest of Holland
was OF considerable magnitude.
He says: "On that scrap of solid
ground, rescued by human energy
from the ocean, were the most fer
tile pastures in the world. An OK
often weighed more than 1900
pounds"
Centuries ago the Holstein blood
was fountain largely drawn upon
by countries adjacent to and sur
rounding Holland to improve their
native stock. Importations OF
Dutch cattle, made by England
anteriorly to 1880, were the source
of the great British dairy breeds,
notable the Ayrshire. All or nearly
all authorities agree that the cross
OF the Holsteins with the native
stock of the counties OF York and
Durham produced the present
Short-horns and as fine mixers
occasionally appear among the last
named cattle, the inference Is that
the Holstein blood still stirs in de-
spite of the years Of direct breeding
Tor beef to which they have been
subjected. John c. Dillon, of the
Massachusetts Agricultural College,
writing OF Holstein cattle, says:
sThey appear to me TO possess, in
an extraordinary degree, the quail
the Short-horns, before
that breed began to be raised for
sale rather than practical usefulness
viz: large size. fine symmetry, vig-
orous constitution, superior milking
properties and corresponding apti-
tude to lay on flesh when dry"
In America the Holsteins are,
comparatively speaking, strangers,
yet already they have gained a
foothold and won following such
as no other imported breed ever
made in so short time. Ten years
ago they were scarcely known out
side of few Eastern States to-day
their wonderful perfor mances and
hign merits are discussed through
out the whole length and breadth OF
the Union.
On investigation ii will be found
thg,t the reason of the rapidity with
which these cattle have climbed
into popular favor is that they put
forth no meretricious claim, but at
the pail and on the block substanti-
ate their right to occupy the pre-
mier position as combined breed.
1t Is generally conceded that the
HOlsteins descend with little or no
infusion OF foreign blood from the
stock OF the Frieslanders and Bata-
vians, who from 800 TO 100 years
before the Christian era inhabited
the country north OF the rivers
WAL AMI Rhine, and who at that
early period devoted the most of
their attention to the breeding and
rearing of cattle. And the time OF
the Roman hierarchy these people
made decided advancement In their
methods OF breeding, feeding and
Improvement once begun,
progress was rapid, the breed being
in the direction OF milk
and beef. During the succeeding
these qualities were de-
in marked degree and
became inherent, and In the Four
teenth century the race Is found
with widespread reputation for
these specialties. Each generation
better than the former, the breed
advanced in excellence until at the
present day it stands without a peer
In continental Europe, while in
ii is considered by many
to be the great breed of the future.
In North Holland, Friesland and
adjacent districts, the HOlsteins
have been most perfected, and their
Inequalied dairy quantities turned
10 such account that, as a class the
larry farmers OF these districts are
than those of any other
community in the
world. This should be taken into
when estimating the
value OF this breed for practical USE
uiness.
The present HolsteIns are large,
black and white cattle, of hardy
and quick maturity;
N disposition they are exceedingly
iocile, a vicious animal of either
Iex being thing almost unknown;
rs milkers they are pre-enilnent,
even the most preiudiced admitting
hat In this respect they stand un-
'ivaled and alone. The average
milk yield in Holland for cows on
yrass is 70 Dutch cans, or about %
quarts, per day for the pasturage
eason of six months.
Ii is significant that nearly all
writer's on dairy husbandry, In fur
lishing Illustrations of the highest
ype of milk COW, have selected
heir models from the HOlstein race.
Prof. Magne, of the Veterinary
school at Abort, In his work, "How
o Choose Milk Cow" gives
pecimen of this class. Such cows.
he says, when newly Called, aud
fed are able to give as
much AS pint OF milk for every
Ell ounces OF hay or its equivalent
n other food consumed. Allen, in
lis American Cattle gives po-
rait of the Holstein COW Lady
Aidwould. She stands, he says,
the model of perfect cow"
In point OF economy in pTOduc.
ion, the HUlstein has no superior,
IL the following results OF compare
i've experience conducted By scien-
ific men in Europe afford cOnclu-
i've evidence. Hulsieins compared
With Short-horn1 il was found
hat the same food, Keeping, care
nd surrounding that produced la
ne Short-horns 100 TIA. Of milk,
Produced in the Holsteins 1lS 40
bS. Compared with Ayrshires, both
,reeds under like conditions and
three Ayrshire cows
veraged 22.47 quarts Of milk,
While twenty-five HOlsteins aver
ged 44.37 quarts. The HOlsteins
onsumeJ about five ponnds of hay,
n its equivalent, for every quart
'rOduced; the Ayrshire nine pounds
Compared with DevOns and Here
Drds, 100 pounds OF hay produced
n the Hoisteins % 81 quarts, In the
)evOns 1913 quarts, aud in the
Iereforis l6 81 quarts. Another ex-
,eriment showed that the AyTshires
IN ..natnfIl f,F hnAy for