Weekly Chillicothe crisis., 1885-04-30
Jersey Cattle in America.

to be somewhat known in various
parts of New England and the Middle
States, where they were still almost
invariably called Attorneys. They
were not generally liked by the super.
icial observer, and were condemned
without trial by the mass of practical
dairyman because they gave less milk
than the native cattle, and were held
to have neither tho size nor conforma-
tion to fatten to advantage when past
usefulness in the dairy. Still, from
their earliest history in America, the
few people who were induced to be.
come practically familiar with their
dairy qualities rarely discarded them
in favor OF ether cattle. Their pecu-
liar colors and shadings rendered it
easy to distinguish traces of the blood
when crossed upon native stock, and
in time the least observant farmer sci.
dom failed to notice that his richest
milk came from the COW with the
Alderney cross. So it began to be con.
ceded that these grades made superior
dairy cattle long before the prcjudices
OF most dairymGn would allow them
to admit that the thorough
could be of any practical value in
working dairies. Thoy were declared
to be only rich mems playthings, and
until lateycars failed to gain general
recognition upon more crcditablc
footing.
But if the progress made by the
Jersey was slow, it was nevertheless
sure. When she once formed friend
or converted an opponent, she held
him ''for good and ALL Between the
/ years 1850 and 1865 larger numbers
were received through the importa-
tions of Thomas Motley, of Boston,
Massachusetts,; John A. fainter, of
Hartford, Connecticut; X. l.. Colt, Pat
crson, New Jersey; X. l.. Maitland
New York; William B. Dinsmore,
! Staatsburg, New York, aud a few
others. Great care and excellent
judgment were exercised IN the selec-
tion of the cattle for these importa
tions, and much of the present popu-
larity of the breed in America is
directly due to the skill OF the practical
gentlemen who conducted this enter
prise.
There is abundant evidence that
there was at the time, and ever has
been since, a considerable proportion
of undesirable stock on the island OF
Jersey. although few actually non.
paying cows are retained, yet so uni.
formly good were the cattle that were
purchased for these early importation,
that to this day most of the Older
American-bred herds built up cxclu.
siyely of their blood far surpass in
dairy qualities the average standard
that has been maintained on the
island, and in special cases compare
favorably with the very best of later
fashionable importatons.
But while the general excellence o.
the cattle brought thus early to thi!
country paved the way to the grea
popularity of the breed in America
the more active causes of the reccn
high prices came at 4 later date in tn,
I shape of several remarkable cases o
enormous butter capacity shown by
| Jersey cows, which opened the eyes o
breeders and dairymen to the posi-
bilities within reach of the breed St
great were some of these reported
$ yields that for time the lesson cam,
. near being lost upon the public through
4 disbelief in their truthfulneSs. Bu
$ gradually, as one test after anothc
S was claimed, each in its scope sustain
ing the possibility Of the others. and Il
n some of them were vouched for by me-
4 of character and prominence, fe,
,. breeders began to give them credencG
t These earlier converts were ridicule
and made subjects of no little railler
;. for their crcdullty, but their ranks in
}. creased in numbers. At length thoS
+ who believed began TO buy of tn
a strains OF blood that had produced tn
cows for which great tests wer
IA claimed. and others, who possibly di
d not believe, also bought, because the
lie reasoned that there would be dupC
t. and spectators enough to make
market. No sooner was this poiI
10 reached than rc-adjustmcnt of value
lie began to receive substantial recogn
at tion at the hands of buyers, and tn
is element of special blood or family bC
came an important consideration.
ir This additional Importance of tn
ly question of exact pedigree sadly en-
lie crOached upon time-hOnorcd prcct
dents, and took many Of the older an
s. more conservative breeders by SUI
s. prise. Hardly one of them had ha
" occasion to study the pedigrecs of the
animals enough to have the faintcs
n idea of their lines beyond the neare!
N crosses. Prize-winnirg at fairs ha
IN been the highest recognized badge {
merit. This was accomplished who'll
eu upon the external appearance of II
c' cattle exhibited. A scale of point
D. had been adopted by the America
Jersey Cattle Club, and was suppose
ny to give due credit to each and all fe,
VI lures, marks, and traits that, combine
i" at their maximum, constituted pc
feet animal. This standard was ther
' fore purely symbolcal, but was rcco!
~ nized by common consent as the en-
"e OF the law. In addition to the scale
m points, certain requirements relatln
N Nee to fancy markings, color, absence {
" " white, etc, based entirely upon nsthe
"a. icgrounds, and bearing no rclevanc
Nv to the usefulness of the animals, ha
VI obtained most arbitrary hold upC
a., breeding fashions. So far were the!
-" W. fashions in the ascendency that seller
made them the chief claim to publ
t. consideration when Offering their stot
or m for sale. The appearance that co
" would present upon the lawn of
~, country residence was a studied fe
w. w. ture, and values were much enhance
" by superior qualifications in that {
,r reCton. Under such circumstance
90 the breed progressed remarkably
- beauty of form and in the developme
bo of that combination of general outwa
indications of excellence which in Il
average successfully marks the GOO
COW among poor ones, but which t.
frequently fails to detect the supt
w. latively great COW among e herd
"a good ones. Nor have these iniluenc
wy disappeared under the new regin
INV @ While they were not in themsely
"s sufficient to create the wide populari
NJ, and high prices that were due to Il
% o1 butter tests, they still maintain sc
an ondary force, and act in modified {