The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1893-01-31
AFEw WORDS ABOUT THE JER-
SEY cow.
Prize Essay, by Miss Anne c. M. Boyd.

Prize Essay, by Miss Anne c. M. Boyd.
The American people appreciate fine
cattle perhaps more than any other
nation, and are always glad to read
about them, ever though it be a few
short words. We come naturally by
this fondness, for are.we not a mixture
of other nations, and have not other
nations revered and even wOrshipped
cattle2
Long before OUT day ancient writer's
recognized cattle as a noble race. Has
not Homer often hkened his heroes 10
theme In the Psalms we hnd theLn
spoken of as an especial DlesSIHS vi
God. Solomon caused twelve Orazeh
oxen to be placed in the temple tnle7
facing each of the e cardlnaI polhoS
On their backs they supported a great
brazan laver or sea. Now CJIti1Ot &c
generally believed to have been the
Wisesr man who ever lived. Perhaps
he intended to foretell that cattle would
become q support in the four quarters
of the earth, as they are to day. Ever
in infant America they support the
greatest industry Of tue country, and
over two thousand million dollars are
invested in the dairy business.
Here we touch very closely on the
,Jers ev, for che, above all others, is the
greatest butter producer. It Is TO the
Jersey and what she has done for us
that | wish to call your attention Any
one an see that there is profit IN the
Jersey; on the same amount OF O %
she will prCdu % more butter than any
other cow. Knowing this, 1t seems
strange that dalrymen should wish TO
keep any other breed. Authenticity
- n,- %uaan rhnr1 n0'U fN tho tSlaTrH
of Jersey. There are many theories as
to what classes produced them, but no
one has vet satisfactorily solved the
problem The sacred cattle Of India,
strange as it may seem, closely Tesem
bic the Jersey IN many particulars,
How much better would it be If the
modern farmer could be made to be
lieve that from the Indians blind rev
erence for cattle he might learn a les
son of forbearance and ~gentleness { o
ward his herd!
What more delightful home could
these famous COWS have than the green
and fertile pastures of the Jer=ey
Island? The Jersey cow seems 90 tell
us by her gentle and satisfied express
sion that she has come from a land
where the climate is mild and equable,
and where TIE first object of the PEG
Die il IT, MAKE IST COIllOIldkIG anu
contented. 1t is astonishing how much
the Jersey has improved during the
last fifteen years They were once Ill
shaped beasts, which knew nothing of
warm stables or good food, but the
people IF Jersey had their ideal. and
by careful attention and hard work
they brought their imperfect maEeria s
up to the standard Jersey Of to-day.
The race improved 50 rapidly that tire
scale Of points was revised three times
during ten years. IN 1850 some AmeTl
cans Of Influence became intere8ted N
the Jeree> s and began to make iUpo}-
tatiGns, which have been almost COZ
slant ever since. This American IL
tere@t gave a new stimulus to the Jsr
sex man, and a great increase Of cattle
has been he result. The American
Jersey Cattle Club has advanced the
Jersey interest very much by keeping
the records and by organizing the eff
cial tast, by which the jersey has been
seen to surpcIse her most ardent ad-
mirers.
A Jersey cow is known to have pro-
duced forty six pounds twelve and a
half ounces Of butter in seven days. |
might enumecate many extraordinary
cases. bur doubtless they are wcIl
known t. my readers. the Jersey Of
to-day is the most beautiful OF COWS.
We fine in her a variety Of cOl0Fs and
shadiugs; a frs me Of such dclicacy and
finenesB that even a novice could rot
help heing attracted by her symmetry
In SIZE. the Jersey IS rather smaller
than other breeds, but in America
there is a tendency TO cultivate al in
crease You seldom find a fat jersey,
for sire is by nature q dairy COW. she
assimilates her food in such a manner
as to put her fat into her milk, instead
of on her bones. It is often said that
the deep grange lining of her ears Is y
positive sign that the animal al give
TO her butter that beautiful golden
tint without the aid Of butter-cOlOring
When fed on grass the Jersey imparts
that golden tint 70 her butter to such A
degree that it is unsurpassed by any
other COW.
Too much cannot be Raid in praise Of
these valuable little COWS. but. like all
really good things, she speaks for her
self. Whoever has the good fortune
to own even n Of them will say after
reading my few words of praise, "Ha!
ha! | knew it all before"
ITO BE CONTINUED.