The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1909-08-27
CECIL FARMERS CLUB.
Proceedings of the Meeting Held
at the Home of N. 6. Reeder
on August Is, 1909.

on August ID, 1909.
HHE August meeting of the
y Cecil Farmers Club was
held at the home of M. G..
Reeder the 18th inst, with the fol-
lowing members present: r. K.
Rawlings, President; Wayne Rey-
nolds, Vice. President; Jas. H.
Maxwell, J. P. Wilson, Jos. T.
Grove, j. Harry Maxwell, M. L..
Thompson, A. j. Kitchener, A. II.
Mendenhall, R. @. Biles, A. B.
McVey, M. @. Reeder, R. 7. Cam
eron, A. r. Brown. Visitors:
Prof. Fl. g. Gillespie, Frank Rawl-
ings, Walter Reeder.
Secretary being absent, A. r.
Brown was elected Pro Tenn. Min
utes of last meeting were read and
approved.
In way of experiments, Mr.. Nc.
Vey stated he had planted out
some forest trees this spring but
will take some time before he could
report as to success.
Mr.. Maxwell stated he had two
kinds of corn planted. The one
that had made largest growth of
fodder was not caring as well as
the other.
Mr.. Mendenhall had worked
several rows of potatoes after the
last big rain and thought it had
Deen an injury to them; believed in
feeding his grain rather than sell
ing it.
Mr.. Kitchener believes in report
ing failures as well as successes
and accordingly stated he had
planted about5 bu. of Stray Beauty
potatoes and had return when
taken up of 5 bu. counting large
and small.
The question as to how much
oats is best to SOW to acre came up
as some reported good returns from
light seeding but most. preferred
about 3 blu. in order to guard
against weeds growing.
Mr.. Reeder had sowed some rye
last Fall and plowed it down when
full grown for corn and it was show.
ing no effects of the dry weather.
Upon being called upon for his
essay the host said he had asked
his son Walter to prepare a paper
on his "fad," the Jersey Cow
which the Club was then favored
with as follows:
The Early Home and Development of the
Jersey Cow.
BY glancing at any geographical map of
Europe, you will find in the English Channel
small group of islands, the most southerly of
which is marked Jersey: This island belongs
to England and is a great source of wealth
to that country. If Jersey were priced for its
vegetable products alone it would hold a
prominent place in the world, for it usually
produces eighty bushels of wheat per acre.
i've hundred bushels of potatoes and five tons
OF hay, but it is also the home of the Jersey
COW the queen of all the dairy Breeds
The Jersey COW of today is no mere accident
or selfmade animal, but is the result of carful
breeding for many generations. AS early as
1883 there was law passed which prohibited
any COW, heifer calf or bull to be imported
into the island under heavy fine. By this
wise procedure no outside blood or another
type was brought into the island to mar the
purity of the Jerseys.
The natural environment of the island PLAYED
a large part in the development of the Jerseys.
The mild climate and fertile soil furnished an
abundant vegetation and a climate in which
the cattle could be pastured out most of the
year. As the island is small, the farms had
necessarily not more than a few acres and as
each farmer had many cows he had to keen
the most profitable COW he could obtain, breed
her for purpose and feed her in the most
economical manner. Asystem called lettering
was adopted by means of which several COWS
are tied together and led about, usually by a
young girl to different paRts Of field when
the cows have eaten off one part, This system
OF lettering exerted a great influence on the
present characteristics of the Jersey COW.
First, the COW not being allowed to roam
about at will and use her strength in needless
exercise, her food, beside a small amount
which was used to build up necessary tissue,
went to the production of milk, rich in butter
fat, for which the Jersey is so widely known.
In the second place, this lack of exercise
tended to produce delicacy and fneness of
form, which is so characteristic of the Jerseys.
This lack of exercise also helped to make what
is now called the dairy wedge which is a re-
quisite of any good dairy cow whether she is
Jersey, Gurnsey or Holstein-Fresian
Thirdly, this system of lettering required the
frequent removal of the cows from Mace to
place by somebody, usually woman. By this
almost constant association with man the
Jersey gentleness and docility was cultivated
to the degree which we find in these cattle
today.
The Jersey COW il strictly dairy COW and
when she does not fulfil this mission, 1 do not
think she should be elassed among the high
class Jerseys. for this is what she was bred i,
this is what she has been in the past and this
is what Ihope she win continue to be in the
future.