Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1916-05-23
A Short History Of the jersey.

A Short History Of the Jersey.
The history of the Jersey cow natural
ly begins with the leland of Jersey, 70
Il may be truthfully said that the Jerse,
cow put the Jersey island on the map o
the world. The size of the leland 10 on
of all proportion to the importance o
the place which 1t occupies in dairy his
tory, Its area being only about sixty-twt
square miles, with 5000 acres unde
cultivation.
The origin of the cattle on this small
dot of the earth's surface Is lost in th'
obscurity of the past, but early in th'
eighteenth century the merits Of the Jer
sey were recognized, and in 1889 the i'm
portation of foreign.bred cattle was pro
hibited by the Island of Jersey legisla
ture. The Jersey undoubtedly has beer
distinct breed for 200 years, and hel
characteristics are therefore firmly fixed
In her., In early days she was misnamed
"Alderney" In England, where she has
been held in high esteem as producer
of rich milk ever since It'll, In which
year Tabitha Bramble wrote to Mrs.
Gwyllim, housekeeper at Brambleton
nols i ou oStOulouO0 kA0t 1Gs AOWt 70
should have taken upon him to give
away 'Alderney' without my privity and
concurrants. She gave four gallons
GA lbs a day ever since her calf was
sent to the market"
In 1884 organized efforts to conserve
and improve the breed were begun by
the Jersey Agricultural Society, milk
rich in butterfat, dairy conformation,
and beauty all being sought in the meas
ures taken. We read that, since the or
ganization of the Agricultural Society,
'great attention has been constantly
paid TO combine beauty Of form with
butter-producing habits"
Jersey cattle were rather generally
imported into England before 1900, and
several famous herds have been develop
ed in that country, making it almost
equal to the Jersey Island as source Of
foundation stock for the rest of the
world. Jerseys were first introduced
into America in 1917, but the first real
foundation stock in this country was i'm
ported in 1850, and ever since there has
been q steady stream Of stock from the
fountain head. The breed was later In
troduced into Canada, and is now we'll
and favorably known In many lands, In.
cluding Denmark, Australia, New Zea-
land, Japan, Russia, Spain, the Canary
Islands, South Africa, Egypt, Brazil,
Cuba, Porto Rico, Jamaica, Central
America, Mexico, and Hawaii. No 9th
or dairy breed of cattle has become so
widely disseminated throughout the
world.
1t is in the United States, however,
that the Jersey has met with most gener.
al favor, and in this country she has
reached her highest development as q
dairy COW. In 1859, the late Col. Geo.
e. Waring wrote: 1--WE have here ample
material for the development of such
herds as the Island of Jersey never saw"
In 1915 we can point to many such
herds. Although 1t is generally recog-
nizsd that her attractive appearance has
not little to do with the spread of the
Jersey, it Is q significant fact that the
breed has been most appreciated In this
utilitarian country, and that there are
more owners of Jerseys in the United
States than in all other countries COM
biued, and more owners of Jerseys In
this country than of any other dairy
breed. Such result could only have
come about from the fact that the Jer.
,ey is above all else an efficient and
profitable dairy animal. This is the
main reason why %, 900 American dairy.
men and farmers, who must make . liv-
ng by their herds, have selected the Jer-
'ey breed.
: The American Jersey Cattle Club was
in 1858 for the purpose of i'm
proving and conserving the breed in
America. To this end 1t established q
Herd Register, of which eighty yak vol
ames have been published, and 1000
Jersey animals have been entered there