THE JERSEY, ALDERNEY AND GUERNSEY COW. 89 



shell on the strainer, with vigorous hands she directs 

 the milky streams into the shell ; quickly overflowing 

 the shallow brim, the milk passes through the strainer 

 into the receptacle beneath. This primitive method has 

 been in vogue for more than a century ; they claim for 

 it the merit of perfect cleanliness. 



" Whilst overlooking the operation, I could under- 

 stand the use of the strainer clearly enough, but the 

 employment of the shell rather puzzled me, until the 

 milkmaid informed me that it was to prevent the 

 attrition of the streams of milk from wearinof a hole in 

 the strainer; this solved the mystery. 



"The calves are kept stabled during the first year, 

 and fed on green food during the summer ; in the second 

 year they are tethered out. 



"The heifers are allowed to have calves at about 

 two years old, and come in profit in April or May, 

 when there is more demand for them in the English 

 market. 



" The bulls are kept stabled all the year ; in a large 

 number that I saw not one was ringed, and I understood 

 that it was never done in the islands ; not one of those 

 I examined was in any way vicious. M. Le Gallais (the 

 owner of the prize bull, of Jersey, for 1865), an excellent 

 judge, told me that in his opinion it was due to their 

 being constantly tied up and daily handled. 



" The bulls are slaughtered at three years old ; the 

 opinion prevails there that the offspring of young bulls 

 have most vig^or and stamina. 



12 



