JUDGING LIVE STOCK. 121 



Potatoes are a staple crop for export, and while grain is but 

 little grown, roots are grown in great plenty for stock. The 

 soil is wonderfully fertile, and kept so by the high per cent, 

 of stock kept, and by the burning of seaweed for use as 

 manure. 



The holdings are very small, ranging from three to twenty 

 acres for the most part. The cattle are tethered on the 

 pastures, and are cared for almost wholly by the women, 

 and this has probably contributed to their docility. 



The careful investigations of old accounts and traditions in 

 the Isle of Jersey, by the Hon. Edward Burnett of Massachu- 

 setts, a noted Jersey breeder, leads him to state that in all 

 probability the Jersey originated by crossing the large red 

 cow of Normaindy wth the small black breed of Brittiany, 

 several centuries ago. In the adjoining Isle of Guernsey it 

 appears that the Normandy blood predominated, but in Jer- 

 sey the Brittiany blood became the leading power. The in- 

 tensive conditions necessary in such a densely populated 

 country led to the development of the milking properties, 

 with special regard to butter production; for the inhabitants 

 of the island had a ready market for butter in England and 

 on the continent. The selection of the animals best adapted 

 to this end had, by 1789, raised the Jersey breed so far above 

 other breeds that laws were passed forbidding the importa- 

 tion of any cattle into the island, save for slaughter, and 

 fixing heavy penalties for a disobedience of the law. Later 

 laws were even more stringent against importations. 



A report on the cattle in 1812, written by Thomas Quayle, 

 is of interest. He states that the cows were phenomenal 

 milkers, yielding as high as twenty-four quarts per day, and 

 as much as fourteen pounds of butter per week for a period 

 of four months. He also says that the colors were red, red 

 and white, cream colored, and cream colored with white. 

 Some few were black, and others, like some of the early 

 Angus, were black with brownish red stripes down the back. 



Improvement was slow until 1833, when stimulated by 

 activity of English breeders, the Royal Agricultural and 

 Horticultural Society of the Island of Jersey was formed. 

 Col. Le Couteur was made Secretary, and largely through 

 his energetic work the Society adopted a liberal policy toward 

 cattle breeders, offering excellent prizes for the best animals; 

 and in 1834, a scale of points was drawn up by the Society. 



