LECTURE XXXI 



JERSEY CATTLE. 



Introduction Into America. 



While there are indefinite accounts of the presence of 

 Jersey cattle in America at a very early period, the first 

 authentic accounts that are available relate to an importation 

 made in 1850 by a club of wealthy men of Hartford, Conn. 

 John A. Taintor was commissioned to make the purchases. 

 He visited the island and, as he had full permission and 

 funds to buy the best, he secured some most excellent ani- 

 mals. In 1851 Mr. Thomas Motley of Massachusetts made 

 an importation, including a bull, whose dam was reputed 

 to be the best butter cow on the island. 



During following years Mr. Taintor, who selected the first 

 importation, executed a number of importations for other 

 gentlemen residing in the New England states. Another im- 

 portation which deserves special notice was made by S. S. 

 Stephens of Montreal, Canada, in 1868. The animals were 

 of unusual merit, and the blood of this importation has been 

 a very powerful factor in producing cows of high butter mak- 

 ing capacity. Peter LeClair of Vermont made an importation 

 in 1873, which has also been unusually far-reaching in effect 

 on the breed. 



It is but just to state that the importing of Jerseys was 

 begun purely as a rich man's fad, and that during the earlier 

 years the breeding was continued and controlled by men 

 who devoted their attention to it purely as a hobby, aside 

 from their regular business. The color craze struck America 

 about 1870, and was very detrimental; and like other breeds, 



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