216 MILCH CATTLE-THE JERSEY 



Johns ; W. J. Labey, " Le Parcq," Grouville ; E. G. Marett, 

 "Boulivot," Grouville; Frs. le Masurier, " Les Niemes," St 

 Peters ; Charles Mourant, Maufant, St Saviours ; J. A. Perree, 

 Oaklands, St Saviours ; Sir W. H. V. Vernon, St Peters. 



When bred out of the island, Jerseys often grow stronger 

 bones, become more massive, and lose the deer-like features 

 of the genuine home-bred animals. That the combination of 

 the soil (said to cultivate more kindly than the soil of any 

 other part of the world) and the climate of the Island has 

 much to do with the size and character of the cattle, is shown 

 by the fact that on the cliffs of St Johns a small and hardy 

 variety of the breed was once prevalent. Foreign breeders 

 consequently find it necessary to come back to the Island 

 for sires to maintain the characteristic features of their herds. 

 We have a parallel to this in the selection of North Devon 

 bulls to take into surrounding districts which produce varieties 

 of the type. 



The Bagatelle strain of blood is said to be probably the 

 best in the Island for milking, as well as for refinement and 

 symmetry. The Oxfords, bred by the late J. P. Marett, 

 belong to one of the most noted strains. <l Oxford Dahlia," 

 owned by Lord Rothschild, took the championship of the 

 Royal Agricultural Society of England three years in suc- 

 cession, in the inspection classes. 



The English Jersey Cattle Society (1878) published the 

 first volume of its Herd Book in I879. 1 It initiated butter- 

 test classes at shows in 1886 an institution (originated by 

 John F. Hall) which has since found conspicuous favour in 

 other parts of the British Empire, in America, and on the 

 continent of Europe. One useful outcome of this movement 

 is the annual competition at the Tring Show, where all classes of 

 dairy cattle are attracted by prizes offered by Lord Rothschild 

 to compete with one another to determine their relative 

 merits in the production of milk and of butter from the churn. 

 Similar competitions also take place at the Society Shows of 

 the Royal Agricultural of England, the Bath and West of 

 England, the Royal Counties, and the British Dairy Farmers. 

 Since 1905, bulls exhibited at the British Dairy Farmers' 

 Annual Show in London must be the progeny of cows which 



1 Also Jersey Cattle, their Feeding and Management (2nd edition), 

 1903 ; Vinton Co,, Limited. 



