162 YALE AGRICULTURAL LECTURES. 



TWENTIETH DAY. -FEB. 23, 1860. 



To-day two lectures on stock-breeding were given, one by 

 Mr. ALLEN, the other by CASSIUS M. CLAY. There was no 

 great diversity of opinion between the two breeders as to the 

 broad, fundamental laws of the art ; so that while I am debarred 

 from giving sketches of both lectures, their substance can be 

 as well condensed into one. 



Mr. Allen read a letter from Mr. John T. Norton, the famous 

 Jersey breeder, of Farmington, Ct., which embodies so much 

 valuable information, that I cannot refrain from publishing it 

 in this connection. Mr. Norton says : 



"The pure Alderney cattle come mostly from the Island of 

 Jersey, in the British Channel, where they have been kept free 

 from mixture for a hundred years, no other breeds being al 

 lowed on the island. Similar cattle are found on the other 

 Channel Islands; but all more or less mixed with other breeds. 

 About two thousand head of cows and heifers are annually 

 sold from the island, the area of w r hich is not much greater 

 than that of one of our largest New England towns, at an aver 

 age of 5 sterling each, making 100,000 sterling, or $500,000, 

 from this source alone. 



"The Alderney cows are small and thin, with delicate deer- 

 like limbs generally light yellow or fawn color always poor 

 in flesh when in milk, but taking fat readily when dry. They 

 are remarkable for gentleness and docility easily kept, and 

 usually give milk nearly up to the time of calving. 



"The important question in relation to these cows is their 

 value compared with other breeds. It will be conceded at once 

 that for fattening^ for labor, and for furnishing milk for sale, 

 they are inferior to almost all other breeds. 



"In Great Britain they are kept mostly by the wealthy, to 

 supply their own tables with milk, cream, and butter. Colman 

 says: 4 Every nobleman and large land-owner keeps one or more 

 tethered on his lawn, for family use.' They are also kept by 



