698 crcLOPEDiA of livb stock and complktk stock doctor. 



flesh; on the contrary, the best milkers will be rather lean and perhaps 

 hiofh boned. Nevertheless, the same animal, when out of milk and fax, 

 may fill up ; and perhaps, present a fully rounded contour, while yet pos- 

 sessing all the delicacy of points characteristic of the high-bred dairy cow. 



A cow may have large and heavy eav^ ; her back may not be fullv 

 straight from the withers to the top of the hips ; her rum[) may be slop- 

 ing ; her tail may not reach the hocks ; — all these are defects, the latter 

 a serious one, yet if the milKing organs are super-excellent it will out- 

 weigh all these. 



A phenomenon may show absolute perfection in all the points : we 

 have never yet seen such an one. In judging, the essentials are to care- 

 fullv consider each point of excellence with reference to its bearing upon 

 the animal as a dairy cow. 



XXIII. Color and Size. 



Do not be too particular about color ; solid colors, and black points 

 look well in the show ring. The animal that will turn out well at the 

 pail, that is docile and gentle, be she what color she may, so long as she 

 adheres to the distinguishing color-marks of the race, is the one for the 

 milking yard. In relation to size, the Jerseys are a small race of cattle. 

 In no breed are overgrown animals the most valuable. With the Jersey 

 it is especially to be avoided. So, an undersized animal is not to be 

 countenanced. Fair size, however, is desirable. He who seeks to in- 

 crease the size of the Jersey unduly, will certainly go astray. They have 

 been carefully bred, for many generations, with especial reference to 

 milk. The Jersey is the product of islands peculiar in soil, climate, and 

 people. Transplanted to the flush pastures of the United States, with 

 good shelter in winter, they will necessarily increase in size. If you fancy 

 "solid colors," and can get plenty of rich milk, with solid colors, well and 

 good. If not, breed to whatever color, characteristic of the breed, which 

 will give you this desirable result. 



We have chosen thus explicitly to state, from competent authorities, 

 the Jersey standard of perfection — first, for the reason that any breed 

 should be judged by the standard of its breeders, and secondly, because 

 these statements can only be found originally in the herd books, and like 

 authoritative publications which are not accessible to the majority o/ 

 readers. 



XXIV. Prom a Practical Stand-point. 



From the practical stand-point of a person not a breeder of high-caste 

 animals, the writer has found that slight imperfections, in the make up 

 of farm animals, do not militate against them unless they are intended as 



