No. 5. 



Lady Emily. 



153 





LADY EMILY, 



Imported for Joseph Swift, Esq., by Capt. James West, in the packet ship Susquehannah, 



in 1839. 



The above is an excellent portrait of the Alderney, or more properly the Jersey cow, for 

 it is a fact that the most beautiful animals of this peculiar breed come from that island, and 

 not from Alderney, which is too small a spot to rear stock, comparatively barren, being only 

 a rock, of very small circumference; neither are they brought from the island of Guernsey, 

 although they are frequently called by that name, for the cattle of that island are by no 

 means so handsome, being long in the face, with broad noses and lips, and otherwise not so 

 gracefully formed ; they are great milkers however, but their butter is not so rich or so yel- 

 low as that made from Jersey cows, which, for these particulars, is superior to that of all 

 other breeds whatsoever. 



Much contrariety of opinion exists as to the value of this stock to the farmer ; there is 

 not — there never has been a question, as to the peculiar richness and fine flavour of the but- 

 ter made from these cows, which is indeed remarkable ; as well as the fact, that it can be 

 kept longer in hot weather than that from any other breed, this peculiarity arising, it is 

 believed, from the milk being drawn from the constitution of the animal, rather than from 

 the food with which she is fed, and partaking of a marrowy consistence, very unlike indeed 

 from that rich, oily matter, of which the butter from fat cows is composed : certain it is, 

 that the butter from Jersey cows is not so soft in summer or hard in winter as that fronx 

 other cows, while the milk itself has a sweetness and flavour, found only amongst cows of 

 this pure and peculiar breed. 



A writer in the Pennsylvania Agricultural Society's Memoirs, has done all in his power 

 to bring this breed of cattle into contempt — but, in the opinion of many persons, to a cros.s 

 from them and the old Yorkshire or Holderness breed, is he indebted for that variety — the 

 improved short-horns — which he lauds to the skies; whose milking propensity is by them 

 supposed to be derived from the Alderney, the fatting property from the Yorkshires: be this 

 as it may, and although they are not to be compared with this expensive and far-famed 

 breed in point of figure and flesh, in a butter country they are a valuable and convenient 

 stock ; docile as lambs, and supported easily on common fare, with no extra labour or ex- 

 pense; and, with care in the selection of animals for breeding, a race of improved stock 

 might be obtained of superior beauty and elegance : individuals of this breed have been 

 known to yield astonishing large quantities of butter. ,Tohn Lawrence (the author of the 

 New Farmers' Calendar) says, an Alderney cow that had strayed on the premises of a 

 friend of his, and remained there three weeks, made nineteen pounds of butter per week; 

 and the fact was thought worthy of a memorandum in the parish books. 



