THE JERSEY 325 



or Alderney cattle to ornament the grounds of the nobility and 

 gentry and to provide rich milk. The term "Alderney" thus 

 used applied to any of the Channel Island cattle, and the use 

 of this word in America for many years was no doubt due to the 

 English custom. 



Legislation for the protection of the purity of cattle on Jersey 

 dates back to early colonial times. The value of preserving the 

 character of the breed was recognized as early as 1763, when 

 laws were passed by the legislature of Jersey prohibiting the 

 importing of cattle from France to the island. While this law 

 was recognized, it probably was not enforced with much severity. 

 In 1789 an act was passed making it a severe crime, heavily 

 punishable, to bring any cattle to Jersey from France excepting 

 for immediate slaughter. In 1826 a new law was enacted, abso- 

 lutely prohibiting importing breeding cattle from France, but this 

 law was revised in 1864, when provision was made for bringing 

 cattle to Jersey from France for consumption or reexportation. 

 The present law prohibits bringing live cattle to the island ex- 

 cepting for food, and they must be slaughtered within twenty-four 

 hours after landing at the abattoir at St. Helier. According to 

 John Thornton efforts have been made to introduce other breeds 

 on the island. About 1845 a Mr. Revans tried to introduce 

 " Durhams," but these were finally sold to the butcher. Some 

 Ayrshires imported by Colonel Godfray also met a similar fate. 



The improvement of the old Jersey type really began in a 

 general movement on the part of the islanders. In 1833 the 

 Royal Jersey Agricultural Society was organized, with the view, 

 among other things, of improving the cattle. In 1834 the society 

 originated a score card for Jerseys, amounting to twenty-five points 

 for the bull and twenty-seven for the cow. This card was used 

 at the first show of cattle on the island, which also was held in 

 1834. Comments by the judges were that the cattle were poor of 

 shape and had bad udders and that some females had short, bull 

 necks, were heavy in shoulder, etc. The application of the score 

 card, which was revised in 1838, 1849, l8 5 x > an ^ 1858, was 

 enforced, and the cattle of Jersey gradually and rapidly improved. 

 This work was due to the joint efforts of the members of the agri- 

 cultural society, though Colonel Le Couteur was a leader in this 



