FIRST CENTURY OF DAIRYING IN NEW SOUTH WALES. 



of the year. These islands are famed for their vegetables and flowers, 

 and Jersey in particular for its potatoes. There are acres and acres 

 of glass on these islands, under which fl< wcrs and vegetables ate 

 forced to catch the early markets of Britain and France. Potatoes 

 art sent across in casks like cement barrels, padded well on top with 

 green grass to keep moist ; while vegetables are sent in small baskets. 

 The climate is beautifully mild, and as the soil is rich and the rainfall 

 good, luxuriant growth naturally follows. 



There are about 20,000 Jersey cattle on the island, no other breed 

 being allowed on it. Little groups of from rive to twenty can 

 be seen contentedly grazing on the little farms all over the island. 

 All cattle and horses are tethered while at pasture, and are moved 

 about the pasture four or five times a day. They are milked thrice 

 daily in the field. The cattle are all as quiet as sheep, and treated 

 with the utmost kindness. The greatest care is taken in breeding, and 

 the majority of the male stock are slaughtered or, rather, nothing 

 but the best strains of male cattle are kept. 



There are judges in the island who do not mind white on the Je 

 and although a whole-colored beast is preferred, white by no means 

 condemns an animal for sale purposes. The great excellence of the 

 Jersey as a butter producing cow is well known, and generally con- 

 ceded, and has been recognised as a hereditary trait, probab'y inherited 

 from progenitors bred a century previous for no defined purpose. 



Professor Long, writing on the modern Jersey, says : " The Jersey 

 has enjoyed a popularity which has not been exceeded by any other 

 cow among the dairy breeds. It has been alternately lauded and 

 abused lauded sometimes beyond its merits, and abused by those 

 who have not had a fair experience of the breed. Until recently the 

 Jersey was estimated, even by those who understood it, as a ' gentle- 

 man's' cow, whatever that may mean ; but it has distinctly proved 

 itself to be a strictly economical breed when it is well selected, well 

 fed, and well managed. There is certainly no cow which, under 

 fair conditions, is more profitable to the butter-making or cheese- 

 making farmer. Briefly, the economical points of the Je'rsey are its 

 production of rich milk, rich waxy butter, and exceptionally rich cream 

 and rich cheese. The adjective is applied in each case advisedly, for 

 with the exception of the Guernsey, which closely approaches it, there 

 is no other variety of cattle in the world which produces either cream, 

 milk, butter, or cheese either so high in color or so rich in qua'ity. 



"The Jersey is often held to be a delicate cow. but this is not the 

 case ; she succeeds in Scotland, and in one of the coldest part-, .if 

 Canada I have seen her thrive as well as in Jersey itself. The island, 

 however, is the place to see the Jersey i.i its glory. She is smaller, 

 it is true, but she is more slender and more beauti-fully proportioned. 



"The Jersey varies in color from golden-fawn to mulberry, whil. 

 embraces a number of shades which are affected more or less bv the 

 introduction of grey ; practically the colors are fawn, golde'.i-fawn, 

 silver-grey, and mulberry. Sometimes these colors are splashed or 

 broken with white. The Jersey possesses a delicate thin skin of ex- 

 tremely soft texture, and in no part is it more mellow or silky than 

 upon the udder, which is improving in form, for it is not quite -<> 

 globular as it might be. The cow is not a well fleshed animal. While 

 bright and healthy in appearance, the ^kin is apparently drawn over 

 a frame scantily fleshed, but beautifully pnwortioneu. Naturally the 

 majority of the cows are far from perfect, but the imperfection is gene- 

 rally in the hindquarters, the tail being set on too high, while the hips 

 are not wide enough apart, nor do the buttocks permit of sufficient 

 expansion of the udder. The Jersey has a black tongue, black nose, 

 and black points gem-rally ; while her skin is yellow, sometime- a rich 

 < range, somewhat oilv withal. The horns are" crumpled, or going for- 

 ward, and then curved inwards. In very choice animals they are ex- 



