CHAPTER II. 



ANCESTRY OF THE BREED SYSTEM OF DAIRYING AS A RACE STOCK EARLIEST 

 AMERICAN IMPORTATIONS. 



The ancestry of these cattle may be traced unalloyed for more than two 

 thousand years. The history of the Netherlands goes back three hundred years 

 before the commencement of the Christian era. At that time that portion of 

 the country bordering on the North Sea was called Fresia. It extended over 

 the present provinces of North Holland, Friesland and Groningen, and over the 

 German border to the river Ems. Its inhabitants were classed by the Romans 

 with the Northern barbarians. They differed from their neighbors in their 

 love of peaceful pursuits, especially the care and breeding of cattle. 



In 1282 came the decisive inundation that produced the Zuyder Zee, a broad 

 and permanent channel from the sea far inland, separating these cattle breeders 

 into two groups the western occupying a stretch of country that was for a 

 long time called West Friesland, now constituting the major part of North 

 Holland ; the eastern, the present provinces of Friesland and Groningen. In 

 the western division, the influence of Batavian and Celtic blood has rendered 

 the inhabitants less conservative, and changed the language to modern Holland- 

 ish. In both divisions the cattle are of the same blood ; they are kept in the 

 same manner, and used for the same purpose. The farmers are all dairymen, 

 and all combine the production of butter, cheese, veal and beef in their pursuits. 



" The system of dairying pursued differs slightly in the two divisions," says 

 Mr. S. Hoxie. "In Friesland butter making takes precedence. From the 

 skim-milk cheese is made ; the whey is fed to calves or older cattle, with an 

 allowance of oil cake. Their cattle are always kept in what American farmers 

 would call a superior condition. In North Holland the only material variation 

 from this system is in making cheese from the milk immediately as it comes 

 from the herd. The noted Edam cheese is thus produced. 



" It will be noticed that these systems involve the utilization of every cattle 

 product milk, butter, cheese, veal and beef. They thus draw profits from 

 both the leading tendencies of bovine nature milk giving and flesh making. 

 They give no credit to the theory that the functions of the one antagonize 

 those of the other. On the contrary, they have demonstrated on the largest 

 possible scale that when intense activity of the functions of one ceases, if an 

 animal is normally developed, healthy and well fed, intense activity of the 

 functions of the other begins. 



" In looking on their herds there is a strong impression that these peasant 

 farmers are correct in their views. The broad loins and wide rumps of their 

 cattle seem just the place for the finest quality of beef, and equally the proper 

 support of capacious udders. 



"At two years of age, with rare exceptions, they commence giving milk, and 

 at six or seven years old they uniformly go loaded with flesh to the butcher. 

 These dairymen do not lose their dairy plant at the end of every eight or ten 

 years in a lot of old and worthless cows. They sell their cows well fattened at 

 an age when their flesh is of the best quality. The price obtained pays for extra 

 food that may have been used, and replaces them at a profit with younger 

 animals." 



As a race stock, these cattle have become widely noted. They have sent 

 off-shoots to all the richer grass sections of Northern and Central Europe. In 

 some instances these have been established so long that, prevailing over the 

 native cattle and slightly changed by environment, they have taken names 

 corresponding to their location. Some of the most renowned breeds of Europe 

 are of such origin. Among these are the Flanders breed of Belgium and 

 France, the Brittenburg and Oldenburg breeds of Germany, and the Kolmogo- 

 rian breed of Russia. 



Our Secretary of State in 1883 procured reports from our consuls upon the 

 breeds and products of cattle throughout the world. From Belgium such 

 reports call special attention to the Hollandaise, or Dutch cow, and the 



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