62 HOLSTEIN-FRIESIAN CATTLE. 



including lands occupied by lakes, canals, rivers, cities, marshes, as well as that 

 cultivated for other than grass crops. 



The number of square miles included within the bounds of Friesland is 

 1253. Probably not over half of its territory is in grass. Large quantities of 

 cheese are also made, and great numbers of young cattle are raised for export. 

 In view of these facts the record seems more marvelous than any produced in 

 this country. It is a record of thousands of cows kept under ordinary condi- 

 tions. We challenge the friends of any other breed to bring forward a record 

 of their cattle that approaches it. 



In 1884 the Channel Islands, where the Jersey and Guernsey breeds are 

 exclusively kept, exported 100,464 Ibs., or 1,647 Ibs. to every square mile. A 

 perusal of these figures may enlighten those that have obtained the impression 

 that the Holstein-Friesian is not a butter breeed. The facts are that the 

 Holstein-Friesian breed has been producing for generations more butter than 

 any other breed in the world, more per cow, more per acre of land occupied and 

 more in the aggregate. We have no statistics as to the number of cows either 

 in Jersey or in Friesland in the years named. But the number varies but little 

 from year to year. In 1879 Friesland had 144,802 cows. If the same number 

 were kept in 1874 the average export per cow to England was 205f Ibs. [Not a 

 pound of oleomargarine was made in Friesland in 1874.] 



The dairy is the great farming interest in Holland, and hence the conclu- 

 sion that its dairymen have sought for the best possible dairy breed during the 

 more than five hundred years that it has been the greatest butter and cheese 

 producing country of the world. 



There is not a reasonable doubt that the Holstein-Friesian is the foremost 

 butter breed in the world. A single herd in this country has 100 cows that 

 average 19 Ibs. of butter in seven consecutive days; another herd has 32 cows 

 that average 19|- Ibs., another has 20 cows that average over 21 Ibs., and so we 

 might continue the list, showing their enormous production by herds. . 



In our opinion the proportion of territory applied to butter production is not 

 much if any larger in Friesland than in Jersey, and yet the proportion of export 

 per square mile is as 14^ to 1. We have no data by which to determine the 

 home consumption in these countries. But we know that the Friesian people 

 are great butter consumers, eating melted butter almost exclusively for gravies 

 as well as eating butter in the form in which it is consumed in Jersey and in this 

 country. 



The truth is that the Jersey was never bred as a great butter producing 

 breed until after it was introduced in America. We do not say this to detract 

 from the Jerseys. But in such a discussion the facts must be given. They were 

 bred for a lawn cow. The color and style and everything about them was bred 

 to meet the tastes of the English aristocracy for a deer-like appearing cow upon 

 the green lawns that surround their mansions. On the other hand the Holstein- 

 Friesian cow has been bred for untold generations as a dairy cow, a butter 

 producing breed. And further, this breed is and has been par excellence the 

 butter breed of Europe throughout these generations. 



There are many most valuable and interesting records of tests of Holstein- 

 Friesian cows in 'existence. From a large number of these we present a 

 selection which well demonstrates the abilities of the breed as butter producers. 

 Great care has been exercised to chronicle only those tests which are absolutely 

 reliable, and which have been most carefully conducted, and can at any time 

 be verified by many witnesses. 



The first butter record of a Holstein-Friesian, of which we have any knowl- 

 edge, was made in New York Mills, N. Y., by Mr. Solomon Hoxie, then secre- 

 tary of the Dutch-Friesian Association. He tested one of his cows, using the 

 old-fashioned four-quart pans and a small stone churn, churning each day's 

 cream by itself. We doubt not that a large per cent of fat was left in the 

 buttermilk. The test was made with considerable misgiving as to the result, 

 and rather sub rosa, but the writer was permitted to know the facts, which 

 were to be used if favorable, but never made public if unfavorable. He thinks 

 he betrays no confidence now. The record began March 6, 1881, and continued 

 for twenty-eight days, with the following result : 



Lbs. Oz. 

 Milk of 28 days, . .... 1757 8 



Average per day, 

 Butter of 28 days, 

 Seven days' yield, 

 Average per day. 

 Milk for pound of butter, 



62 12 

 73 1 

 18 1 



2.61 

 24 



