CHAPTER XXXIV 



THE JERSEY 



The native home of the Jersey is on the island of that name in 

 the English Channel, about fourteen miles from the coast of 

 France. This is one of the group known as the Channel Islands ; 

 they belong to Great Britain, and comprise mainly Jersey, the 

 largest, Guernsey, Alderney, and Sark. Jersey is about eleven 

 miles long and six wide and contains 39,580 acres. The north 

 shore of the island is precipitous, the land gently sloping south- 

 ward. The principal crops 

 are potatoes and other 

 vegetables, fruits and 

 flowers, Jersey cattle and 

 their products. The cli- 

 mate is most balmy, out-of- 

 door life being pleasant all 

 the year. So healthful are 

 the conditions that tuber- 

 culosis among the cattle 

 is almost unknown. The 

 soil is very rich and most 

 productive. The island 

 has a population of about 

 60,000. There are twelve 

 parishes, and the farms are 

 small, ranging from five to twenty acres each. Notwithstanding 

 its small size there are about 12,000 cattle kept on Jersey, accord- 

 ing to late reports, and the herds are well maintained. 



The origin of the Jersey is unknown. The most probable the- 

 ory is that it is descended from stock on the neighboring section 

 of France, notably Brittany and Normandy. While the cattle 



249 



Fig. 105. Pedro 3187 at 18 years of age. Grand 

 champion Jersey male at the World's Colum- 

 bian Exposition, 1893, and one of the most 

 noted of American-bred Jersey bulls, long at 

 the head of the herd of Mr. T. S. Cooper, 

 Coopersburg, Pennsylvania. Photograph 

 from Mr. Cooper 



