IMPROVEMENT FROM WITHIN 



75 



The island itself is only eleven miles long, by nine mile'^ 

 wide. It has a total area of about ;J9,n()0 acres, of; which 

 25,000 are tillable. The population of 60,000 is engaged 

 largely in truck gardening, making a specialty of early potatoes. 

 The cow, however, has been given much attention and is an 

 important source of revenue. There are about 10,000 cows on 

 the island, or one for every two and one-half acres of cultivated 

 land. 



Fig. 26. — Imp. Oxford Majesty. A champion both on Jersey Island and in An-erica. 

 Note strong back, rugged build yet a conformity to the dairy type. (Owned by 'White 

 Horse Farms, Paoli, Pa.) 



IMPEOVEMEiSTT FROM WITHIN 



Early writers on agricultural topics mention the cows of the 

 island as being very ununiform in every respect; some very 

 beefy; some were flat and with but poor constitutions, while 

 yet others were fairly symmetrical dairy cows. 



It is evident, however, that the essential merit of the stock 

 was recognized, since improvement was sought by selection within 

 the blood rather than by introduction of such outside elements 

 as were obtainable on the continent (Fig. 26). 



Systematic improvement began in 1834 when a score card 



