JERSEY CATTLE 119 



one of the Channel Islands, located m the English Chan- 

 nel between England and France. The Island of Jersey is 

 only eleven miles long and six miles wide, and contains a 

 population so dense that the size of the farms is very small, 

 and aU the possible farming land must be utilized to the 

 best advantage. The climate is temperate and moist, and 

 the people are very industrious. In the midst of such 

 surroundings was developed one of the best butter breeds 

 of the world. 



History. — The methods employed by the natives in 

 developing this breed of cattle are interesting. They kept 

 for breeding purposes only those cows that produced a 

 good supply of butter, paying Httle attention at first to 

 the amount of milk given by the cows. Later, however, 

 they began selecting cows for nulk flow as weU as for but- 

 ter production, and in that way developed the milking 

 quaHties. Selecting for butter production developed cattle 

 that gave rich milk, and the cows still retain that quality. 

 Another thing the people of the island did was to prohibit 

 the importation of outside breeds into the island, and in 

 this way the cattle were kept pure. The government also 

 helped the industry by placing premiums upon the best 

 cows and bulls, which premium had to be refunded if they 

 were sold to leave the island. Certain good aiiimals were 

 also kept in communities where the poorer farmers could 

 make use of them for the improvement of their herds. 



Characteristics. — In size, the Jersey is the smallest of 

 the well-known dairy breeds, the cows weighing from 700 

 to 1000 pounds and the bulls ranging aroUnd 1400 to 1600 

 pounds in weight. While their small size is often raised 

 as an objection to them, they are very economical pro- 

 ducers. Jersey cows have proven themselves able to com- 



