The Guernsey Breed 



25 



farm. Then at certain seasons of the year, when the laws 

 allow, many farmers draw large quantities of seaweed, which 

 is spread on the gardens and meadows. The seaweed adds 

 both fertilizing elements and humus to the soil and does not 

 seem to bring salt enough to the land to do it any injury. 



Much of the central northern part of the island is below 

 sea level at high tide and has been reclaimed from the sea. 

 There are some fields that still have tide gates that close 

 automatically at high tide and open at low tide to let the 

 drains empty their water into the sea. 



The cattle are fed largely on hay and roots. The root 

 crops are mangolds, parsnips and carrots. This is the only 

 place where I know parsnips to be grown for cattle food. 

 Even here the best farmers seem to consider them to be of 

 more value for fattening purposes than for milk production. 



The hay grown is quite largely alfalfa or, as they call it, 

 lucerne, mixed with red clover and Italian rye grass. Alfalfa 

 seems to do very well there, and I have been unable to find 

 any good reason why they do not sow it alone. But certain 

 it is that the alfalfa and Italian rye grass together make as 

 fine hay as one could wish to have. Because of the frequent 

 rains and the many foggy days, the haying proposition is a 

 very different one from that of the American farmer. The hay 

 lies for a week or more in the swath, and still it is surprising 

 what beautiful hay is made. There are few barns in which 



A Guernsey hay stack. 

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