The Guernsey Breed 39 



that she does, to pay for what she costs. On the coast of Hampshire 

 there is great facility in obtaining the Alderney cattle, and they are 

 great favourites there. We must refer our readers to the 'Description 

 of Hampshire,' page 215, for the manner in which they have estab- 

 lished themselves in that part of the country, and the various ways 

 in which other breeds have been crossed by them. 



"One excellence, it must be acknowledged, that the Alderneys 

 possess: when they are dried, they fatten with a rapidity that would 

 be scarcely thought possible from their gaunt appearance, and their 

 want of almost every grazing point, while living. The Duke of Bed- 

 ford exhibited a French ox at the Smithfield cattle show, in 1802, 

 whose four quarters weighed 95 stone 3 pounds and the fat 17 stones 

 3 pounds, Smithfield weight." 



On page 215, under "Cattle in Hampshire," Youatt says: 



"Hither also the Longhorns penetrated, and were the prevailing 

 breed, but they may be said to have perfectly disappeared. They 

 have given way to the Devons, and indeed to breeds of every sort, 

 and, more particularly near the coast, to the Alderney, or smaller 

 breed of Norman cows. About Southampton, the Alderney is the 

 prevalent breed. * * * There are many facilities for obtaining her 

 from the contiguous islands of Guernsey and Jersey. In this part of 

 the county the Alderney has been crossed with the forest breed, and 

 also with the Suffolk. The forester has improved, and the Norman 

 deteriorated in consequence of the first cross, and the second has 

 been attended with doubtful success. Next to the Alderneys, the 

 duffolks are most in favour on the coast of Hampshire. 



"Mr. Gawler, in his 'Report of a North Hampshire Farm' (Far- 

 mer's Series, No. VII., page IS), states that 'the stock in general 

 best adapted to this soil are the Alderney, and the smaller race of 

 Norman cows. The Devonshire and larger breeds require richer 

 pasture; and, although they may be kept in condition, the milk they 

 give is by no means in proportion to the bulk of food they consume. 

 Mr. Gawler's dairy stock was in the proportion of one cow of the 

 Devonshire breed to three of the Alderney or Norman, and the 

 milk was mixed on the presumption that, being thus diluted, it pro- 

 duced better butter, and a larger quantity of it.' 



"Sir Richard Simeon has favoured us with a description of the 

 cattle in the Isle of Wight. They are a small mixed kind without 

 any of those. peculiarities which would mark them as distinct breeds. 

 Scarcely any oxen are bred from them. _ Cow calves are saved for 

 the purpose of keeping up the dairy, invariably from the best milkers, 

 and not with any view to their aptitude to fatten. 



"The dairy stock has been occasionally mixed with the Guernseys 

 or Alderney cattle, and with success so far as the quatitity and 

 quality of milk go. Some attempts have been made to introduce 

 the Shorthorns, and in some instances the cattle of the island have 

 been improved in size and appearance; but, looking to the general 

 capabilities of the island for the maintenance of large stock, and 

 fitting them for the purpose of the butcher, it may be doubtful whether 

 the smaller and rougher kind of cattle may not be a safer description 

 of stock, and likely to produce a better result to the farmer. The 

 Alderney is a favorite breed. A cross between the Devon has pro- 

 duced some very good cows here, well adapted for the dairy, and 

 not unprofitable for the butcher. 



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