24 THE JERSEY, ALDERNEY AND GUERNSEY COW 



its progenitors been renowned for their milking and 

 creaming qualities? But the mere attention to this 

 was one of primary importance in a circumscribed spot 

 like Jersey ; it may have been quite sufficient to estab- 

 lish a hereditary superiority in the most needful qual- 

 ity. It may also have established it with a rapidity that 

 could not have been obtained in a wide-extended coun- 

 try like France. Hence, perhaps, the present supe- 

 riority of the Jersey over the French breed. 



^ :i; ^ -J: ^ 



"The Jersey cow is a singularly docile and gentle 

 animal; the male, on the contrary, is apt to become 

 fierce after two years of age. In those bred on the 

 heights of St Ouen, St, Brelade, and St Mary, there is 

 a hardness and sound constitution that enables them to 

 meet even a Scotch winter without injury ; those bred 

 in the low grounds and rich pastures are of larger car- 

 cass, but are more delicate in constitution. 



"Of the ancient race, it was stated, perhaps with 

 truth, that it had no tendency to fatten ; indeed, some 

 cows of the old breed were so ungainly, high-boned, 

 and ragged in form, Meg Merrilies of cows, that no 

 attempt to fatten them might succeed — the great quan- 

 tities of milk and cream which they produced probably 

 absorbing all their fattening properties. 



" Yet careful attention to crossing has greatly reme- 

 died this defect By having studied the habits of a good 

 cow with a little more tendency to fatten than others, 

 and crossing her with a fleshy, well-conditioned bull of 



