Jersey, Guernsey, Alderney, and Sarh. 
51 
heifer she is ahvavs reared, and kept in the island until she is 
two years old ; when, if not required, she is sold for exportation. 
Returning: to the cow: two weeks or so after calving, if the 
weather be very fine, she is turned out to grass in the day- 
time : it is the custom in all the Channel Islands to tether cattle ; 
the tethers are made of small chain ; a spike about one foot 
long is attached at one end and driven into the ground ; the other 
end is tied to the cow's halter, the latter being made fast at the 
base of her horns ; the length of these tethers is altogether about 
four yards. During the day cattle are frequently moved, 
generally every three hours, and sometimes oftener ; drink is 
given to them in the morning on leaving the stable, and at noon ; 
if it be summer-time, they receive it also in the evening. About 
the month of May they are allowed to remain out at night, 
and continue so until the end of October, when the system of 
housing above described recommences. During summer cows are 
frequentlv milked three times a-day ; and when the weather 
becomes very warm they are brought into the stable for a few 
hours, else thev would be tormented by the flies. At this period 
(height of summer) a great diminution takes place in their milk ; 
but as the heat ceases towards the fall, it rapidly springs up again to 
what it was in the spring : this is the time when butter is crocked 
for winter supply. A cow is in her prime at six years of age, 
and continues good until ten years old ; many are kept that are 
much older, but then they begin to fall off. In general, cows 
have their first calf when much too young ; at two years old 
is the usual time, but then their produce is small, and continues 
so for at least a twelvemonth, when it gradually increases until it 
arrives at maturity. A good cow on the average gives fourteen 
quarts of milk per day, or eight or nine pounds of butter per 
week : instances are common of cows giving twelve or even 
fourteen pounds of butter in one week, but that is above the 
average figure. 
Two years old in-calf heifers sell in ordinary years at the 
rate of 12/. per head, but there is a great fluctuation at times in 
their value ; last year the price was higher than had ever been 
known. 
A great improvement has taken place in the breed of cattle 
within the last twelve or fifteen years, which is attributable to the 
formation of agricultural societies in the island ; by this means 
the farmer has received instruction, and has had pointed out 
to him the real merits of his stock. It is a well-known fact that 
before these societies existed cattle were sold for very little more 
than one-half of the sum that they now fetch. The value of a 
first-class cow, four years old, is at this moment 25/., of a two- 
year-old heifer 14/. Bulls are seldom kept after their second' 
E 2 
