THE PEKCHERON HORSE. 201 



in the section named is hilly and uneven, cut up by small valleys, 

 watered by springs or brooks flowing into the rivers. These valleys 

 are natural meadows, rich and fertile, and the soil generally clayey. 



With the farmers the plants for dry and green forage are first, 

 clover and then feunugreek. Thorough cultivation we are told, is 

 what has brought these lands into such a high state of cultivation, 

 and enabled this comparatively small section to send forth horses in 

 such numbers and excellence. Coupled with this fact is another, 

 that the Government of France has always maintained a liberal 

 policy, and aid to agriculture has become a settled policy, so that 

 while parties ma}^ change, this policy is fixed and unchangeable. 

 Recognizing the worth of the horse industry, the government at an 

 early period began the purchasing of the best specimens of Per- 

 cheron stallions to be found, and the subsidizing of others, sending 

 them out through the country and offering farmers every encourage- 

 ment to use them, making the best possible selection of mares. At 

 the present time fully twenty-five hundred are owned by the gov- 

 ernment itself, and about seven thousand subsidized. Going still 

 further in this work of protection and encouragement, all others are 

 obliged to be inspected and licensed before being admitted to public 

 service. In this wa}' all grades of unsound horses are excluded. 

 With the value of each sire practically tested, the intelligent system 

 fostered by the government in making selections, the climate and 

 soil have combined to produce magnificent specimens. 



The State of Maine is soon to see the practical workings of a 

 system of governmental assistance in horse breeding, in the case of 

 the Province of New Brunswick. There the labors are not confined 

 to one class of stock, nor is there such careful restriction, but the 

 good results will be noted in the immediate future, bringing wealth 

 to the farmers and strengthening all agricultural interests. The 

 State of Maine may here find additional testimony in encourage- 

 ment of a like practice. 



The district of Perche is bounded by the immense plains of Beauce, 

 the thoroughfare of the post-coaches lor Paris, and of transportation 

 for all supplies from the West. Being directly in the line of travel 

 it has for centuries been the rendezvous of tbe draft and long dis- 

 tance driving races. 



This was doubtless one of the leading factors in the building up 

 of the Percheron family. There was demanded a horse, strong 3'et 

 quick, easy to raise, best to feed, of good disposition, and pos- 



