FRANCE. 249 



shin large; good foot; good gait and easy movement. Their docility 

 is very great and highly prized. They walk slowly and husband their 

 strength while they do their work. The cow is much smaller than the 

 ox, and is remarkably feminine and very fine in limbs. The head is ex- 

 pressive. She has great energy and works more briskly than the ox, 

 but lacks his endurance. 



The difference of size between the ox and cow of this breed is easily 

 explained by reasons which I gave above. The cow remains in her home 

 in her original state, while the young ox at the age of twelve or fifteen 

 months is taken into the rich and highly cultivated portions of the coun- 

 try. He receives better and more substantial food; his native qualities 

 are developed ; the animal grows and thrives under the better surround- 

 ings. The mild treatment and painstaking of the driver insures the 

 docility of the oxen. They are seldom strained ; and as the farmer ex- 

 pects the greatest return from the growth and increase of weight of his 

 cattle, it is not unusual to see a cart drawn by three or four pairs of 

 oxen which could be moved by one pair. 



The cows work in their homes in the mountains, and are able to turn 

 up the light soil upon which are raised rye and buckwheat. She is only 

 a moderate milker, not equal to those of the breed do Salers, occupy- 

 ing the neighboring mountains. Some attempts have been made to 

 improve this breed by crossing with the Durham, the Charolais, and 

 Gascon. The result of the former was generally good, but less aptitude 

 for work, and with the others occasioned loss of that docility which is 

 of great value to the pure breed. 



THE MANCELLE BREED. 



The race Mancelle is destined to disappear. The pure breed is only 

 found among some poor farmers, and then of an inferior type. It is 

 difficult to study the pure breed, and scarcely interesting or instruct- 

 ive. I have succeeded in obtaining a cut of this race. Although capa- 

 ble of work, they are rather classed as ordinary workers. The Norman 

 graziers said that they often turned them into their pastures long after 

 the others, but they were the soonest fitted for the market of the capi- 

 tal. 



A short cut was discovered to utilize this race by developing it and 

 at the same time exterminating it, or rather substituting for it a su- 

 perior breed. 



The early attempts to introduce the Durham blood to ameliorate this 

 race were so successful, and the transformation so great, that it may be 

 considered as a great stride in advancing the value of French cattle. 

 The "Durham-Manceaux," as this breed is termed, has increased the 

 precocity and propensity for fattening to a degree (as claimed by many) 

 of superiority to all other cattle of native or crossed breeds. However 

 this may be, from the study of these animals, which were very numer- 

 ous at the recent annual exhibition of animals for the butchery, as well 

 as among the most successful breeders and fatteners of cattle, the fusion 

 of these two bloods has produced excellent results, such as increased 

 precocity, lighter bones, more developed fleshy parts, fuller chest, while 

 diminishing the belly and rendering the ribs more cylindrical ; the neck 

 becomes shortened and the head finer. The Durham blood can also be 

 successfully renewed in the Durham-Manceaux, and with such happy 

 results and direct proof as the list of prizes taken by these cattle for 

 many years attest. 



The returns of net meat from the Durham-Manceaux is large, vary- 

 ing from 60 to 72 per cent., weight from 2,100 to 2,400 pounds, at three 



