274 CATTLE AND DAIRY FARMING. 



Meat product of Garonnais cattle, The following is the product of two 

 young oxen '"which had received premiums at a cat,tle show : 



No. 1, three years and ten months old : * 



Live weight at the slaughter-house pounds.. 1,848 



Weight of the four quarters do.... 848 



Proportionate weight of the four quarters to the live weight per cent.. 62-91 



Weight of the tallow pounds.. 110 



Proportionate weight of the tallow to the four quarters per cent . . 12-83 



Weight of the skin pounds.. 107 



Proportionate weight of the skin to the four quarters per cent . . 12-96 



No. 2, three years and eleven months old : 



Live weight at the. slaughter-house pounds.. 2,176 



Weight of the four quarters do 1, 366 



Proportionate weight of the four quarters to the live weight per cent.. 68-78 



Weight of the tallow ^ pounds.. 162 



Proportionate weight of the tallow to the four quarters per cent . . 13-19 



Weight of the skin pounds.. 136 



Proportionate weight of the skin to the four quarters per cent. . 10-00 



Garonnais cross-breeds. An author says that this breed deserves the 

 name of " Shorthorn of the South," having the same form and bearing 

 and the same propensity to fatten when young. It is supposed to be a 

 cross-breed of Garonuais and Dutch. According to reliable documents 

 large numbers of Garonnais were exported to England in the fourteenth 

 and fifteenth centuries, when the South of France was occupied by the 

 English. .This breed has never been crossed by any foreign blood. It 

 is left to itself for reproduction, the raisers hardly taking any care to 

 secure good bulls. The cattle-breeders say that this breed should not 

 be crossed in- its native country, because that would make it Jose the 

 qualities which render it particularly adapted to the locality. All cross- 

 ings hitherto tried have proved complete failures. This breed repre- 

 sents about two-thirds of the cattle in the department. 



Garonnaise grazing country. The altitude of the country is about 250 

 feet above sea-level. The mean temperature is 56 F. in summer, 72; 

 in winter, 43. The soil belongs to the secondary and tertiary periods. 



The agricultural soil is composed of 



Acres. 



Limestone 132,750 



Rich compost 32,800 



Gravel 1,700 



Stony ground 18,90 



Sandy ground , 27,50 



Heathy ground 12,350 



The soil of the plain and great valleys is very fertile. The plain of 

 the Garonne, of proverbial fertility, lies on alluvial ground 12 feet deep. 

 The culture of the ground is triennial ; first year, wheat and cereals of 

 spring and autumn growth ; second year, green forage ; third year, 

 hemp, tobacco, rape, and linseed. 



THE BAZADAIS CATTLE. 



Description. rDapple dark gray ; nose, anus, and inner part of thighs 

 white ; eyes encircled with white hair ; some of cows are light gray. 

 Bull 4 feet 8 inches, cow 4 feet 4 inches high. The animal is compact, 

 "close to the ground," with thin, dense bones; powerful muscles ended 

 by strong sinews; harmonious and wonderfully balanced body; loin? 

 very well attached. The animal is built for fatigue and endurance, wit 

 broad and neat articulations ; hind quarters broad, well made, with 

 thick flesh and muscles from rump to knee ; hoofs hard and of a good 

 quality; head short, broad at the forehead; horns well attached 5 neck 



