282 CATTLE AND DAIRY FARMING. 



HOBMANDY CATTLE. 



REPORT ZY CONSUL GLOVER, OF HAVRE, 

 WORKING- CATTLE IN FRANCE. 



In some portions of France oxen are still extensively employed in 

 various kinds of work, and particularly on the farm. Many persons 

 contend that for such uses, and in certain localities, they can perform a 

 given amount of work at less expense than horses. To me this seems 

 improbable. Still there may be some kinds of rough ground where oxen 

 can be very advantageously employed. They walk more slowly than 

 horses, and are more even in their gait, so that in u new ground," or in 

 stony lands, they may be very desirable. But it is not necessary to pur- 

 sue this branch of the subject further, inasmuch as cattle, in the United 

 States, are esteemed chiefly on account of their qualities for the dairy 

 or the butcher. The cow that produces the largest amount of inilk and 

 butter other things being equal is the best cow, and the bullock that 

 furnishes the most beef of good quality, in the shortest time, is tbe 

 best ox. 



It is not my purpose to attempt a full description of all the various 

 breeds of cattle in France, but to give as complete information as I can 

 in regard to the races in the northern part of the country, and particu- 

 larly those in Normandy. 



NORMANDY, ITS SITUATION, SOIL, CLIMATE, ETC. 



This province is bounded on the north by the English Channel, and 

 lies on both sides of the river Seine. It is composed of five depart- 

 ments, viz : Seine Infe'rieure, chief cities Eouen and Havre ; Eure, chief 

 city Evreux; Calvados, chief city Caen; Manche, chief city St. Lo; 

 Orne, chief city Alenon. Although Normandy is situated between the 

 49 and 50 north latitude, the climate is temperate. The mercury 

 rarely rises above 75 in summer, and ice is not often formed to exceed 

 half an inch in thickness in winter. Snow scarcely ever falls to any 

 considerable depth, and generally disappears in a few hours at most. 

 Such a climate is well adapted to the raising of cattle. In parts of the 

 province some kinds of grasses remain -green the year through. The 

 surface of the country is rather uneven, being intersected by many 

 streams, which flow into the channel. Still much of the "up-land" is 

 of good quality, while the bottom land is wonderfully productive. 



Taken as a whole, Normandy is a very fertile country, but all portions 

 of the province are not equally favorable for cattle raising. The depart- 

 ments of Calvados and the Mauche, which lie on the west side of the 

 Seine, are very remarkable for their fine cattle, and especially for but- 

 ter-producing cows. In these departments are to be found the purest 

 Norman types. 



CHARACTERISTICS OF THE NORMAN BREED. 



Of the Nuiaian race there are two varieties which are. particularly 

 distinguished, viz, the Cotentin and the Augeronne, the former being 

 the more highly esteemed. . The following are some of the peculiar 

 characteristics of this race: Size large and often not very handsome, 



