BRITISH AND FRENCH AGRICULTURE. 175 



tendency to reduction is found in Finistere, where no less 

 than sixty-three new herds were established during the 

 period referred to. Among the reasons given for the 

 decline of the Shorthorns are : first, that it is of little 

 benefit for the improvement of breeds which have to 

 provide working oxen, living in a climate and under 

 conditions widely different from the native home of the 

 Shorthorns ; secondly, that while an infusion of Short- 

 horn blood has been beneficial to many breeds, the limit 

 of the benefit which it can confer has been reached ; 

 thirdly, where Shorthorns have been most used they 

 have now completely impressed their characteristics upon 

 the original breed, which approaches so closely to the 

 Shorthorn type that further crossing is unnecessary ; and 

 fourthly, that dairy farmers do not think the Shorthorn 

 tends to improve the milking qualities of their cattle. It 

 may also be that an additional reason is to be found in the 

 general establishment in France, as in England, of Herd 

 Books for the principal breeds, and the consequent 

 exclusion, as far as their influence extends, of all foreign 

 blood. There is one breed which has been not only 

 improved but apparently absorbed by the Shorthorns. 

 The Mancelle breed has now almost disappeared, and its 

 place taken by the Durham-Manceaux breed, which is 

 estimated to number 674,000 head, and occupies mainly 

 the departments of Maine-et-Loire, Mayenne, Loire- 

 Inferieure, and Ille-et-Vilaine. 



The little Breton breed of cattle the richness of whose 

 milk has largely accounted for the fame of Brittany 

 butter are estimated to number about 850,000 head. 

 The Salers and Limousin breeds, kept in the south of 

 France, each reach nearly 500,000 in number, and among 

 other breeds of importance may be mentioned the Garon- 

 naise (365,000), the Comtoise, Bearnaise, Aubrac, Femeline, 

 Bressane, Tarine, Mezenc, Ferrando-Forezienne, and 

 Gasconne. 



The system of tethering cattle on the arable land is 



