FOR PROMOTING AGRICULTURE 147 



age; and the Percheron breed, which exists, as stated, 

 in its most perfect form and highest condition in Le 

 Perche, a district of Normandy, in France, was ap- 

 proved. The report affirmed that this breed would 

 not only be a gain to the agriculturalist, in securing a 

 better class of work-horses for farm use, but a class 

 readily marketable as dray horses and the like, and 

 therefore profitable to a farmer who inclined to breed 

 stock. Incidentally it was remarked that the breeding 

 of horses for high speed does not pay the farmer, 

 "though once in a lifetime he may get a fancy price 

 for an animal of this character, if he keeps it long 

 enough, and follows it upon trotting courses for days 

 and years, when he should be upon his farm." 



The recommendation was carried into effect at 

 once, and the equivalent of $25,000 francs was voted 

 for the purpose. As the value of United States paper 

 money then stood, it required to purchase the ex- 

 change, $7,352.94. Correspondence was entered into 

 with Mr. G. T. Richards, resident in Paris. Early in 

 the winter the secretary of the society, Richard S. 

 Fay, was in Paris, and all the arrangements were per- 

 fected, so that the purchase and exportation from 

 France should be made, under Mr. Richards' direc- 

 tion, in the spring of 1864. The horses, two stallions 

 and three mares, arrived at Mr. Motley's farm on 

 July 5, of that year. Afterwards they were placed at 

 the Bussey Farm, some arrangement as to rental, and 

 building a new stable for them, having been made 

 with the college authorities, who were conducting the 

 farm for purposes of agricultural instruction. An 

 excellent bargain had been made by Mr. Richards, 

 both as to quality and cost, and the animals com- 

 manded general admiration. The members of the 

 Board of Agriculture made an official visit to the 



