12 THE PERCHERON HOUSE. 



4th. The eastern portion of the districts of Mamers 

 and Saint Calais (department of Sarthe). 



It is the summit region of the middle portion of the 

 vast plateau extending between the sea and the basins 

 of the Loire and the Seine. It is here that the rivers 

 Sarthe, Huisne, Eure, Loire, It on, Hoene, Braye, Avre, 

 Commanche, and Percheron Orne, take their source, spring- 

 ing up from the same plateau and crossing it on their way 

 to the Channel and the ocean. 



The country is, in general, uneven and hilly, cut up in 

 every direction by small valleys watered by springs or 

 small brooks flowing into the rivers above named. All 

 these valleys, no matter of what extent, are natural 

 meadows, and the most of them rich and fertile. But 

 drainage could here be usefully applied everywhere, to rid 

 them of their surplus humidity, and to purge them of their 

 too abundant aquatic plants. The finest valley is that 

 watered by the Huisne, which is second to none in France 

 for length, extent, richness, and beauty of sites. Here are 

 situated Nogent-le-Rotrou, Conde, Regmalard, Boissy, 

 Corbon, Mauves, Pin-la-Garenne, Reveillon, etc., etc., all 

 centers renowned for the beauty of their horses. 



The land is generally clayey, lying upon a calcareous 

 subsoil of the secondary formation. Some portions are 

 silicious, the high and hilly points always so. 



The Percheron country contains rather few meadows, 

 in proportion to the total surface of the soil, and to this 

 circumstance, probably, is due the superiority of its horses. 

 Here the rearing takes place in the stable and the brood- 

 mare is found under the hand of the breeder. The idea of 

 making use of her conies naturally to his mind. He works 

 and feeds her well. All the secret of his breeding lies in 

 these few words. 



Here, for many years, agriculture has flourished ; arti- 

 ficial meadows are everywhere cultivated with success, 



