14 THE PERCHERON HORSE. 



he rears, and nevertheless, it must be confessed, that with 

 the exception of the mildness with which he treats it, he 

 has done next to nothing to ameliorate it or preserve it in 

 its beauty. Nature, time, and the climate, have done all. 



Perche has a climate eminently favorable to horse- 

 breeding. Under its influence, the water is tonic and the 

 food nutritious, the air is pure, bracing, and drier than 

 that of Normandy. The sea is farther off, and its in- 

 fluence, in consequence, is less felt. 



However, these can be but general attributes, for the 

 country varies in aspect according to the district. The 

 portion near Normandy, which is watered by the Sarthe, is 

 mnch the same as that province. The grasses are, however, 

 sparser, and especially do not have that extreme sweet- 

 ness and great tonic quality which distinguish those of the 

 environs of Courtomer and Merlerault, situated only a few 

 leagues from the limits of Perche. 



On the side of Beauce, there are vast plains sometimes 

 undulating, and having much similarity to that province. 



On the Maine side, the country gradually assumes the 

 characteristics of aspect and cultivation peculiar to it, so 

 that the transition between these two provinces is not an 

 abrupt change, but they blend like the tones of a picture. 

 Upon some points woods, ponds in the north-east, forage 

 and grain upon the remainder, are the chief features, and 

 are the sources of the revenues of the country. 



CHAPTER H. 



SKETCH OF THE PERCHERON RACE. 



The height of the Percheron horse is generally 14 8 1 4 to 16 

 hands ; he is of a sanguine temperament, mixed in variable 

 proportions with the musculo-lymphatic ; his color is al- 



