THE PERCHEROltf HORSE. 25 



fact of the greatest importance to state, that it is to the 

 ox that the Perch eron horse owes a part of his celebrity. 



As is well known, Beauce is the exceptional country for 

 cereals ; the horse and sheep are pretty much the only 

 animals which there produce a manure required by such 

 husbandry. Add to this the breadth of land under tillage, 

 and the extreme fertility of the soil, and the large number 

 of horses kept by the Beauce farmer will be accounted for. 



At three years old, the Percheron dealer sells his horse 

 for 900 or 1,000 francs, and sometimes more, according to 

 his merit. But he does this only in order to buy other 

 colts; and the profit has been, in fact, sufficiently large to 

 warrant him in this. He has had against him only the 

 chances of mortality. These are small ; the race is tough 

 and hardy. Accidents are more to be dreaded, and these 

 sometimes occur. Living in the open air, in the company 

 of other animals, the young colt is a little exposed to the 

 influences of chance. But the fields are enclosed, the 

 master's eye is upon it, and, to sum up all, the large profit 

 covers every thing. 



Reaching Beauce at three years old, he is subjected to 

 hard work. The work is easy enough, but there is 

 much of it. He must be quick, the breadth of land is 

 very extensive, and the work must be done. Sowing and 

 harvesting these two words sum up the Beauceron agri- 

 culture. Otherwise expressed plowing and hauling. As 

 regards the horse, all must be done promptly and quickly. 



But if -he be hard worked, on the other hand, nothing is 

 denied him. He eats as much grain and hay as he pleases. 

 What difference does this make to the farmer ? Do not 

 his labor and his manure pay for his nourishment ? And, 

 moreover, how act otherwise ? As we have seen, nothing 

 can supply his place. Necessity has no law. 



He lives in this way a year, with abundant food. Some- 

 times he succumbs ; the mortality is quite large in this 

 region. But the stock which remains after such a training 

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