THE PERCHERON HORSE. 27 



In a word, Perche is not large ; the number of horses 

 that it can produce is limited, and not being able to answer 

 all the demands made upon it, competition stepped in. 



At first, the finest types, the males especially, were sold. 

 Then, little by little, the traffic increasing, the finest fe- 

 males, in their turn, commenced to appear upon the market. 



The interior of France and foreign countries, Prussia 

 especially, were anxious to possess them, the latter country, 

 in order to form a race of draft-horses, which it absolutely 

 needed, in consequence its own becoming too light. 



It is the only race which has been accused, of no faults, 

 simply because it has satisfied a real want and has been 

 able to satisfy it fully. 



The sale of colts becoming greater and greater, and all 

 the farmers being interested in buying them to raise, Brit- 

 tany sent hers upon the markets. They made their ap- 

 pearance in Perche and in the fairs of Mortagne, Courtal- 

 in, etc., etc., taking their place there alongside the colts of 

 the country. 



The breeding-mares being sought after, and in conse- 

 quence sold, it became necessary to replace them. Their 

 offspring sold too well not to think of increasing their 

 number. Hence the introduction, at first, of a large 

 number of Brittany mares, and afterwards of mares from 

 Caux, Picardy, etc., etc., approaching nearest, both as to 

 height and coat, to the race of the country. 



If there had been among them only the Brittany mares, 

 I would but half complain: these are well bred; and 

 moreover, has not Perche contributed to the improvement 

 of the Brittany race by sending into their country such 

 famous stallions as JPomme, Bijou, and Tancrede f But the 

 mares from Picardy, from Caux and from Boulogne the 

 scrofulous races of the North ! What can be said for them ? 



This introduction is not of yesterday ; it is already of 

 long date. But it may be boldly advanced that it is only 

 since 1830 that it has been effected upon a very large scale. 



