SECRETARY'S REPORT. 273 



It was my intention to give some account of the incidents 

 and observations along the route, somewhat after the manner 

 of my last Report ; but the sketch of the agricultural schools 

 has grown up to such proportions, under my hands, that it pre- 

 cludes the possibility of doing so, owing to the length to which 

 it would necessarily lead. 



When in Paris, which I visited in August, for the purpose of 

 seeing the school of Grignon and the celebrated flock of Ram- 

 bouillet, I took an opportunity to visit the imperial dairy at 

 Vincennes, some half-dozen miles from the heart of the city. 

 The drive is one of great interest, a part of the way through a 

 splendid park or forest, over a fine broad avenue. This dairy 

 is far less splendid than that at Frogmore, near Windsor Castle, 

 which I described, in considerable detail, last year. The land 

 is poor and light, and the dairy business must be carried on at 

 considerable disadvantage, one would suppose. But what 

 nature does not offer, an imperial purse can provide ; and hence 

 the stock was looking finely, as might naturally be expected. 



Of the sixty-eight cows which the emperor keeps here, the 

 majority are Swiss, of the Schwytzer breed ; such as I described 

 as grazing the rich mountain pastures through the cantons of 

 the Orisons, Schwytz, Uri and Unterwalden, nearly all of the 

 eastern part of Switzerland, in fact. The remainder are mostly 

 Normans, Flamands and Ayrshires. The Swiss give the most 

 milk, and are considered the best, the dairyman said. The 

 Flamands were rather large in size, good handlers, mostly red, 

 with more or less white spots. The head is a good deal like 

 that of the Ayrshire. They had the appearance of being very 

 thrifty and fine milkers. The buildings are all one story only, 

 with stone floors. The food is cut and prepared in an out- 

 building, and run into the cow-house on a rail. The cows are 

 stalled the year round. 



There were also many swine, of the Suffolk and. other breeds. 

 A large flock of South Down sheep is kept here also, to supply 

 the royal table with the finest and most delicate mutton. 

 Speaking of sheep, reminds me, that in my account of the sheep 

 of Rambouillet, I forgot to state the price at which they are 

 sold. The director, Baron Daurier, in connection with the note, 

 which is translated on a previous page, also said that the stock 



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