Tile Dkaft Uukeds of Fka^"ce 81 



Latter-l)((ii ( 'onditions 



For the past iiftv years horse breeding in Xew York has been 

 stimiihited, and farm horses greatly improved, by the general 

 use of Percheron stallions. Grade Percherons have added much 

 to the farm efficiency and farm wealth of this state. While the 

 breeding of pnre-bred Percherons haS' not been general, and the 

 nnmber of breeders limited, several large Percheron breeding 

 farms have recently been developed, a nnmber of importations 

 made, and many small breeders interested in the past few years. 



]\lany of the most prominent men in American licn'se busi- 

 ness have been engaged in impo.rting Percherons, and the breed has 

 been greatly aided and strengthened by the large number of stal- 

 lions and mares of high quality imported each year. For a 

 nnmber of years American importers have secured, principally, 

 all of the ju'ize animals in France, many of them costing from 

 $;5,(l(l() to $4,000 each. There was l,0o5 Percherons imported in 

 lOlo and 1,125 in 1014, the European Avar preventing all ship- 

 ments after August 1, 1014. 



On account of the heavy drain on this breed for the w^ar pur- 

 poses it is said that the French Minister of Agriculture will pi'o- 

 hibit any shipment of Percherons for two years at least. The 

 war has also made it impossible to hold any of the national or 

 provincial live-stock or horse shows in France this year. 



What America owes France for the Percheron breed can never 

 be reckoned in dollars, and, while it is to be regretted that im- 

 portations are shut off, this breed is in better shape for fu- 

 ture development in the hands of the American breeder, with- 

 out outside aid, than anv of the other draft breeds. 

 6 



