CATTLE. 43 



if it had reached the point attained in England at the 

 present day 1 



I am aware that the substitution of milking and butcher- 

 meat races for working animals is not always practicable. 

 I am not finding fault with those portions of our territory 

 where cultivation is carried on with oxen, or even cows. 

 I recommend no sudden and rash change ; I simply con- 

 fine myself to stating facts as they exist, and believe I 

 have demonstrated that, by the sole fact of the almost 

 entire abandonment of tillage by oxen, the soil of Britain, 

 even including Scotland and Ireland, has in cattle reached 

 a production double that of ours. Such in agriculture is 

 the power of a correct principle, when practically carried 

 out. 



The other species of domestic animals are horses and 

 pigs. As regards horses, the pre-eminence of the English 

 breeders has long been recognised. We possess in France 

 about three millions of horses of all ages, or about six 

 head for every one hundred hectares ; in England, Scot- 

 land, and Ireland, these are reckoned at two millions, 

 equal also to about six head per one hundred hectares ; 

 but our three millions of horses cannot be valued at more 

 on an average than 150 francs each, making a total value 

 of four hundred and fifty millions ; whereas the two 

 millions of English horses are worth an average price of 

 300 francs, equal to a capital of six hundred millions. 

 It is true that, in order to make a complete comparison, 

 there must be added to our capital in horses the value of 

 our mules and asses, which official statistics set down at 

 eighty millions, though probably nearer one hundred ; 

 but even with the addition of this latter sum we are still 

 behind, although the extent of our soil should secure for 

 us a great superiority. 



It will perhaps be said that the average value of our 



