FHAJSTCE. 



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CATTLE BREEDS OF FRANCE AND THEIR PRODUCTS. 



REPORT BY CONSUL WILLIAMS, OF ROUEN. 



INTRODUCTORY. , 



In compliance with the request of the Department of State to examine 

 and report upon the subject mentioned in the cattle circular addressed 

 to the consuls of the United States I have categorically answered the 

 questions therein propounded (see statement at close of report) and will 

 attempt to render the work more complete and practical by such descrip- 

 tions, illustrations, and information as I have been able to obtain from 

 personal observation of the different breeds of cattle in their original 

 homes and from other reliable sources. 



This consulate embraces a large portion of the ancient district of 

 Normandy, is situated in the northwest portion of France, and well 

 adapted by its fertility and abundant supply of water for grazing pur- 

 poses, and has long been distinguished for the peculiar and marked 

 type of its cattle and horses, and affords a wide field for the study of 

 the races of cattle indigenous to France ; while its contiguity to Great 

 Britain on the one side, and Belgium, Holland, and Germany on the 

 other, renders great caution necessary to discriminate between the 

 original and mixed breeds. We reserve the title of distinct breed to a 

 number of individual animals presenting uniform characteristics, shapes, 

 and adaptabilities, and capable of transmitting and perpetuating this 

 type in their progeny. There must be this fixity to constitute a race 



DISTINCT FRENCH BREEDS OF CATTLE. 



France appears to have a substantial claim to eighteen distinct breeds' 

 of cattle, of which I append a list, adopting the French nomenclature: 



(1) Flamande, (2) Normande, (3) Bretonne, (4) Parthenaise, (5) Char-' 

 olaise, (6) Limousine, (7) Mancelle, (8) Comtoise, (9) Femeline, (10) B res- 

 sane, (11) de Salers, (12) Garonnaise, (13) Bazadaise, (14) Laudaise, 

 (15) Gasconne, (16) Baritone, (17) B^arnaise, (18) d'Algerie. 



Although many other varieties of cattle are found in France than 

 those enumerated above, I cannot view them otherwise than as traceable 

 to the foregoing parent stock, or the issue of imported animals, which 

 will receive passing notice in considering the cattle of France. 



The description of a breed is not easy to outline, but I will endeavor 

 to sketch the chief characteristics of a group of which the individual 

 specimens present various traits. 



FLEMISH CATTLE. 



Origin. The origin of this breed is not precisely known. It is prob- 

 able that this race originated on the shores of the North Sea, whence 

 came the breeds of Holland, Schleswig, Holsteiu, and Jutland, all re- 

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