248 CATTLE AND DAIRY FARMING. 



of this breed are smaller in size. The cows in some parts are consigned 

 entirely to the duties of maternity, and the least possible amount for 

 the use of the household is alone taken from it. There are found, how- 

 ever, among them some good milkers, notably of the variety Maraichine. 

 The net returns of the product of meat are more than average ; the 

 quality is fine, and the capacity for work constitute this race among 

 the first rank of the French breeds. 



THE CHAROLAISE BREED. 



The race Charolaise is justly regarded as one of the most impor- 

 tant races of France. It is precocious, vigorous in work, and excellent 

 for meat. The cow has never been remarkable for its milking qualities. 

 The name given to this breed of " Charolais" or u Nivernais-Charolais" 

 is identified with the name of the place of its origin, and "Nivernais" 

 perpetuates the name of the department where this race to-day has its 

 center of development, and where the finishing touches have been put 

 upon it. 



The Charolais has been termed the Durham of the French race, and 

 it has in a less developed degree the prominent characteristics of that 

 breed, so that a description of that well-known breed would answer for 

 this one. The same lightness of head, fine skin, large haunches, straight 

 line of back, and short legs are found in the one as in the other. In the 

 Durham, however, the bones are small, the legs are slim, and the ani- 

 mal is totally unfit for work, while the Charolais, of firmer bones and 

 strong legs, is well fitted for the work. The Charolais, is at the same 

 time suitable for work and valuable for the butcher. Finally, the 

 Durham demands abundant and substantial nourishment and perma- 

 nent stabling, while the Charolais, in contrast, is far more hardy, lives 

 and thrives upon herbage, and is only stabled during the most inclement 

 portion of the season. ^Nevertheless there exists an affinity between 

 these two races which assures success in crossing them, but only in in- 

 creased precocity in fattening. 



The breeding with Herefords proved a failure, injuring their qualities 

 for work, and rendering them more exacting in quality and quantity 

 of food, and on the whole less robust. A constitution of resisting conta- 

 gious diseases is peculiar to this breed. The cows fatten more readily 

 than the oxen. These cattle are brought into this region in large num- 

 bers to fit for the butcher. 



THE LIMOUSINE BREED. 



Those who have examined the race Limousine in Limousin attest the 

 wonderful change that intelligently directed care has effected in the 

 amelioration of this breed. At the recent fair at Paris, where I counted 

 47 cattle of this breed among a total of 332, they compared favorably 

 with any on exhibition, and the butchers said that the net returns of 

 meat were very large, being from 66 to 69 per cent. 



The Limousines of the mountains are, on the contrary, of small size, 

 hardy, and yield at the abattoirs only moderate returns. It is said of 

 the cattle, as of the inhabitants, that destiny impels them to emigrate. 

 Emigration has caused the improvement. The Limousin ox has a yellow 

 coat, paler on the inner side of the limbs ; large yellow horns, which 

 describe a semicircle ; large, bright, mild eyes ; moderate-sized head, 

 the neck well proportioned to the rest of the body, the dewlaps falling 

 nearly to the ground 5 haunches well formed ; flank low 5 thighs round ; 



