SUPPLEMENT. 729 



It is more particularly in the department of the West that Durham cross-breeds have 

 been most numerous, and that their influence on the condition of agriculture is most ap- 

 preciable. At the present time the superiority of English blood for getting good 

 *br the butcher is beyond dispute. 



FRENCH CATTLE. 



[Reports contributed to The Field Newspaper, February, 1883, by H. Kains-Jackson. Inolosure 

 O O in Consul-General Merrill's report.] 



FAT STOCK IN FRANCE. 



PAEIS, February 1, 1883. 



The Agricultural Implement and Fat Stock Show in Paris, under the auspices of the 

 ministry of agriculture, and supported by the chief land-owners, stock-breeders, and 

 machine-makers of the countiy, has just been concluded, and I send a list of a few of the 

 chief prizes, reserving remarks for a letter next week. Of fat stock there were 345 bul- 

 locks and cows, 91 lots of sheep (the pens being sometimes of three or a score), 120 lots 

 of pigs; whilst of poultry, rabbits, and pigeons the numbers were 2,400; and, as a special 

 and new feature of this season, there were on show 68 young bulls, 63 rams, and 23 boars. 

 Added to this goodly collection were 318 lots of dead poultry, and large collections of 

 roots, vegetables, corn, grass, fruit, butter, cheese, oil, &c. The implement show con- 

 sisted of 4,500 diverse machines and agricultural appliances and tools. The show of the 

 latter was open on Tuesday week, but was scarcely visited until the cattle show judging 

 commenced on last Saturday ; and catalogues and prize lists were issued on the first * * franc 

 day" (Sunday). The exhibition closed on Wednesday, after proving a successful at- 

 traction to the Paris people and country inhabitants of the departments generally. 



PRIZES. First prize for bullocks born since January 1, 1880, H. Signoret, ofSermoise, 

 Nievre. First prize, bullocks born since January 1, 1879, M. Nadaud, of Chazelles, Cha- 

 rente. For breed prizes, Charolaise and Nivernaise, the first was taken by M. Bellard, of 

 Saint- Aubin-les-Forges, Nievre, with a white Nivernaise beast, weighing 19 cwt. Iq r. 

 6 Ibs., No. 64, aged 45 months. The first prize for the Limousine breed was awarded to 

 M. Parry, of Limoges, Haute Vienne, for a red animal weighing 19 cwt. and 16 Ibs., aged 

 46 months; number of catalogue 83. For Garonnaise breed, No. 107, belonging to M. 

 Bernede, of Meilhan, Lot, and Garonne, for a light dun, aged 4 years and 2 months, and 

 weighing 1 ton and 28 Ibs. , took first prize. For the Baradaise breed, M. Chambandet, of 

 Meilhan, Lot, and Garonne, won first honors with No. 115, aged 40 months, and weigh- 

 ing 15 cwt. 3qrs. 12 Ibs. The grand race of Salers, the largest in France, was represented 

 by the handsome red beast of M. Valtau, of Vindelles, Charente, aged 4 years and 1 

 month, but the weight of which was only 19 cwt. and 8 Ibs. The first prize of the breeds 

 Parthenaise, Chotelaise, and Nantaise was taken by No. 132, M. Poinet, of Le'che', Vi- 

 enne, for a gray Parthenaise animal, aged 5 years, and weighing exactly the same as the 

 Salers beast, 19 cwt. and 8 Ibs. Of the breeds Flanders, Normande, Mancelle, Femeline 

 Bourbonnaise, Comptoise, &c., the first prize was awarded to M. Jaques Bellard, of Cours 

 les-Barres, Cher, for No. 138, a Bourbonnaise, aged 4 years 2 months, weight not given. 

 No. 148, owned by M. Rousseau, the elder, of Bordeaux, a dun Basquais, aged 4J years, 

 and weighing 19 cwt. and 32 Ibs., took the first prize for the breeds Bearnaise, Basquaise, 

 Aubrac, Mezenc, &c. The first prize for the Brittany breed was taken by M. Jean Bros- 

 sier, of Saint Loup, Allier, for a black and white beast, aged 4 years 4 months and 10 

 days, weighing 11 cwt. and 10 Ibs. The prizes of honor were given to M. Signoret for No. 

 26, a Durham-Charolaise; to M. Mativon, No. 234, also for a Durhain-Charolaise; and to 

 M. Gustavo Valtau for his Durham-Manceau group of four beasts. 



LIVE STOCK IN FEANCE. 



The great show of cattle, sheep, and pigs, of poultry, agricultural produce, and im- 

 plements, held last week in Paris, and which represented all France and some of its 

 colonies, must include many points of interest to the readers of The Field. Under the 

 auspices and control of a ministry of agriculture, and with such a magnificent and cen- 

 tral site as is afforded by the Palace of Industry in the Champs Elysees, the exhibition 

 formed a great display of rural economy. It is of the cattle that I have chiefly to speak, 

 and, knowing France well in its country aspects, I may say that the various breeds 

 brought together must have astonished and pleased any lover and critic of animal life. 

 Contrasted with English breeds, the cattle were most conspicuous by their light and 

 even color; the sheep by being shown out of their wool, and .from the relative absence 



