228 A HISTORY OF THE PEECHERON HORSE 



The introduction of steam as a power marked a 

 new era; the building of railroads and steamships, 

 and its adoption as a power in all the useful arts, 

 in manufacturing, has changed all. The post and 

 diligence are gone; the agricultural and great com- 

 mercial marts remain to be supplied. Labor and 

 food have become more costly, and the people, by- 

 force of necessity and the demands of economy, 

 call for larger, stronger, but equally active horses 

 to fill the requirements of the time. How has the 

 Perche sustained herself under the pressure of this 

 last and most difficult demand? The answer fills 

 us with pride and gratification. 



"The government and all the departments of 

 France are eager purchasers of Percheron stallions 

 to improve and ameliorate their native breeds. 

 Eussia, Austria, Germany and Italy buy largely, 

 both by direct government purchase and by pri- 

 vate enterprise; even Great Britain, bound up as 

 she is in her own egotism, is a customer of no 

 small magnitude. With such magnificent acknowl- 

 edgments of the value and superiority of the Per- 

 cheron race we ought to be content; but this is 

 not the half. The plains of South America are be- 

 ing supplied with stock of our breeding; and lastly, 

 that beautiful country, that great republic across 

 the sea, whose progress is the marvel of the world, 

 is our most enamored admirer and liberal pur- 

 chaser — so liberal, indeed, that grave apprenheuT 

 sions are being expressed as to our future ability 

 to supply the rapidly increasing demand upon us 

 for our best males and females of all ages, with- 

 out materially deteriorating our stock. This ques- 

 tion is one that needs the most earnest thought and 

 energetic action of all interested in the preservation 

 to the Perche of her pristine glory. 



