i9i i.] The Paris Fat Stock Show of 191 i. 



129 



This breeder is said to have created the finest flock of South- 

 downs in France, and has done much to establish the breed 

 in the favour of his compatriots. The champion pen of 

 Southdowns at the Show was exhibited by MM. Dodat freres, 

 the breeders who secured all the championships in the 

 cattle classes. The Prix d'Honneur for "the best group of 

 fifteen animals " was also secured by the Southdowns, these 

 being exhibited by M. Thome. These sheep weighed 14 cwt. 

 2. qr. 16 lb. at 10J months. The other Prix d'Honneur for 

 "the best sheep entered in the class for French breeds " went 

 to a pen of three Charmois, which weighed 3" cwt. 2 qr. 11 lb. 

 at 11 months. 



The Charmois is a most interesting breed of sheep. It is 

 probably the best mutton-producer of all the French sheep, 

 and it is a triumph of the breeder's art. The credit of its 

 origin is due to M. Malingie, who fixed the type after a 

 long and expensive series of cross-breeding experiments at his 

 farm, La Charmoise, in Loir-et-Cher. The Charmois is the 

 outcome of a cross of the Merino, the Tourangeau, the 

 Solognot, and the Berrichon with the "New Kent" breed. 

 It is half English, inasmuch as it is formed of an eighth of 

 the blood of each of the four breeds mentioned above with 

 four-eighths of the "New Kent" blood. The symmetry of 

 this breed is excellent ; it has a small head, and a broad and 

 compact body with shortish legs, well covered with mutton. 

 It is noted for its precocity and its capacity for producing 

 good mutton. It is able to adapt itself to flat or mountainous 

 country, and is consequently found in every part of France, 

 in Algeria, in the Congo, in Argentina, and in Roumania. 



Another breed of English origin, the Leicester, or Dishley, 

 as it. is called, is much appreciated in France for crossing 

 with native breeds; in fact, there is considerable argument 

 between the votaries of the Dishley and those of the South- 

 down as to which breed is the better for grading-up purposes. 



The examples of some of these crosses to be seen at the 

 Paris Show included crosses of the Dishley with the Limousin, 

 the Charmois, the Merino-Charmois, the Merino-Berrichon, 

 and the Berrichon, and of the Southdown with the Berrichon, 

 the Limousin, and the Bizet. 



A Dishley-Berrichon and a Southdown-Berrichon secured 



K 



