254 The Agricultural Features of the Paris Exhibition. 
collection of horses (won by M. Lefevre), both Mr, Drew and 
the Stand Stud Company made a good appearance. The latter 
had the larger number, and had, also, a greater variety repre- 
sented by the seventeen, principally of the light-legged sort, 
which were drawn together, as it turned out, to no purpose. Of 
variety, Mr. Drew had not, of course, much ; his lot of seven 
being all mares and three-year-old fillies of the heavier legged 
sort. The latter's mares made a stronger impression upon jurors 
and visitors, when drawn out to compete for the special prize 
for the best group of heavy draught horses. Ultimately they 
lost the prize, as elsewhere noticed ; but, in the estimation of 
British visitors, the Merryton group had no rivals in the 
Sho%v for heavy draught purposes. Mr. Drew had very great 
credit indeed in bringing out such a splendid lot of animals 
in such good trim ; and though he had hard lines of it in the 
group contests, he fared well in the classes, getting for his 
seven animals four first tickets, two second, and a third. Some 
of them were bred by himself. The more successful of his prize 
animals, however, in recent years have been brought from 
England, where they were bred, and are understood to be crosses 
between Clydesdale stallions and Shire mares. The animals 
thus bred can hardly be termed Clydesdales ; but call them what 
you may, there is no mistaking their high individual merit In 
the selection of his horses Mr. Drew is exceptionally fastidious, 
not only as regards the. form and build of the animals, but more 
especially in reference to the cleanness of leg, flatness of bone, 
and above all the size and soundness of the feet. It is noticeable 
that while the English " horsey " men apparently give preference 
to the form, size, and substantiality of the body, south-west of 
Scotland judges make the legs and feet the very first considera- 
tion, whether in purchasing or judging agricultural horses. 
French Horses. 
The stock of horses in France reaches, in round numbers, 
about 3,000,000. It is computed that of these about 1,800,000 
are draught horses, 700,000 light, and 500,000 medium.' The 
French army having proved such a heavy drain on the home 
stock of horses, the Government deemed it desirable to make 
special efforts, not only to maintain the strength of the 
chevaline ranks, but also to bring every animal within the 
command of the army. These steps have exercised a very 
important influence on horse-breeding in France, and therefore 
deserve brief notice here. In 1874 a decree was passed for the 
registration of all horses, the object being to render all suitable 
animals promptly available in case of war. The registration is 
