THE NORMAN HORSE. 
191 
THE NORMAN HORSE. 
The following is a portrait of the Norman horse, 
Louis-Philippe, the property of Mr. R. B. How¬ 
land, of Union Springs, Cayuga county, N. Y. He 
was foaled on the 15th of July, 1843, is of a beau¬ 
tiful dapple grey, stands upwards of fifteen hands 
high, weighs about 1,200 lbs., is reasonably quick 
on foot, and of great substance and endurance. He 
was bred from the imported stock of Mr. Edward 
Harris, of Moorestown, N. J., a history and descrip¬ 
tion of which, together with a portrait of Diligence , 
the sire of Louis-Philippe , may be found at page 
209, of the third volume of the Agriculturist. 
When Mr. Howland was in France, he often 
rode after the Norman horses in the stage coaches 
of that country, and witnessed their performances 
on the farm, and was favorably impressed with 
their great strength, hardiness, and endurance, 
coupled with sufficient activity for all the purposes 
of the farm and the road. He informs us, that he 
has frequently seen a team of five of these horses 
hitched to the great lumbering French diligence , 
which, with its luggage and passengers, would 
weigh at least five tons; and this, they would take 
along the road with ease, at the average rate of 
seven miles an hour. It is true that the roads are 
well McAdamized, and of course, hard, and 
smooth ; hut for a team of horses to draw an aver¬ 
age weight of one ton each, at the rate of seven 
miles, or more, an hour, without distress or even ap- 
The Horse—Louis-Phieippe.— Fig. 52. 
parent fatigue, to the end of a stage of fifteen miles, 
is a great performance, and they must be superior 
animals that can do it. 
The origin of the Norman draft horse is of great 
antiquity; but the more modern Norman is said to 
have been improved and made the superior animal, 
he now is, by a cross with the Andalusian, intro¬ 
duced into France through the Netherlands soon 
after the occupancy of that country by the Span¬ 
iards in 16—. We are informed that they are now 
attempting a still further improvement, by a cross 
with the stout English hunter. 
The Norman horse is the origin of the French 
Canadian. Here, however, he is somewhat redu¬ 
ced in size, owing to his scanty fare and the severity 
of the climate. But he has gained, we think, in 
° '" 0 ss,Mhi 1 '‘ he has lost nothing 
in endurance and that indomitable energy, which 
enables him to do more, perhaps, on the same food, 
than any other breed of farm stock in North 
America. 
We commend Mr. Howland’s purchase to the at¬ 
tention of the farmers of his district, as well calcu¬ 
lated to get a superior breed of hardy, strong, docile 
draft horses and roadsters. 
Rotation of Crops in Ttaly. —In the vale of 
Lorento, in the vicinity of Mount Vesuvius, the ro¬ 
tation of crops is as follows —1, Indian corn ; 2, 
wheat, followed by beans, which ripen in March of 
the third year; 3, cotton; 4, wheat, followed by 
clover; 5, melons, followed by French beans. 
Thus, in five years producing eight crops. 
