A history of the Percheron horse

Front matter

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Chapter I — The Ancient Province Of The Perche

Topography of the District — Geological Formation — Water Courses — Climatic Conditions — Ancient History — Rotrou and the Counts of The Perche — Modern Records Begin — Live Stock Husbandry Important — Under the "Grand Monarque" — The Eighteenth Century — Long Famous for Its Horses — A People Devoted to Their Own— The Perche of Today 17-33

Chapter II — Percheron Prototypes

Some of the Fairy Tales — The Saracenic Rout — Mounts of the Crusaders — War Horses of the Middle Ages — The Probable Foundation — Normandy Invades The Perche — Whence the Percheron? — The Arabian Tradition — An Historic Discussion — "The Legendary Kadischi" — Modern Arab Crossing Not Mentioned — Is the Percheron a Primitive Type? 34-54

Chapter Iii— The Renaissance Following The Revolution

Delestang and His History — Lamagdelaine's Prizes — A Draft Type at Montdoubleau — Unverified Tradition Exploded — Godolphin an English Saddler — Gallipoly a Small Turkish Saddle Horse — Error Easily Perpetuated — Jean-le-Blanc — The Evidence Summarized — The Breed "Modifies Itself" — M. Fardouet Was Right — The Government Stud — First Draft Stallions at the Haras du Pin — Official Notes — Directors and Inspectors Disagree 55-81

Chapter Iv— Evolution From Within

Prizes Stimulate Effort — The National Archives in Evidence — First Approved Stallions Near Nogent — Grand Pierre, Bijou and Le Coq — Liberally Patronized — Big Horses in Service — Le Coq Goes to Belgium — More Big Gray Horses — Others in Nogent District — In the Department of Orne — Service for 12 Francs — At Mortagne in the Early '30's — In La Sarthe — Loir-et-Cher — A Broad Constructive Policy Continued — Outcrossing Exaggerated — As to Color — Passing of the Diligence Type — Some Conclusions 82-106

Chapter V— First French Horses In America

Authentic Records Begin — Alexander's Norman — First Importation to the States — Ohio Importations of 1851 — Normandy, or Pleasant Valley Bill — A Great Career — The Holman Horse — Louis Napoleon — Taken to Illinois — Acquired by the Dillons — Maryland Importation of 1853 — Rollin Imported in 1856 — Darby Plains Importation of 1857 — Kentucky Importation of 1859 — Massachusetts Importation of 1864 — Gray Duke — Eastern Imports of 1866 — First Direct Importation into Illinois — Ohio Active in 1867 107-137

10 TABLE OF CONTENTS

Chapter Vi— The Importing Record To 1870

A Profitable Business— Activity in Ohio — The Walters Percherons — Old Success Imported — M. W. Dunham Enters the Business — Napoleon Bonaparte — A Lull in 1869 — Across the Continent — Good Buying for Illinois — Duke de Chartres Brings $4,000 — First of the Blood in Wisconsin — Dillons' Big St. Laurent — Recapitulation 138-158

Chapter Vii— Mid-west Pioneers

Leaders of the Period — Oaklawn in Front — Home Breeding Emphasized — Some Celebrities Described — Drawing from the Fountain Head — The Dillons — Ohio Breeders of the '70's — The East and the Far West — On the Pacific Coast — Dr. W. H. Winter — Daniel Dunham — Eli Hodgson — Stubblefield Importations — Percheron Breeding in Other States — James H. Sanders — A Campaign of Education — Foundation of the Stud Book — The Peoria Convention of 1878 159-187

Chapter Viii— The French Story Resumed

Practical Promotive Work — More Pre-Stud Book Records — M. Cheradame — Toulouse, "The Magnificent" — Chocolat — The Ducoeurjolys — Pelletier — Moisand — Jouset and Mitau — Old Records Brought to Light — Fardouet and Caget — Michel Fardouet — Celestian Caget — The Chouanards and La Touche — The Perriots — The Tacheaus — Charles Paul Avelinc: — Credit Due These Pioneers — Founding of the Stud Book — Meager Data at First Available — The Case of Jean-le-Blanc 188-232

Chapter Ix— The Great Expansion Of The '80's

Distribution by States — Oaklawn Breeding Operations — The Brilliant Blood — The Story of Old Brilliant — Brilliant 1271 — Prepotency of Brilliant Blood — Developments at Oaklawn — Results Despite Difficulties — Great Mares of Oaklawn Stud — Oaklawn Influence — Oaklawn Sales of '80's — ^Mr. Dunham's Influence — Ellwood Green — Sires Used by Mr. Ellwood — Cheri and Seducteur — Mares in Stud — Influence on Other Studs — Noted Sires Sold — Summary of Ellwood Operations — Daniel Dunham's Work — The Dillons — Sires Used — Dillons in the Showring — Mark W. Coad 233-270

Chapter X— Other Prominent Figures Of The Period

Log Cabin Farm — Edgewood Farm — John W. Akin — Minnesota Breeders — Leonard Johnson — Founding Maple Point Stud — Leading Sires Used — The Johnson Mares — Showyard Record — Minnesota Percheron Horse Company — George E. Case — Wisconsin's Leaders — Wauwatosa Farm — Kellogg Stock Farm — The Kellogg Stallions — Noted Mares — Influences on Other Studs — Reserve Forces in Illinois — Stetson & Sons — Mares Owned and Colts Raised — The Stetson Sires — Valuable Brood Mares — ^Degen Bros. — George S. Hanna — E. Hodgson & Son — Ohio Breeders — Jones Bros. — Samuel Kendeigh — M. V. Bates — E. J. Condit — Iowa's Percheron Breeders — Iowa Breeders of the '80's — Maplehurst Stock Farm — J. H.

TABLE OF CONTENTS 11

Barnett — Other Breeders — Further Consideration of Illinois — Pre-eminence of McLean Co., 111. — In Tazewell — In LaSalle — Other Minnesota Breeders — Other Breeders in Wisconsin — Other Michigan Breeders — Other Breeders in New York — Percheron Breeding in Pennsylvania — Progress in Indiana — In the Sunflower State — In Missouri — Other States 271-337

Chapter XI — An Era Op Profound Depression

What the Figures Show — Oaklawn Farm — Brilliant — 'Other Oaklawn Sires — Oaklawn Mares and Colts — Oaklawn Sales and Leases — The Great Leader — Other Illinois Breeders — New Blood — Progress in Iowa — Lakewood Farm — Developments in Ohio — Pleasant Valley Farm — Other Ohio Breeders — In Minnesota — Belleview Farm — Willard & Fuller — In Wisconsin — In Kansas 338-384

Chapter Xii— The New Century Dawns Auspiciously

The Actual Increase — Pedigree Publication Suspended — New Association Formed — Old Records Acquired — Influence of Dealers and Importers — The Development by States — In Illinois — Important Illinois Dispersions — New Studs Founded in Illinois — Progress in Iowa — Ohio's Contributions — Progress in Kansas — Progress in Minnesota — The Hoosier Horsemen — Wisconsin's Workers — Work in Nebraska — North Dakota's Great Range Project — Progress in South Dakota — In Other States — Michigan — Missouri — Pennsylvania — ^Virginia — O. E. Jordan — Selma Farm — ^California — Colorado — Montana — Washington — New York — Growth of the Percheron Society of America — A Canadian Association — Percheron Breeding In Canada 385-475

Chapter Xiii— Distribution And Statistics Op Production In The United States

Percherons in the South — Horse Stock of the United States — Percherons the Leading Draft Type — War Exports — French Embargo on Exports — American Breeding Stimulated — Commercial Market for Draft Horses — Geldings at the Show 476-508

Chapter Xiv— Selection, Care And Management

Edmond Perriot — James M. Fletcher — W. E. Prichard — E. B. White — J. Ll DeLancey — J. O. Singmaster — W. S. Dunham — J. B. McLaughlin — W. S. Corsa — A. L. Robison & Son — Lee Brothers — Dan Augstin's Story — U. L. Burdick — On the Northwestern Range — Management of Foals and Yearlings — Feeding Alfalfa — Importance of Soundness — Growing Purebred Percheron Fillies — Buying, Feeding and Selling Draft Geldings — Permanent Marks for Percherons 509-588

Chapter Xv— Bloodlines In The Showring

The Breeding of Leading Winners — Breeding of Prizewinners at French Shows — Breeding of International Prizewinners 589-602

Index To Illustrations

American buyers in the Perche,

385.

Amorita 61314, 587.

Armour six-horse team, 505.

Augstin, D., 381.

Aveline, Charles, 224.

Aveline, Charles, residence at La-

Touche, 228.

Aveline, Joseph, colts at pasture,

102.

Aveline, Joseph, 232.

Aveline, Joseph, farm at Dorceau,

198.

Aveline, Louis, 224.

Aveline, Louis, farm at La Croch-

etiere, 226.

Avery, Henry, 333.

Ayres, M. L., 363.

Bar U Ranch, 473.

Beckett, James D., 288.

Bell§me forest, 21.

Bell, Samuel, 467.

Bell, William, 467.

Bigelow, Timothy C. 116.

Bigelow, Timothy L., 116.

Big Jim, 499.

Bignon, A., farm at Aulnays, 192.

Bonheur's studies of Voltaire, Jupiter and Confident, 246.

Bonheur's study of Brilliant 1271, 242.

Boullay-Chaumard, M., 190.

Bowman, T. B., 333.

Branding irons, 583.

Briggs, H. A., 260.

Brilliant 1271 and group of get, 240.

Burdick, U. L., 497.

Chappels, Anatole, 232.

Chappels, A., farm at La Plessis,

202.

Chouanard, Charles, 210.

Chouanard, Charles, farm at La

Bretonnerie, 226.

Chouanard, Emile, 210.

Chouanard, Jules, 210.

Chouanard, Maurice, 210.

Chouanard, Maurice, residence at

La Roustiere. 194.

ColegTove, Arthur, 497.

Coleman, C. R., 315.

Cook, A. W., 315.

Corsa, W. S.. 415.

Crouch, G. R., 441.

Crouch, J., 441.

Curtiss, Charles F., 415.

Danforth, William, 497.' DeLancey, J. L., 260.

DeLancey, T. L., 260.

Delchester Farms, mares in hayfield, 509.

Diligence, 110.

Diligence horses of 1830, 17.

Dillon, Ellis, 136.

Dillon, Isaiah, 136.

Dillon, Levi, 136.

Ducoeurjoly, D., farm of, 228.

Ducoeurjoly, Desire, 196.

Dunham, Daniel, 164.

Dunham, Mark W., 160.

Dunham, W. S'., 160.

Fair Hope 117379, 577.

Fardouet, Alphonse, 72.

Fardouet, Michel, 72.

Fardouet, M., farm at Le Bois Joly, 206.

INDEX TO ILLUSTRATIONS

Feeding colts, rack for, 567.

Feuillard, Ansbert, 196.

Fletcher, James M., 164.

Fullington, Charles, 128.

Fullington, James, 128.

Gallipoly entry in Government

records, 62 George P. 82495, 529.

Georgiana 28622, 451.

Girard, Alphonse, 230.

Godolphin entry in Government

records, 62.

Government certificate of 1822,

Helen Helix 97206, 521.

Hamelin, Adrien, 196.

Haras du Pin, chateau and courtyard, 76.

Haras du Pin, stallions in service, 88.

Harris, Edward, 108.

Hodgson, Eli, 130.

Hodgson, M. C, 130.

Hodgson, "William, 180.

Holbert, A. B., 415.

Huisne, pasture on the, 19.

Humbert, L. H., 415.

Hurt, William, 321.

Huston, John, 381.

Hysope, 573.

Joan and colt Julie, 112.

Johnson, Leonard, 164.

Jones, C. M., 126.

Jones, Milton E., 321.

Jones, Thomas, 126.

Keiser, Charles, 495.

Keiser, S. L, 495.

Keota Insight 107242, 577.

LaFerte Bernard — Place Saint Ju-

lien, 55.

Lane, George, 471.

Lee, J. H., 333.

Louis Napoleon, 120.

Martin, Erastus, 126.

Mauldin, James, 363.

McCormick, L. J., 288.

McLaughlin, J. B., 467.

McMillan, H. G., 389.

Mortagne, roadway at, 55.

Moulin, L., farm at La Grand

Champrond, 206.

Moulin, L., 232.

Nicodemus, Ed, 467.

Nogent-le-Rotrou — ^army officers inspecting horse stock of district, 58.

Nogent-le-Rotrou — C h a t e a u de Saint Jean, 21.

Nogent-le-Rotrou, market day, 80.

Nogent-le-R o t r o u — Rue de la Charronnerie, 66.

Nogent-le-Rotrou — Rue Saint Hilaire, 66.

Oakley, Charles, 122.

Orr, W. C, 363.

Pabst, Fred, 288.

Palmer, T W., 272.

Paul Potter's "Great Horse," 36.

Pellitier, H., of La Bernuche, Ome,

92.

Pelleray, C, 196.

Perche, a farm home in the, 32.

INDEX TO ILLUSTRATIONS

Perche, typical village in the, 29.

Perche, mares at work in field, 82.

Perche, scenes in the, 96.

Perche, mares at work in hayfleld, 388.

Perche, two-year-old colts at Edmond Perriot's, 344.

Perche, map showing modern boundary lines, 25.

Perche, two snapshots by Mr. Sanders in the, 220.

Percheron mare and colt in an Illinois pasture, 359.

Perriot, Bdmond, 212.

Perriot, Edmond, chateau of La Ronce, 104.

Perriot, Ernest, 214.

Perriot, Jr., Ernest, 214.

Perriot, Jr., Ernest, farm and residence at L' Archie, 194.

Perriot. Edmond, farm at Champeaux, 216.

Perriot, Ernest, residence at L' Orme, 218.

Perriot, Louis, 212.

Perriot, Louis, residence at La Borde, 218.

Phillips, G. W., 495.

Pink Brilliante 57897, 573.

Pleasant Valley Bill, 114.

Poindexter, P. H., 363.

Prichard, W. B., 260.

Rene, Charles, 190.

Richard, E., farm at La Geromerie, 100.

Sanders, James Harvey, 176.

Selma Farm, mares at work, 461.

Singmaster, C. F., 315.

Singmaster, J. O., 315.

Slack, Louis, 497.

Stetson, Ezra, 272.

Stubblefield, George W., 389.

Stubblefleld, L. P., 381.

Suzanne (81567), 395.

Tacheau, A., breeding farm at La

Pellois, 198.

Tacheau, Auguste, 222.

Tacheau, Jr., A., residence at Le

Burin, 200.

Tacheau, Jr., Auguste, 222.

Taylor, Charles R, 321.

Thibault, M., 232.

Thibault, M., farm at La Bourdon-

niere, 202.

Tonnac Villeneuve — director of

Valle, M., farm of, 107.

Vendome 116151, 553.

Villette-Gate, M.. 230.

Walters, W. T., Percherons, 140,

142, 144, 146, 148.

Walters, W. T., 138.

War horses of the Middle Ages,

Chapter I. The Ancient Province Of The Perche

One of the smallest provinces of old France, the district known as The Perche, derived its name from the ancient forest, Perticus Saltus, which originally covered almost the entire region. Vestiges of this great wooded tract exist today in the forests of Belleme, Reno and Du Val. What is now known as The Perche Forest in Normandy was also once a part of it. During the time of the Gauls the province was too thickly wooded to permit of much settlement. Some time about the beginning of the ninth century the monks are said to have made clearings in the forests; but long before this period it is probable that restricted tracts had been brought under cultivation in some of the more favored valleys.

Topography of the District. — The Perche really comprises a. region lying between Normandy on the north and west, Maine on the southwest, Vendome and Dunois on the south, and the Beauce country, the so-called granary of France, on the east. If viewed from an aeroplane, one would observe that the relatively prominent relief of the district, compared with the level countries that surround it, helps to solve the problem of how the Percheron breed came to be evolved within such a comparatively small region. The lowest point of the territory is at Theil on the Huisne, about 270 feet above sea level, and the highest town is Mortagne, at an altitude of about 750 feet. The shape of The Perclie is that of an ellipse, the dimensions about 53 by 66 miles. Within this elliptical tract there are now fifty cantons. Only foals which are the progeny of registered dams and sires of the Percheron breed and born in one of these cantons are eligible for registration at the present time in the Percheron Stud Book of France.

Geological Formation. — Geologically speaking, this territory is characterized essentially by cretaceous formations of the Cenomanian Stage, and is a part of the Secondary Aureole Period, circumscribed by the Tertiary deposits of the Paris Basin. This Cenomanian Stage, which dominates all over The Perche, is subdivided into sand and Rouen chalk. It is the Rouen chalk that plays so important a role in the geological formation of the region. It forms all the length of the broad valley of the Huisne, as well as that of the Sarthe in its upper reaches. Of course the bottom-lands of all the valleys are composed of alluvial soils and are very fertile. Going westward from Mortagne and Belleme, Jurassic formations are encountered, and it is a curious fact that on these soils we are apt to meet with Percheron horses having lighter frames than those raised in the Huisne and Sarthe valleys. While the soils of The Perche vary somewhat in the various districts, they are chiefly of clayey and clayey-loam texture. Sandy

THE ANCIENT PROVINCE OP THE PERCHE 19

soils are met with occasionally. In color they vary from black to a ruddy chocolate.

Near Belleme a limestone suitable for building purposes is found. Free-stone or sandstone is quarried at various places in The Perche. A considerable quantity of marl is also available, and it has been a custom for hundreds of years for the farmers to spread this over their fields. Formerly there were many iron mines, chiefly at Logny, but they are now exhausted. The sandstone quarries of Kegmalard and Logny are still worked, this stone being used for building purposes. Lime-kilns are operated in some districts.

Water Courses. — The Perche is especially well watered. It is rare that one encounters so many flowing streams in such a small country. This fact contributes in a great measure to the excellence of its pastures. There are six rivers: The Huisne, which rises to the north of Belleme, and flows into the Sarthe, near the town of Le Mans, is about 77 miles long; the Sarthe empties itself into the Loire, after a course of 165 miles; the Eure is 82 miles long, the Avre 41 miles, the Iton about 60 miles, and the Loire about 123 miles. Not all the mileage of these rivers is in The Perche. There are no less than twenty-seven small tributaries or rivers of the second class. Many of these streams w^ould be designated merely as creeks in the United States. It is the Huisne, in its meandering semi-circular route around Belleme, Pervencheres, Corbon, Nogent-le-Eotrou and La Ferte Bernard, which serves as the chief collecting medium of the waters that descend the green hills of The Perche. A study of the map will reveal the tortuous course of this river; it receives manyrivulets in its passage, and after it leaves Nogent its volume increases perceptibly until it empties itself into the Sarthe.

Climatic Conditions. — The surface of the land is considerably broken, being traversed by numerous valleys, chief of which are the basins of the Huisne and the Sarthe. There is some timber along the banks of the streams and on the numerous low hills. The forests which border the rim of The Perche serve to condense the atmospheric vapors, and consequently the precipitation is abundant. The climate is rather humid and conducive to the growth of grass. The mean precipitation is 884 millimeters. The mean annual temperature, according to the Scientific Commission of the Department of Orne, is 49.1° Fahrenheit. The wooded area forms 16 per cent of the total land, a proportion which corresponds to the average of all the area of France. The natural "prairies", where most of the horses are pastured, occupy the bottom-lands of the valleys.

Ancient History. — The records of the first settlements of this region, Belleme, Mortagne and Nogent-le-Rotrou, are lost in remote antiquity. The most ancient Count of The Perche was Agombert, who lived during the time of Louis the Debonair, about 830 or 840 A. D. When the Eomans overran Gaul The Perche was conquered by one of the lieutenants of Caesar, who in his "Commentaries" mentions

IN THE FOREST OF BELLliME, OBITE.

particularly the warlike character of its inhabitants under their chief, Veridiouix, who caused the Roman generals no little work. In the middle of the ninth century the Norsemen invaded The Perche and laid waste the country.

In 1135 Nogent, at that time built of wood, was destroyed by fire. About 1358 it fell into the hands of the English, but the Treaty of Bretigny on May 8, 1360, gave the town back to the French, and in 1361 it was turned over once more to its seigneurs. Once or twice after that date the English obtained possession of it. It was not until the year 1230 that The Perche came under the French crown. From the end of the sixteenth century up to the time of the French Revolution — a period of about 200 years — the province enjoyed a profound peace, and agriculture and stock-breeding made much progress.*

Rotrou and the Counts of The Perche. — The Counts .of The Perche were first known under the title of Seigneurs de Belleme. During the Middle Ages the history of the province was characterized by continuous strife and bloodshed. During a part of the eleventh century there was internal warfare waged by Robert II of Belleme against the Rotrous, Counts

*The Abb$ Fret, the best known historian of The Perche of modern times, in his "Antiquites et Chroniques Percheronnes" relates that after about two centuries of profound peace an insurrection took place at Mortagne, the capital of The Perche, on the 23rd of July, 1789, the mob taking possession of all the registers of the excise and burning them in the market place. He then relates how a handful of rioters did terrible things at Nogent, destroying by flre, among other articles in the public square, precious manuscripts and authentic documents, charters and other matter indispensable to the history of the town. He affirms that the origin of Nogent goes back to the greatest antiquity, and every other historian of The Perche corroborates that statement.

of The Perclie and Mortagne. According to Odolant-Desnos, the Eotrous, Seigneurs of Nogent, date from before 853. The chief of these was Rotrou III, whom the historians call Rotrou II. He was first Count of Mortagne and Seigneur of Nogent, became later Count of The Perclie, and has been surnamed The Great. As a warrior he distinguished himself by his feats against the Saracens in Spain, conquering several cities and taking many castles in the year 1089. In 1095 he left for the Crusades with Robert III, Duke of Normandy, who left his duchy in pawn with Henry of England for the sum of 10,000 silver pounds. Rotrou commanded the tenth corps of the army of the Christians at the siege of Antioch. On the 15th of July, 1099, he took part in the siege and capture of Jerusalem. The following year he returned to The Perche.

When Rotrou III came back he soon got into trouble with his mortal enemy, Robert of Belleme, known later to history as ''Robert the Devil." In spite of the fact that Rotrou had allied himself with Henry, King of England, by marrying one of his daughters, he could not avoid falling into Robert's hands on two occasions. Later he went once more to fight the Infidels in Spain. When he returned in 1109 he founded the Abbey of Tyron, which became in 1140 the celebrated Abbey of La Trappe. He founded other religious orders in The Perche. Fighting in Normandy, he was killed at the siege of the Grosse Tour of Rouen. The body was brought to the church of St. Denis at Nogent, and buried. This ancient town,

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MAP OF A SECTION OF NORTHWESTERN FRANCE, SHOWING LOCATION OF NOGENT-LE-ROTROU AND THE PERCHERON COUNTRY IN REFERENCE TO THE SEACOAST AND THE CITY OF PARIS.

THE ANCIENT PROVINCE OP THE PERCHE 23

now known as Nogent-le-Rotrou, is, and for years past has been, the Percheron capital.

Charles Du Hays, Master of Horse to Napoleon III, in his ' ' Le Cheval Percheron, ' ' quoting from the Abbe Fret, the author of a history of the province of The Perche, and accepting as correct the statement that Rotrou and other nobles participating in the Crusades brought back stallions from the Holy Land, asserts that they were largely used. This may be true. Indeed, it is by no means improbable, and yet a careful reading of the "Suite Chronologique des Seigneurs de Nogent-le-Rotrou" by Odolant-Desnos, published in 1785, which includes a detailed account of the homecoming of that knight, yields no reference to his having brought back Arabian horses. Indeed, we have searched in vain in early French literature for any specific statements to substantiate the generally accepted dicta on this point.

Modem Records Begin. — As war gradually ceased to be the chief business or diversion of the great nobles and landed proprietors the gentler arts of agriculture naturally received more attention, and it followed, as a matter of course, that efforts were finally made to increase the value of the horse for farm purposes. Louis XI (1461-1483) first curbed the power and fighting spirit of the great feudal barons and war lords who had for so long made France a hotbed of internal strife, and he asserted the majesty of centralized authority.

Although we have made diligent search through a great variety of old books and manuscripts relating to tlie past history of The Perche, we have onlj^- been able to find occasional definite references to agricultural operations as related to horse-breeding. There is an original manuscript in the National Library entitled "Memoire sur la Comte du Perche en 1 'annee 1698, ' ' from which we may quote as follows :

''The meadows and pastures are very good, especially in the following places: Oirs, Couilimert, St. Quentin, La Mesniere, St. Julien and Barville on the Herinne and the Sarthe; and Regmalard, Dorceau, Conde, Condeau, Mesle and Tlieil, several of which are on the river Huisne. But the high lands are not very good. . . . These lands, however, are not altogether useless, for in some cantons sheep are fattened on the higher lands, while in other cantons such as those of Logny, Lemage and Neuilly, where this rough land is better than in the other cantons, cows and oxen are fattened thereon. The sheep and cattle fattened in The Perche are driven to Paris, to the markets of Sceaux and Poissy."

''The county is so ancient that its origin cannot be found. It was one of the first provinces to be established by our kings after the conquests of the Gauls.

"The Election of Mortagne comprises alinost all of the province of the Perche; it was created by Charles the Ninth, King of France, Aug., 1572.

"The Manors of Belleme and Nogent. — Belleme has 57 parishes. Nogent is composed of a large borough and 40 parishes. There are 1,300 men in the borough. There are in all the parishes of the Election of Mortagne 62,692 souls."

Live Stock Husbandry Important. — On page 386 of this old manuscript we find the following interesting paragraph:

"The Raising of Colts and other Animals. — Money enters the province by the following channels : the sale of colts, fat cattle and sheep, butter, poultry and eggs which are taken to the Paris markets. As the province of The Perche is only three days from Paris (by road), there is no difficulty in transporting supplies. The wool which the sheep produce is also a great help. All this brings in more than 100,000 pounds a year. The majority of the inhabitants work at plowing and cultivating the land. ' '

The document also tells of big fairs and markets at Mauves, Logny, Regmalard and Belleme, and three important market days every week at Nogent : Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. We quote again :

''Mauves is another large borough admirable for the fertility of its soil and its situation. The Huisne nearly surrounds it to make an island. This is a very ancient town to judge from its deeds. Mortagne has four fairs a year, and markets every Wednesday and Saturday. The Lord of the Manor (Seigneur) of Nogent has the right to hold two fairs a year. [But he did not do so, we learn, as he was content with his three market days a week. — Ed.] The women and girls spin flax and wool at home, for the manufacture of cloths at Nogent and Mortagne. ' '

According to the dictionary of de la Martinier, published in 1768, The Perche was well peopled at that date, and a great business was done in wheat and cattle, the grain being transported to Alengon and Brittany by horses. The chief manufactures at that time were textiles produced at Mortagne and Nogent. These were carried to Paris, Rouen and

St. Quentin. It is stated that the breeding of horses had at that time reached great proportions, and that four famous fairs were held at Mortagne, and others at Belleme, Tourouvre, Logny, Regmalard and Nogent. Also, that the famous fair of St. Andrew at Mortagne attracted buyers from all the surrounding provinces.

Under the "Grand Monarque." — When we arrive at the golden age of Louis XIV, evidence that a demand for a somewhat heavier horse had set in is presented by a manuscript of that period found among the documents pertaining to the government haras (or studs) in the National Archives at Paris. References appear in this to the character of the king's stallions in service at that time in the Percheron country. Such information as is given concerning them is reproduced in the footnote.* Of these horses it will be noted that one was a Barb, one a ''large bay," two were gray and one a sorrel, the blood not being mentioned except in the case of the ' ' dun-colored ' ' Barb.

•A list signed by H. Duplessix, Commandant of the Haras, containing the names, residences, parish, etc., of "private persons with whom the stallions of the King of France were placed for their safe keeping" :

In the Election of Mortagne, Jacques Billard, cattle dealer, Mortagne, is charged with the keeping' of a Barb, dun-colored, 17th June, 1673.

M. Ren§ Pez6, surgeon and apothecary at Belleme, is charged with a gray stallion, approved May 15th, 1676.

M. Andre Fristel, St. Julien-sur-Sarthe, is cbarged with a road horse, dapple-gray, Oct. 15th, 1677.

Michel Dreux, Nogent-le-Rotiou, is charged with a sorrel with white mane and tail, April 15th, 1678.

Rene Bouillon, farmer at Beauvais, parish of Iton, is charged with a large bay horse, very old and broken-winded. There is a note following this entry saying that the latter stallion must not be allowed to serve mares as the Intendant has ordered it to be replaced. This is dated May 23, 1674.

In that part of the Department of Ome lying in Normandy Italian, Barb, and Spanish stallions are mentioned, but no reference is made of Arabs. From the same document we learn that "M. de Morangis has visited all the stallions in the district," finding that "there are many beginning to show signs of old age, and that it would be better to replace them by more vigorous and heavier sires; the mares of the region are too small." He remarks that ''as soon as the colts are six months old the farmers sell them to buyers coming from outside districts," and that "this method results in the money staying in the country. ' ' This report was then made to the Secretary of State :