,HORSE, The Percheron. The Percheron horse is the production of the most patient care and the application of the best scientific principles of breeding. From the dawn of his tory. the French breeders of draft-horses have been • most successful, and the horses they have raised have been renowned the world over.
In the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries the same rules of selection in breeding have been applied, that prevail to-day. The good horses were per mitted to reproduce themselves and multiply. The inferior and unsound ones were never per mitted to breed. The result of this most care ful selection, based on scientific principles, has given the French the best draft-horse that the world produces.
In a very small portion of Normandy called the gPerche) the highest result has been at tained. From this district the Percheron horse has been sent to all parts of the world with such satisfactory results that the word Percheron to day means the ideal draft-horse the world over. From the very beginning up until the present time the object of the Percheron breeders has been to produce the kind of horse that would move the greatest weight with the greatest speed.
In making their selections for breeding pur poses the Frenchmen have not only picked out stallions and mares that would make the best horses, but comely appearance and pleasing out line have also in a measure been their guide, and as a result the Percheron horse to-day is not only the best draft-horse in the world, but he is one of the most attractive. He is indeed a handsome horse. The prevailing color of the Percheron horse is from black to white, in cluding all of the various gradations from black, dark gray, dapple gray, gray and white.
About 50 years ago the first Percheron stal lions were imported from France to America, and those that became most famous came to Ohio. One, called Louis Napoleon, owned in Union County, Ohio, and afterward sold to go to Normal, Ill., both here in Ohio and in his new home in Illinois, was admired by all. In a few years, when his colts began to appear, rthe reputation of the Percheron breed in Amer ica was so well established that hundreds and even thousands of them have been imported to America each year.
During the past 100 years the government in France has maintained a system of super vision over the horse-breeding industry. The government does not own every Percheron stal lion, but every Percheron stallion must be ap proved by the government inspectors and must receive a certificate of approval before he can be used for breeding purposes in France. Many of the best stallions belong to the govern ment. Many of those owned by private in dividuals receive a subsidy from the government if their owner will offer their services to the public.
On account of the very high tariff laws the French breeders supply nearly all of the horses used in France. The ups and downs of pros perity and depression do not affect the horse breeding industry in that country. Instinctively the French breeders keep their best stallions and mares, no matter what the foreign demand may be, and as long as they pursue this policy the best Percheron horses will be found in France and the best breed of draft-horses in the world will be the Percheron.