Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1890-10-09
The FRENCH coAcA HORSE.
What the French Government Has Don
to Improve Its Horses

What the French Government Has Done
to Improve Its Horses.
The king of horses is the French
coach horse. should say general pur-
pose horse, for do not class thorough
breds, Arabs and trotters in the ranks of
utility; they are there to improve our
stock, and today they are scarcely need
ed for that. The French coach horse,
deni-sang, or Anglo-Norman, as he ID
variously designated, halls from the
thoroughbred; and Rather, who was i'm
ported in 1909. did more for the coach
horse than any Of the other thorough
breds used by the government.
II was the Rather blood that found
the missing link in The French coach
mare, and from these two, Z believe, came
the breed of horses, and the only ones
besides the thoroughbred capable Of re-
producing itself to a certainty. 1t is the
admirable direction of the French gov
ernment which has enabled that country
to produce this noble animal It IS the
thorough plan for uniting and develop
ing all the valuable qualities Of the very
best breeds, SO that it has given over to
the world a race of horses that possess
. degree of perfection never before att
tained-size, style and action
As early as 1865 the government studs
were permanently established. and from
that time down to the present day the
horse breeding of France has been re-
duced to a science.
In 1880 there were in France 3,239 ap-
proved and government stations, and
from 1915 to 1888 the government bought
for service in their studs 1902 stations
In 1881 notable advance was made to-
ward the Improvement of the light breeds
suitable for coach and cavalry purposes,
which was followed in 1888 by a decree
establishing IL government stud book for
the preservation Of pedigrees, and this
was placed under the supervision Of the
minister of agriculture.
After the establishment Of this stud
book more critical Judgment was exer-
cised in the selection of stations for gov
ernment use; a decided improvemen has
taken place in the character Of the horses.
between $1,000 and 10000 owned by the
government having been recorded, no
animal being numbered unless belonging
to the government studs. In 1870 the
managements of the government studs
was vested in the department Of agri-
culture and commerce, under the i'm
mediate supervision of q director general,
eight inspectors, twenty-six sub-direct-
ors, ten superintendents and twenty-six
veterinaries
Previous to the war France was living
in its height Of luxury The finest teams
in the world then belonged to the en-
peror Private individuals were all vie
ing with each other who should own the
largest, handsomest and most stylish
turnouts. Hundreds Of horses seventeen
hands high, drawing eight spring ba-
rouches, were to be seen in the Bois de
Boulogne.
Today the French coach horse has OBJ
tanned what to my mind is the correct
height. 16 hands to 1872, and numbers Of
these can now be met with.
In 1874 the number of stations owned
by the government was ordered to be in
creased 200 per year until they should
reach $500, and the credit necessary for
prizes awarded to breeding animals
should reach /, 500. 900 francs per annu1n,
and special sum Of $4,000 francs per
year was granted to make experiments
at the Haras or Stud Of Pompadour.
The French coach horse has been de-
veloped under the exclusive guidance of
the manager of the national studs. 1t is
the careful selections through So many
generations that has developed a race of
such size and wonderful endurance,
with perfect symmetry and
graceful carriage, that the idea of per-
fection IN coach horse has been at
tanned, while the in and in breeding as
sures their power to transmit these quail
tiles to their offspring.
No other coach horse can approach
them in the combination Of size and
stylish action, for though they do not
attain as high rate Of speed as the
light weight American trotter, yet their
over their native turf
tracks, in their two mile, half and four
mile races stamp their endurance as
wonderful Many of these
horses attain the weight Of 400 pounds,
and yet are as graceful as an antelope
and as beautiful as picture Cor Pa
cifc Rural Press.
Professor Samuel Cushman, apiarist
Of the Rhode Island agricultural expert
ment station, maintains, as the result Of
observation. that bees DO no
damage to growing or fair fruit The
juice of fruit Is. in fact. injurious to
them, and they do not attack sound
fruit, but only bruised frait, or that
which has been previously injured BY
caher insects.