Longevity Of The Percheron-normans

Our attention was called a iew days ago to a statement made by a correspondent of the Western Kural, to the effect that the Percheron-Norman horses were notoriously lacking in "constitution," and that tbey were conaequently a shoitlived race. Without having given this aspect of the question any especial thought, we had been under the inipression that the horses imported froiu France to this country had, as a rule, been remarkable for longcvity ; and if this impression is correct, it ccrtainly furnishes the moet complete refutation of' the charge that they are lackiüg "constitution," by which term is mcant that structural and organic vitality and vigor which gives to a great extent immuoity from disease, and which enables the individual to suceessfully resist attacks under which others less favorably organized would succumb. Turning to the volume of. the PercheronNorman Ötud Book for data upon which to satisfy ourself as to the facts in the MM, we fouod that, of the -ix importations made to Ohio prior to 1860, the average term of üfe had been 24 years, with one Htill living. The eariiest age at which any of them died was in the case of llollin (418 of the Stud Book), ibaled 1852, imported 1850, who died in June, 18G9, aged 17 years. Old Louis Napoleon (No. 281 of the Stud Book), foaled 1848, imported 18f)l, died August, 1871, in his 24lh year. All the otbera üved to be over 24, and one, a mare, is still living, in her 28th year. When it is considcred that these French draft horses are ahuost universally kept in a state of obesity, peculiarly unfavorable to health, this showing of longevity is vory remarkable, and speaks volumes in favor of their coristitutional vigor. It would eertainly be more satisfactory could we have had a larger number ut individuáis upon which to base our ligures, but the importutions yrevioua to 1860 were very few. '(.' have been able to obtain the dates of birth and death of only fivo others in uil the United Status, besides those above given from Ohio, imported or foaled prior to 1860. üf these five, one died in lijs llth, another in hi.s 12tli, two in tlieir