223 



farm were established, which seems rather a tall order under the pre^ 

 sent conditions of the country, it would app-ar to narrow itself down to 

 the Government importing stallions to be used in a similar manner to 

 what Sir Grerald has been. But like Sir Gerald it will at times no doubt 

 create a bad feeling, and with some justification too on the part of the 

 owners of entires in the vicinity of where these stallions are kept, but 

 at the same time it seems to me the less unfair, and most workable 

 scheme under the present conditions. 



Hon. W. Watson : Encourage and facilitate in every conceivable 

 way the opportunities for selecting the right kind of animal in Eng- 

 land and elsewhere, and the facilities for getting them here. Have 

 occasional horse shows. 



More care in the selecting and attendance, and not expecting nature 

 todo everjMhing; adopting more enlightened methods in selecting and 

 mating the animals. 



J. R. Williams, Esq. : (a) I think a Stock Farm is very desirable 

 where a supply of pure bred stock of the types approved and acclima- 

 tised can be kept up The risks attending the importation of animals 

 deter all but the wealthiest; and these risks and the extraordinary 

 care which imported animals for a time require, are strong arguments 

 in favour of the establishment of a Stock Farm if any sustained effort 

 for the improvement of the stock of the island is contemplated. 



(b) Apart fi'om the question of the Stock Farm, I do not see any 

 way to improve the horsekind except by such efforts as have already 

 been made, with slightly altered conditions, viz. the subsidizin;^ of ap- 

 proved stallions in selected districts where their services shall be avail- 

 able for a very moderate fee, whatever happens to be the ordinary fee 

 of the settlers' stallions in the neighbourhood. One change in the 

 conditions hitherto offered would I think induce more general use of 

 such services : — the subsidized stallions, like the settlers' stallions 

 should be 'peripatetic', i.e. taken round to serve the mares on the 

 premises of the mares' owners. And the experiment might be tried 

 of charging so much per cover. I am doubtful of its success : it would 

 be quite novel (in this neighbourhood at least) and the settler is con- 

 servative : but it might be oifered as an alternative to a charge being 

 made for service till 'stinted' (within that sea^ou) which is the ordinary 

 procedure. The popularity of the common settlers' stallion is that he 

 generally takes half his fee, or less, in advance, and waits till the colt 

 is born for the balance There is generally some difficulty in getting 

 this \ aid and where a very small fee is charged it is not worth the 

 trouble of collection. I could not recommend this plan of exacting 

 payment. 



The services of stallions kept by the more independent class of 

 people, i e. as a rule, the better class of stallions, will never be avail- 

 able while this method of payment prevails. 



(c) We have to consider that in some districts, probably in most 

 parts of the island except in St. Ann, St. Elizabeth and Manchester, 

 the people need to be educated as to what they should aim at and what 

 is really desirable and profitable — in horsebreediug as in other matters 

 agricultural. 



