338 Report on the Agriculture of 



great estates. I often observed a peculiar expression of wonder 

 when I asked the stewards with whom I came in contact, if their 

 college course had been useful to them. Of course it had, and 

 they evidently could not understand any one doubting it. In 

 England we have still something to learn in this respect. 



Government Stud-Farms. 



The Government has done much to encourage the breeding 

 of horses by establishing studs at Kis-Ber, Barbolna, and 

 Mezohegyes. The best blood has been imported from the 

 United Kingdom, Spain, and Arabia ; and great pains are being 

 taken to establish a fixed type of saddle-horse which can be 

 relied upon to breed truly. These Government stud-farms are 

 also centres from which stallions are sent to supply the need of 

 all parts of Hungary, with the view of improving the horses of 

 the country. The breeding of horses is one of the most popular 

 branches of rural economy in Hungary. Not only has it 

 been taken up in a most spirited manner by the Government, 

 but also by most of the great landed proprietors, Avith wonderful 

 results. They still look to England for their supply of thorough- 

 breds and Norfolk trotters ; but they hope within a short time 

 to establish races suitable to their own wants and climate ; which 

 may then be bred inter se without further recourse to foreign blood. 

 In this opinion they are at issue with many English breeders of 

 horses, who look upon the thorough-bred as essential to the supply 

 of half-bred saddle-horses. We have in fact no distinct race of 

 saddle-horses, but in Hungary they think it quite practicable to 

 raise such a race, possessed of the necessary fixity of character. 



Kis-Ber. — A run of eight hours from Vienna over the line 

 which connects Bruck, Raab, and Stuhlweissenburg, takes the 

 traveller to the Imperial stud-farm of Kis-Ber on the Backonycr 

 Wald. I had been travelling for days over the dead level of the 

 Upper Hungarian plains, and it was refreshing to find myself 

 in a gently undulating country. The estate comprises a fine 

 and extensive tract on which the soil varies from a poor blowing 

 sand to a fine black humus loam ; altogether a fine neighbour- 

 hood, but not particularly healthy, as I heard there was much 

 fever abroad. The entire estate is divided into four districts as 

 follows : — 



Acres. 



1. Kis-Ber (home fanr.) 5,505 



2. Bathyau 2,695 



3. Vasdinve 4,300 



4. Tares ", 3,145 , 



15,645 



