State Aid to Agriculture in Ireland. 53 



presented, roughly one-half was passed by the judges as 

 possessing the qualities entitling them to nomination, but 

 606 of these were rejected at the veterinary examination. 

 Q I Irish breeders, knowing well the ready demand there is for 

 well-bred animals, are eager to obtain the use of high-class 

 bulls, and the scheme for encouraging improvement in Irish 

 cattle has, therefore, taken the form of subsidising the sire. 

 To this end, County Committees annually offer a number of 

 premiums of 161. each to the owners of high-class bulls 

 of certain breeds, on condition that small farmers of a specified 

 valuation can have the use of such bulls at the nominal fee 

 of Is. per cow. The County Committee, having made a 

 selection of persons from among the applicants for these 

 premiums, refer them to the Department, whose inspectors 

 examine such bulls as are already in the country, and attend 

 shows and sales of bulls for the })urpose of selecting new ones 

 and assisting the nominees of the County Committees to 

 purchase. The Department give loans to enable small farmers 

 to buy these high-class bulls under similar conditions to those 

 just enumerated in regard to stallions. As the insurance of 

 this class of stock in public companies is very high (from 

 6 to 7 per cent.), the Department themselves insure the animals 

 bought under their loan scheme, for which they chai'ge only 

 2^ per cent, per annum, and so far the Department have not 

 lost under this arrangement. 



There is also a scheme for encouraging the improvement 

 of swine, based on the same principles as that for cattle, which 

 has been in operation since 1900. The premium for high-class 

 sires is SI., payable over two years — 51. the first, and 31. the 

 second year. Notwithstanding an increasing demand for boars 

 sold liy the Department on behalf of breeders as suitable for 

 premiums, the supply of suitable animals is much restricted. 



In these live stock schemes a certain amount of elasticity is 

 found necessarj". For example, the selection of the particular 

 breeds of horses, cattle, and swine which are to be selected for 

 subsidy is left to the County Committee in each county, who 

 also select the persons who are to keep the premium bulls and 

 boars, and fix the valuations of the individuals who are to 

 receive the maximum benefit from the use of these animals, as 

 well as a variety' of other matters, into the details of which it 

 is not necessary to enter. 



The following table will show the reader, who is not too 

 scared at the sight of figures to scan it through, the details of 

 these schemes and their cost. It will serve to put the relative 

 importance of each scheme in better perspective than could be 

 done by any less graphic method of dealing with this branch 

 of the subject. 



