266 THE CONGESTED DISTRICTS BOARD FOR IRELAND. 



many to sell their best mares, and, as has been already mentioned, the 

 serious drawback to horse-breeding in the West, as well as in the rest of 

 Ireland, is the wretched quality of the mares, and the belief that any mare 

 will do to breed from if she has the chance of a good horse. This tells most 

 unfairly on the stallions, as only in rare cases have they mares sent to them 

 from which a good foal can be fairly expected, and in the majority of cases 

 the wonder is that the results are so favourable. 



Since the Board commenced its work nearly ;^20,ooo has been expended 

 in aid of the breeding of live stock other than horses. 

 , . cf ]r '^^^ method of improving cattle found to be most suc- 



liiYe o oc . cessful is the purchase by the Board of good bulls at 



an average price of over ^^30. These animals are 

 then re-sold to farmers in the congested districts at less than half the original 

 price, the money being paid in two or thi'ee instalments. The chief con- 

 dition of sale is that the purchaser shall keep the bull in the congested 

 districts for at least two or three years, during which time it is to be available 

 each year for the service of a stipulated number of cows, belonging to small 

 farmers, at a maximum service fee of 2s. 6d. The farmer usually receives a 

 subvention of £2 or £4 towards the cost of keeping the bull during the 

 third year. Nearly nine hundred bulls have been sold outright under this 

 system. 



A new scheme has been approved under which owners of approved bulls 

 may arrange with the Board to give the services of their bulls for the benefit 

 of small occupiers in their districts subject to a maximum fee of 2s. 6d., the 

 Board undertaking to pay certain subsidies varying according to the breed 

 of the bull and the number of animals served. It is believed that this system 

 will work well in cases where the bull owner wishes to reserve the bull tor a 

 large number of his own stock, and it enables those w-ho wish to do so to 

 select their own bulls. It is to be regretted that it is still the almost universal 

 custom for breeders to sell their best heifers, instead of keeping them to 

 breed from ; but it is believed that by slow degrees the breeding stock in 

 congested districts will be graded up by the Board continuing to supply 

 pure-bred bulls. 



Similar measures have been taKen to improve the breed of sheep and 

 pigs, by increasing the number of well-bred ram.s and boars in the con- 

 gested districts ; and the efforts of the Board to encourage the practice of 

 dipping sheep have met with considerable success. 



Over i^4,ooo has been expended in improving the poultry and egg in- 

 dustry. At first the Board adopted the system of 

 p ,, distributing among the people a large number of suit- 



y* able fowl, but this method was soon found to be both 



too liberal and too expensive. Under the scheme 

 adopted in 1893 a limited number of birds, generally twenty-two, of an 

 approved breed, are sent out to one selected farmer or cottager in each 

 small district. From the centre thus formed eggs of the pure breed are 

 distributed, for hatching, to as many as possible of the surrounding cottagers. 

 The inducement offered heretofore has been one penny paid by the Board 

 to the distributor for every egg of the good breed issued by him, and, at the 

 same time, he is entitled under the arrangement agreed upon, to get an 

 ^SS of ^^^ common country breed in exchange. 



