THE ROYAL DUBLIN SOCIETY 315 



and have been replaced by more substantial and more 

 commodious structures, better adapted to the Society's 

 present requirements. 



Horse and Cattle Breeding — The Probate Duties 

 Grant 



Early in 1887, the Government was asked to give 

 the Society financial assistance in promoting improve- 

 ment in the breeding of cattle and horses. Mr. Arthur 

 J. Balfour, then chief secretary, induced the House of 

 Commons to vote the sum of ^5000 in aid of the 

 scheme. Subsequently this sum became payable an- 

 nually to the Society under the Probate Duties (Scot- 

 land and Ireland) Act, 1888. This grant enabled the 

 Society to offer premiums of ^10 to ^15, to aid farmers 

 in the purchase of pure-bred bulls selected by competent 

 judges. Premiums of ^200 each were also offered for 

 thoroughbred stallions. These premiums and those 

 in aid of the purchase of bulls were subject to certain 

 conditions of service. Both schemes were subject to 

 the approval of the Lord Lieutenant. The arrange- 

 ment placed the Society in a unique position, as it 

 became the only body in the United Kingdom adminis- 

 tering Government funds for improving horse and 

 cattle breeding. The first allotment of bull premiums 

 took place at the spring cattle show of 1888, when 

 28 bulls were allotted to Leinster, 21 to Ulster, 9 to 

 Munster, and 4 to Connaught. The Committee of 

 Agriculture, in its report of the show, specially noted 

 the fact that while the Ulster farmers competed keenly 

 to secure premium bulls, farmers of the south and 

 west of Ireland displayed comparatively little activity. 

 After a few years the farmers of Munster and Con- 

 naught realised the advantages of the scheme, and the 



