166 IN THE LAND OF THE BORA. 



price charged by the government. Besides, this 

 tobacco has not the fault of being so terribly dry, 

 and it is not finely cut. In spite, however, of the 

 government's taking a lion's share of the profits, 

 the cultivation of tobacco is an enormous source 

 of wealth to the peasantry. In the district 

 (Bezirk) of Mostar alone, the payments made them 

 by government annually on this account are 

 equal to ten florins (16s. Sd.) per head of the 

 entire population. Each cultivator is allowed to 

 retain 16 lbs. of inferior tobacco every year for the 

 use of each adult male smoking member of his 

 family — not to exceed 48 lbs. in all. This he is 

 strictly forbidden to sell ; but, as I have already 

 said, the thing is not unknown, all the same. 



The government establishment which in- 

 terested me most at Mostar was the haras. On 

 expressing a wish to describe it to English readers 

 (which I did in the Live Stock Journal, February 

 15, 1895), every assistance was given me by those 

 concerned. Before going into the matter, I may 

 perhaps be allowed to say a few words as to the 

 Herzegovina and its horse-breeding capacities. 

 Consisting, as so much of it does, of barren and 

 rocky mountains, it is obvious that the country is 

 in no position to produce a large breed of horse. 

 Few, indeed, of the local animals come up to polo 

 standard, even in height, and as a dozen years 

 ago there was hardly a road in the country, their 



