GERMANY. 275 



about 30 horses. None of these employees belong to the 

 army, but all are ex-soldiers. To this personnel are added 

 an accountant, a veterinarian, and a director of the establish- 

 ment. The horses are not ridden while at the depot. By 

 purchasing 3-year-olds, advantage is taken of the market, 

 which finds no other call for horses of this age. The govern- 

 ment has thereby a wide choice, and the horses are thus fed 

 grain a year sooner. The horses also have the advantage of 

 not having been worked and thus spoiled for cavalry pur- 

 poses. Against this system are the expenses of maintenance, 

 of the land, buildings, etc. Most of the depots were founded, 

 however, at a period when land was not so valuable as it is 

 now. The state then possessed large tracts and was able to 

 choose, for the installation of the depots, very favorable sites 

 from its own possessions. The number of horses at any depot 

 is regulated by the area under cultivation. 



The remount dej^ot at Kattenau, in East Prussia, has a do- 

 main of 2,516 acres. It contains a central establishment and 

 three branches. There are 600 horses attached to this depot. 

 A very large amount of green forage is used. In fact the 

 grazing at all the depots is much more restricted than for- 

 merly, the feeding of green forage having taken its place. A 

 special isolated place, divided into box stalls, is set apart for 

 the hospital. The ration of forage is fed on the ground in 

 small jDortions, the grain being put in a box fastened to the 

 wall. All the horses are unshod. The feet are carefully 

 watched by the veterinarian. The farrier also goes over and 

 fixes them every month. There is a list made of the horses 

 in each stable. This list contains the number, description, 

 and the arm to which each animal is assigned. The soil in 

 the vicinity of the stables is sandy and dry. The horses are 

 very gentle. The average daily ration is 7^ pounds oats, 12i 

 pounds hay, and 15 pounds straw. In the summer the feed 

 consists for the most part of green forage. Pasturing is 

 almost abandoned at this depot. The cost price of the stay 

 of a horse for a year at Kattenau is about $68.40. 



The remount depot of Baerenklau has a central establish- 

 ment and five branches, with a capacity for 500 horses. Its 

 management is similar to that of Kattenau. Soon after the 

 arrival of the horses at the depots they are almost invariably 

 sick with influenza. 



