134 THE HORSE, ASS, AND MULE 



society was organized to (i) encourage the breeding of native 

 horses by the organization of annual national shows ; and (2) 

 maintain a studbook of Belgian Draft horses. The studbook is 

 published by a special commission appointed by the society. Up 

 to 1904 there had been issued eleven volumes recording 12,630 

 stallions and 2 1,767 mares. The large numbers of mares recorded, 

 compared with stallions, is to be noted, a condition quite the 

 reverse with draft-horse studbook registrations in the United 



Fig. 49. A typical Belgian stallion. Photograph from A. Van Schelle, 

 Special Commissioner of Agriculture from Belgium to the Louisiana 

 Purchase Exposition 



States. To promote the work of this society the government 

 makes an annual grant of 30,000 francs (^5000). Besides this, 

 since 1890 national premiums have been offered for the best 

 stallions. This society has some eleven hundred members. 



The methods employed by the Belgian government to encourage 

 horse breeding are of special interest. Certain state regulations 

 concerning the breeding of draft horses are subject to constant 

 supervision. The sum of about 350,000 francs (;?7o,ooo) is 

 annually expended in behalf of this work. This money is used 



