BREEDING ARMY HORSES. 69 



Mghly productive and therefore the most 

 expensive to purchase — is not required for 

 the purpose. My impression is that a better 

 stamp of horse could be thus produced at 

 less expense, than under the present system 

 of purchasing what is not good enough for 

 the private buyer. At any rate, I should 

 much like to see the experiment tried by 

 the establishment of eight of these haras, 

 or Government breeding studs — say two in 

 Ireland, one in Wales, one in Scotland, and 

 one in each of the counties of Yorkshire, 

 Salop, Cheshire, and Hants or Wilts. For, 

 as matters are, the country is being con- 

 tinually drained of the best and most suitable 

 sires to supply the Continental studs. Prance, 

 Germany, Austria, Hungary, and Russia 

 have for many years been systematically 

 purchasing our best entire horses, none of 

 which, except indirectly — i.e., by chance 

 private breeding — have therefore contributed 

 to the army horse supply of the country 



