THE GOVERNMENT STUDS OP PRANCE. 131 



general, eight inspectors, twenty-six sub-directors, ten superin- 

 tendents, and twenty-six veterinaries. 



" In order to be eligible to an appointment to one of the 

 above offices, the candidate must be a graduate of the Ecole 

 de Haras du Pin, a school located at the Haras of Pin for the 

 education of men to whom shall be confided the future man- 

 agement of this department of the government. 



" In 1874 the number of stallions owned by the government 

 throughout France was ordered increased 200 per year until 

 they should reach 2,500, and the credit necessary for prizes 

 awarded to breeding animals should reach 1,500.000 francs per 

 annum, and a special sum of 50,000 francs per year was granted 

 to make experiments with Arab and Anglo- Arab, and for this 

 purpose sixty finely bred mares were placed at the Haras of 

 Pompadour. 



"In the organization by the government of the administra- 

 tion of the Haras, there has been one central object constantly 

 kept in view, that is the encouragement of the people by every 

 means possible to a higher standard of breeding, and at the 

 same time to furnish them with the means by which to accom- 

 plish this object, by the introduction into every locality of the 

 finest of the different breeds and types which are offered for 

 use to the mare-owners at a nominal fee of service. These 

 consist, first, of stallions owned by the government itself; 

 second, stallions belonging to private individuals inspected and 

 approved by the government, such approved stallions receiv- 

 ing from the government, as long as they are so kept, from 300 

 to 3,000 francs per annum, according to their breeding and 

 superior excellence; third, authorized stallions, animals by 

 government inspection are pronounced of good quality and 

 worthy of public patronage. To farther prevent the use of in- 

 ferior animals a decree was issued in 1885, excluding from pub- 

 lic service all stallions not authorized by the government. 



" By a decree of December 9, 1860, a subsidy, or prize, of 

 from 100 to 600 francs each (according to breeding and quality) 

 was authorized to be given to approved mares with colts by 



