47 



to get good mares, for I know from the best 

 authority in England (Mr. Philips) that in the last 

 twenty years the average number of mares sent 

 out of this country, useful to breed from, has been 

 not less than i,ooo a year. Just look what they 

 would have produced in this time. They are the sort 

 ■of mares we now want, and the foreigners have 

 got them because they send over constantly; they 

 have bought the mares here, and the only reason why 

 we have none is, that they gave rather more money 

 than breeders in this country could give. 



A long while ago I advocated a remedy for this 

 in the presence of the noble Duke, and perhaps it 

 is presumptuous on my part to speak again on it ; 

 but I do not think it would have happened if we 

 had what they have in every other country but 

 England, a national stud. In Austria and Prussia 

 they have 2,000 horses at least covering for the 

 country at ys. or io.f. a head ; and there is not a 

 horse travelling in those countries that has not a 

 certificate of soundness from the Government. As 

 far as the stallion goes that is the weak point here. 

 Any wretched horse that cannot win a race is thought 

 good enough to send round the country, and if he 

 covers at a little less than a good horse standing 

 close by he gets good mares. 



I have sold, to-day, a horse called "Cavaliero," 

 out of " Cambuscan," a good enough horse. I 

 asked the gentleman who sent the horse up the 

 reason why he sold him. He said, " I had kept 



