1906.] Improvement of Live Stock in Ireland. 479 



1. Nomination of Mares. — At certain dates and places to be 

 approved by the Department exhibitions of farmers' mares are 

 held for the purpose of issuing nominations. The mares must 

 be the bond fide property of a farmer, the valuation of whose 

 holding does not exceed the limit fixed by the County Com- 

 mittee. Preference is given to the best young mares under six 

 years of age. They are selected by a judge appointed by the 

 Department, and must be certified to be free from any hereditary 

 disease by a veterinary surgeon appointed by the same body. No 

 farmer is allowed more than one nomination unless the number 

 of mares selected is insufficient for the completion of the scheme, 

 and the nominations are liable to be forfeited in certain cases. 

 A farmer receiving a nomination must select one of the approved 

 stallions. The value of the nomination fee is uniform for the 

 county, but may vary with the breed of stallion selected, and is 

 not less than £2 or more than £1. If the service fee exceeds 

 the nomination, the owner of the mare must pay the excess to 

 the owner of the stallion. The groom's fee is 2s. 6d. for each 

 nominated mare. A return is made to the Department at the 

 end of the season, and the nomiination fees are then paid to the 

 owners of stallions. 



2. Registration of Stallions, — Owners of thoroughbred, Irish 

 draught, Clydesdale, Shire and half-bred stallions are invited 

 to register their animals for service under the Department's 

 scheme on certain conditions, which include inspection and 

 veterinary examination. Two-year-old stallions are not 

 accepted, and the stallion ,is expected to serve 20 to 50 

 nominated mares. A fee is charged for registration. 



Where there are districts in which, in the opinion of the 

 Department, there are not sufficient stallions, loans are made 

 for the purpose of purchasing them. One-third of the pur- 

 chase price must be provided by the applicant, two-thirds 

 being provided by the Department, repayable by five annual 

 instalments together with interest at 2\ per cent, on the balance 

 outstanding. The animal must be insured by the applicant. 



Up to 1905 only thoroughbred Clydesdale and Shire horses 

 were eligible for registration, and since 1903 the registration of 

 fresh Clydesdale and Shire stallions has been limited to Ulster, 

 Dublin, Louth, and the district round Cork. This is intended 



