254 



Mineral Matter in Food. 



improvement of cattle. Grants are also made by various local 

 authorities. 



The various States of the German Empire assist cattle- 

 breeding societies more or less, and the results which have been 

 obtained in the Grand Duchy of Baden are taken as an object 

 lesson throughout Germany. The movement in Baden com- 

 menced about sixty years ago, and at the present time the 

 State annual subsidy occasionally reaches the sum of ,£75,000. 

 Veterinary officers, paid from public funds, superintend the 

 selection and registration of pedigree cattle, as well as the work 

 of the local societies. As a rule, the bulls belong to the local 

 authorities, who are required by law to keep official lists of 

 service. The animals are, however, under the direct control of 

 the State, which, besides financial allowances, grants various 

 other privileges, such as reduced railway rates, &c. In Bavaria 

 subsidies amounting to .£25,000 annually are granted by the 

 Government to sixteen syndicates of seventy-six breeders' 

 societies, which also receive aid from other sources. 



The increase of these associations has been very remarkable 

 throughout Germany. In 1900 there were 851 societies, of 

 which 668 limited their work to the improvement of cattle. 



The system of syndicates which exists in Central Europe has 

 not yet been established in Italy, where, however, the Govern- 

 ment subsidises cattle-breeding stations, and indirectly renders 

 assistance in other ways. Several societies and herd-books are, 

 moreover, in existence in various provinces of the peninsula. 



Mineral Matter in Food. 



It is not often that much is heard in this country of the 

 subject of supplying farm stock with mineral matter in their 

 food, but the advertisement columns of foreign periodicals show 

 that a considerable trade is done in such forms of nutriment on 

 the Continent. The most important mineral ingredient of food 

 is believed to be phosphate of lime, and Dr. Schenke, of the 

 Agricultural Research Station of Breslau, has contributed a 

 useful abstract of the results of its use to the Landw. Versucks- 

 Stationen for the current year. 



