1909.] Importation of Currant Bushes. 



63 



asked for are the number of stallions, mares, geldings, and foals, 

 according to breed, viz., Thoroughbreds, other light horses, and ponies; 

 Shires, Clydesdales, Suffolks, and other heavy horses. Columns are 

 provided for a return, classified in the same way, of horses kept for 

 pleasure or business purposes, which do not come within the scope 

 of the Agricultural Returns. " Other Light Horses " are considered 

 for the purpose of classification to include horses of the Vanner, Cleve- 

 land Bay, and Coach-horse type, and also cobs of not less than 15 hands. 

 Only pure-bred horses, i.e., those registered, or eligible for registration, 

 in the respective stud-books, are to be entered under the headings of 

 Thoroughbreds, Shires, Clydesdales, and Suffolks. 



A reprint of the article, which appeared in this Journal for August 

 last, describing, with illustrations, the types of horses ordinarily 

 required for Army purposes, is being circulated with the application for 

 information. 



In the Report on the Agricultural Statistics for 1908, Part I., it is 

 explained that the object of obtaining this information is two-fold. It 

 will enable a calculation to be made with a closer degree of accuracy 

 than has hitherto been possible of the total stock of horses kept on 

 the land, and of the annual production of different classes of horses. 

 Further than this, it will provide the Board with valuable information 

 in connection with the scheme now under consideration for the encour- 

 agement of horse-breeding in Great Britain ; and will facilitate the 

 establishment of a register of the owners of suitable stallions and brood 

 mares of different breeds, which is the initial step towards the founda- 

 tion of a system for the improvement of horse-breeding. 



The importation of currant bushes into Great Britain is now 

 sanctioned by the American Gooseberry Mildew (Prohibition of 

 Importation of Bushes) Amendment Order of 

 Importation of 1908 (No. 2), provided that a licence of the 

 Currant Bushes into Board of Agriculture and Fisheries granted 

 Great Britain. under that Order is produced at the point of 

 landing. Such licences are issued on certain 

 conditions, which require the following requirements to be carried 

 out :— - 



(1) Requirements to be carried out by the exporter : — 



(a) The bushes are to be cleansed of all earth before being 

 packed up. 



(b) The bushes are to be firmly and suitably packed in such a 

 way that they cannot come in contact with any other 

 bushes on the journey; but in order that they may be 

 inspected at the port of landing by the Custom House Officer 

 to see if the package contains contraband goods, they 

 must be packed in such a way that one end of the package 

 can be opened and, after the contents have been examined, 

 be closed up again. The package should bear a label to 

 show where it should be opened. It is suggested that the 

 following words should be used : " Open here for Customs 

 examination." It is preferable that the words should be 

 in English. 



