French Bounty on Flax. 



The Hungarian export trade in sheep and swine has 

 since the year 1894 suffered a very 

 ^fromHlugi^y*'' considerable diminution. Reexport 



of horses has, however, nearly doubled,, 

 the numbers having risen from 20,000 in 1894, to 39,000 in 

 1896, of the value of 170,000. This increase has been 

 chiefly due to the fact that the Balkan States, and in par- 

 ticular Servia and Greece, have been large purchasers of 

 horses in Hungary ; saddle-horses have also been in demand 

 for Italy. 



The export of swine has during the last three years dimi- 

 nished by nearly 75 per cent., principally owing to epizootic 

 diseases which have been prevalent in Hungary. The 

 decline in the export value in three years is upwards of five 

 million pounds, in addition to which the strong position for- 

 merly occupied by Hungary in regard to the pig trade with 

 Austria and Germany is stated to have been lost. The 

 number of pigs exported in 1894 Avas 1,363,000, in 1895 it 

 was 713,382, and in 1896 it further fell to 255,868. 



The export of horned cattle did nor materially alter, the 

 figures being 245,000 in 1894, 247,000 in 1895, and 238,000 in 

 1896. The number of sheep and goats exported, however, 

 showed a considerable decline — viz., from 391,000 in 1894 to 

 327,000 in 1895, and 260,000 in 1896. , 



The French Journal Offici el oi the 1 8th February last con- 

 tains an account of the debate in the 



French Bounty chamber of Deputies concerning the 

 renewal for a further period of six years 

 of the bounty on flax and hemp. As noticed in a former 

 number of the journal, it was proposed to grant a sum of 

 2,000,000 francs (^80,000), i.e., 500,000 francs less than 

 during the six years 1892-97, for the encouragement of this 

 culture, the minimum area for which a grower could claim a 

 bonus being as before ten ares (a quarter of an acre). Some 

 modification has, however, been introduced into these 

 proposals during the debate on the Budget in the Chamber 

 on the 17th Februar}^, and as a result it has been decided to- 



