464 



PARLIAMENTARY PUBLICATIONS. 



[Marcli 1896. 



been received for cow-houses, the cattle have hitherto been kept 

 in the dv^^elling-houses, but undertakings have been given that 

 this practice will be dropped for the future. 



In some few districts where considerable difficulty exists in 

 obtaining at moderate prices good seed oats and seed potatoes, 

 and also rye, grass, clover, turnip, and mangold seeds and 

 artificial manures, the Board sold them in small quantities. 



It is hoped that, as the advantages accruing from the use of 

 really good seeds and manures are realised, local merchants or 

 shopkeepers will supply them ; or that Farmers' Co-operative 

 Supply Associations^will be formed for that purpose. 



A sum of 165^. Os. 2d. was paid to the Irish Agricultural 

 Organisation Society to enable that body to extend the benefits 

 of co-operation to occupiers of land in congested districts. 



During the season of 1894^ twenty-eight sires were stationed 

 at six centres ; nineteen were hackneys, four Welsh cobs, two 

 Welsh ponies, two Arabs, and one Barb. It may be mentioned 

 that the hackneys are more popular than any other horses that 

 have yet been introduced into the congested districts. The 

 foals from the Welsh cobs do not show the same quality, and the 

 owners of the mares complain that the foals from the Arabs are 

 too small to sell at a good price. It is therefore the intention of 

 the Board to gradually substitute hackneys for other horses 

 where they are asked to do so. 



The total number of service orders issued in 1894 was 1,662, 

 or an average of about 59 per sire. The Board have every 

 reason to be satisfied with the advantage that has been taken 

 by the people of their horses, and the worthless stallions that 

 were previously standing in several of the districts have dis- 

 appeared. 



The Board have purchased several specimens of the foals got 

 by their stallions in different districts in order that they may 

 thoroughly test the experiment and watch the development of 

 these half-bred hackneys and Welsh cobs. These animals are 

 now to be seen at the Chantilly stud farm. 



In addition to the horses, the Board have now ten Spanish 

 stallion asses stationed in districts which are considered suitable 

 for ass-breeding. There is a great demand for the service of 

 these asses, and the Board would like to increase the number, 

 but it is very dithcult to purchase good animals of this kind. 



The Galloway bulls sent to the counties Galway and Mayo 

 were very much liked by the people, and the large number of 

 well-bred Galloway bulls sent out during the past two years 

 cannot fail to materially improve the breed of cattle in West 

 Galway and West Mayo. 



It is reported, with satisfaction, that in many instances 

 the purchasers of bulls under a two years' agreement have 

 retained the bulls for further use. At the same time it was to 

 be expected that some of the large number of bulls sent out 

 should have turned out unsatisfactorily. If the Boa id satisfied 



