The Agricultural Features of the Paris Exhibition. 255 
conducted by commissioners who visit every commune, and, in 
presence of the mayor, examine and classify all horses above 
six vears old and not already in the public service. Horses 
have to be sent, sometimes more than fifteen miles, to the centres 
of examination, and, in case of failure to comply with this 
injunction, owners are liable to penalties varying from 21. to 
40/. A list of the horses examined, as well as a list of their 
owners' names and addresses, are deposited in the recruiting 
office for the district, a copy of each being left in the possession 
of the mayor. At these examinations the horses are classed as 
follows, viz. : — 1st, those 15 hands 1 inch and over, for heavy 
cavalry; 2nd, from 14'3 to 151 for dragoons; 3rd, from 14-2 
to 14-3 for hussars ; 4th, heavy horses from 14'2 to 15-1 for 
artillerv drivers ; 5th, light horses of similar height, for the traces ; 
6th, heavy horses of 14*2 and under, for baggage waggons (only 
in this class entire horses are registered) ; and 7th, mules of 
14-1 for various purposes. Of far greater importance are the 
Government breeding studs and depots. First established in 
1666, discontinued during the Revolution, and re-established by 
Napoleon in 1806, these institutions have been in existence in 
France ever since the latter date. At present there is only one 
breeding stud — at Pompadour in Limousin ; but there are twenty- 
two depots for sires, the latter being pretty well spread over the 
country. The law under which the stud and depots are now 
managed, and which was passed in 1874, provides that 60 
mares are to be stationed at Pompadour, and devoted exclu- 
sively to the rearing of thoroughbred Arab and Anglo-Arab 
horses. It also provides that the number of sires at the depots 
— in all, 1060 in 1874 — shall be increased at the rate of 200 
a year until it reaches 2500. In addition to these, 700 sires, 
after undergoing an examination or sort of trial, are certificated ; 
and thus of the 12,000 stallions said to be in use in France 
more than one-sixth may be called Government sires. The 
sires for the depots are selected from the best breeds in the 
respective districts, light or blood horses always having the 
preference. The stallions intended for getting saddle-horses 
have to gain admission into the Government haras by public 
trial : and the care exercised by the Government is well illus- 
trated by the fact that, of 600 horses tried at Caen in the autumn 
of 1876, only 156 were chosen. The charges for the sires, 
which are much superior to the general run of entire horses, are 
very moderate, and the farmers, as a rule, are fairly active in 
availing themselves of the undoubted advantage thus afforded 
them. There are complaints, however, that the Government is 
overdoing the raising of light horses ; that, of the liglit horses 
reared from the Government sires, little more than one-half find 
