their  Breeding  and  Management. 
5 
distribution  of  the  thoroughbred  and  other  English  horses.  In 
Prussia,  I am  told,  every  horse  must  have  a Government  certifi- 
cate of  soundness,  otherwise  he  may  serve  no  mares  other  than 
his  owner’s.  This  official  publication  is  noteworthy  in  many 
respects,  especially  as  showing  the  great  importance  attached 
by  Continental  nations  to  the  breeding  and  improvement  of 
superior  half-bred  horses.  It  consists  of  nearly  200  imperial 
octavo  pages,  and  embraces  exhaustive  official  reports  on  the 
stud  institutions  and  establishments  of  Austria  and  Hungary  ; 
four  pages  of  admirably  engraved  illustrations  of  the  brands  or 
marks  for.  horses  which  distinguish  the  various  studs  in  Austria 
and  Hungary.  There  are  also  three  large  folded  sheets, 
a plan  of  a stud  farm,  showing  the  position  of  the  various 
studs,  and  coloured  maps  of  Austria  and  Hungary.  The 
French  system  is  founded  on  the  Law  (in  regard  to  studs)  of 
the  29th  May,  1874.  Glancing  rapidly  over  the  pages  of  the 
Report,  I observe  the  Inspector-General  of  Military  Remounts 
refers  to  a fact  well  within  our  own  experience,  that,  as  com- 
pared with  those  which  remain  at  home,  travelling  stallions 
have  far  greater  powers  of  procreation.  The  French  average 
appears  to  be  for  thoroughbred  horses  under  fifty  mares  each. 
He  greatly  favours  the  proposition  that  army  remounts  should 
be  purchased  at  three  years  old,  thus  anticipating  the  equine 
demands  for  trade  and  commerce  which  now  sweep  the  markets 
of  everything  desirable  ; thus  to  the  exclusion  of  the  middleman, 
promoting  advantageous  direct  trade  between  the  Government 
and  the  breeder.  By  purchasing  remounts  at  three  years  of  age, 
foreign  purchases,  it  is  argued,  may  be  avoided.  The  Inspector- 
General  would  select  a proportion  of  army  mares  suitable  for 
breeding,  and  amongst  breeders  distribute  them  in  districts  w here 
improvement  is  most  necessary.  Of  thoroughbred  stallions,  218 
were  English,  187  Arab,  and  63  Anglo- Arab.  Thirteen  horses 
during  the  year  were  purchased  in  England  : two  thoroughbred, 
eight  Norfolk,  one  American  trotter,  two  Welsh  trotters.  The 
Welsh  horses  are  highly  spoken  of,  as  bred  on  both  sides  from 
trotters,  as  hardy,  and  of  good  shapes  and  paces.  Reference  also 
is  made  to  the  effect  on  French  markets  of  horses  imported  from 
America  via  Antwerp  and  England.  There  is  a disturbing 
export  trade  in  valuable  horses,  Boulonnais  and  Percherons, 
from  France  to  America.  Only  carthorses  that  can  trot  are 
officially  encouraged,  and  even  the  artillery  require  in  addition  a 
dash  of  blood.  It  requires  years  for  English  and  Eastern  horses 
and  mares  imported  into  France  to  acclimatise.*  In  round 
* Acclimatisation  as  tending  to  variation  or  to  sterility.  Exhaustive  inquiry 
should  be  made  as  to  effects  in  every  part  of  the  world  where  English  thorough- 
bred is  established. — Art.  Acclimatisation,”  Current  Ed.,  Encycl.  Brit.  Bead 
art.  “ Charmoise  Sheep,'’  Jour.  It.  A.  S.  E.  vol.  xiv.  1853,  p.  214. — C. 
