622 
REVIEW. 
sessing strength, as well as pedigree, which, themselves, 
by crossing, doubtless, diffused the same valuable qualities 
through half and three-parts bred horses. Now, however, 
although the prize to be contended for continues the same, 
that the trial itself is rendered one of a much easier descrip- 
tion, the same kind of horse is no longer required for the task, 
and the “ King’s plate horse” is found hardly a stouter built 
horse than the one entered for any stakes requiring speed 
rather than endurance. “ If, however,” as our author says, 
“we are to continue granting public bounties for the turf, 
it is surely desirable to obtain for the public some return ; 
and the plan proposed in the work is the following one: — 
“The plan I propose rests on a sound principle — that of 
sharp competition amongst the breeders of our race-horses to 
obtain very liberal bounties, but under conditions which 
should render the outlay one of public utility. 
“ It is impossible to determine, a priori, or until some trials 
have been made, the exact amount of bounties that will 
suffice to secure to the public the object in view. Probably 
three or four hundred pounds would be about the sum to 
award to the winners of certain races, making no allowance 
for age. How many of such races shall be run in the course 
of a season can only be finally determined by gradually feel- 
ing our way in the new direction. For the first few years, 
the aggregate amount of bounties annually required would be 
much greater than after sufficient time had elapsed for im- 
porting a considerable amount of fresh blood. 
“ Government would only have to determine the nature ot 
the tasks to be performed for which it granted the new boun- 
ties, leaving to the owners of the horses to find out the best 
mode of managing them. This would not fail to succeed if 
Government only sternly maintained a fixed standard for 
measuring the powers of the horses. Under this four miles 
with heats should be the shortest distance run for which the 
new bounties were granted. One or two races in the year 
should be five miles and heats. We need not fear the effect 
of these distances being evaded, as is now the case with the 
four-mile race, yet maintained by allowing the horses that 
start for it to do a little more than canter during a great part 
of the race. Why ? Simply because now the proprietors of 
such horses are all in the same boat, by all possessing horses 
unfitted for running the whole of that distance. Thus it is 
not worth any man’s while now breeding horses for our turf 
