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from those for disposal would be priced "from 3,000 to 4,000 florins," but
that any selected by the Hungarian Stud officials are available from 1,000 to
2,000 florins.
Under these circumstances of course, and my instructions not to give more
than 2,000 per stallion, I could not purchase superior Arab or half-bred Arab
stallions, and the smaller and lower priced ones would not be worth buying,
as others equally good can be obtained at the same prices in the Bombay mar-
ket. But as I was on the spot I asked permission to inspect at the Babona
Stud (some five hours by rail and road from Buda Pesth) stallions for sale, also
mares and produce, and there I was most courteously received and saw all the
stock farming, &c., and I will after arrival in India submit a report to Govern-
ment of India on my proceedings and suggestions for any future action that
may be deemed necessary. I have arrived here in time to leave by this steamer
Sutlej, so I expect to reach Bombay about 7th proximo,
Report on Horse-Breeding in Hungary by Major Douglas Dawson,
Coldstream Guards.
To facilitate the industry of horse-breeding and to improve their breed of
horses, the Government maintains a number of studs and stallion depôts. These
establishments are under the control of the Ministry of Agriculture, but have
a military organisation.
The personnel forms an integral part of the standing army under the
collective title of the "Stud Branch," and is divided into a military inspectorate
and a number of military divisions.
A military division of the Stud Branch is attached to each of the studs and
stallion depôts, and the Commander of the division is at the same time Com-
mandant of the breeding establishment.
The military inspectorate also, with a general officer at its head, forms the
channel of communication between the military divisions and the Ministries of
Agriculture and War, and the inspector is charged with the duties of general
inspection and superintendence from a military point of view.
The personnel consists of—
1 General officer as inspector,
9 Field officers as commandants,
18 Captains,
40 Lieutenants,
2 Chaplains,
10 Military surgeons,
42 Farriers,
61 Technical employés.
3,511 Non-commissioned officers and men.
The total personnel of the studs and depôts is 3,736.
The four studs are located at Kisber, Babona, Mezzöhegyes, and Fogaras,
and the five stallion depôts at Stuhlweissenberg, Nagy-Koros, Debreczin, Sepsi-
Syt-Gyorgy, and Warasdin.
Each of the stallion depôts has a district assigned to it, over which during
the covering season the stallions are sent to the various stations, according to a
pre-arranged published programme, under charge of a detachment belonging
to the depôt, and returns to it again at the close of the season.
The direction of all matters pertaining to horse-breeding, administrations
of the studs, depôts, and other such State institutions are under the depart-
ment of horse-breeding of the Ministry of Agriculture. Every stud farm has,
besides its military head-quarters, a "farm direction," which consists of civilian
employés. The administration of the large estates of the Stud establishments,
comprising nearly 75,500 acres, is in charge of the farm direction.
1. Kisber.
This stud is in the district or country of Komarom, on a farm of 15,825
acres, and has on it 611 horses and mares. Here only thorough-bred and half-
bred English horses are raised. The number of thorough-bred stallions at this