73
ordinates, but to follow as much as he can the opinions of the breeders them-
selves. To carry out this principle, the Ministry has organised a Superior
Advisory Organ or Commission of 10 members, partly elected by the Society
of Agriculture and the Jocky Club of Buda Pesth, and partly appointed by
the Ministry. This Commission meets at least once a year, when the Chief of
the division of Horse-Breeding in the Ministry reports upon the work accom-
plished and experiments made during the year, and sketches out a programme
for the ensuing year for the consideration of the Commission. This central
Commission may be convoked at any time during the year. In every country
there is also a provincial Commission of horse-breeding elected to act as
advisers in the breeding districts of their country. These Councils send their
own Presidents, and represent the breeding interests of their respective com-
munities.
The Presidents of the Commissions make recommendations every year as
regards the employment of the Government stallions, distribution of prizes
for encouragement of horse-breeding, &c. The Presidents and members of the
Commissions meet in Congress every two years at Buda Pesth to discuss results.
Through these Commissions the Ministry of Agriculture is kept in constant
relations with the horse-breeders of the country.
Horse-racing
—Prizes—Subsi-
dies.
For the maintenance of the breeding establishments, organisation of races,
bestowal of prizes, &c, the Hungarian Parliament grants an annual subsidy J
of £220,000. The total expenses of the breeding establishments, including
their own revenue, amount to £160,000, the State thus contributing a sum of
£60,000 annually in prizes, &c. Besides this subsidy, there is a special
national fund available, used chiefly in aid of breeding thorough-bred stock.
The administration of this fund is in the hands of a Civilian Commission, and
the State only exercises a supervision over it. The fund amounts to about
£40,000, and its revenues are used principally for purchasing thorough-breds
in England or the Continent. These are sold at auction to the breeders of
this country. Since the establishment of this fund five thorough-bred stallions
and 100 thorough-bred mares have been purchased. These stallions and mares
are kept in the stud farm of the fund at Kaposztai-Megyes near Buda Pesth.
The administrative council of this fund is also authorised to spend money
on race meetings, prize giving, &c.; in fact, everything in horse-breeding in-
terests. The fund itself cannot be touched except by authority of the Govern-
ment and King.
Race-courses.
There are at present 10 race-courses in Hungary, 250 horses in training,
and 30 training stables. The Government grants annually £400,000 in prizes;
the Government grand prize being £400. In addition a. considerable number
of prizes and stakes are given by private societies and individuals.
For encouraging the small breeders, annual shows for prizes are held in
forty-eight different places, for which purpose the Government contributes
£2,000 annually. These prizes are awarded under management of the Provincial
Commissions. On the occasion of the shows, the Government buys a number
of yearling stallions. These are taken to the stud farm of Mezzöhegyes and
kept until four years old, when the best are sold for moderate sums, payable
in instalments, to those communities specially interested in breeding.
Private Stud
Farms.
The principal ones in Hungary are about 150 in number. In these
thorough-bred and half-bred English and Arabs are bred, also crossed Arab,
English, Spanish, Hungarian, and Norman breeds. These studs contain more
than 5,000 well-bred mares.
Horse fairs.
Horse fairs are held annually in fifty different places, and the number of
horses brought for sale averages yearly over 100,000.
Organisation
of the Military
Divisions of the
stud
Branch
employed
in
Government
Breeding
es-
tablishments.
These are subordinate to the Minister of War in all purely military
matters, to the Minister of Agriculture in questions relating to breeding and
economical administration, and to the General or Military Commander of their
respective districts in all questions of military police regulations.
The
employment of the military division or its individual members with the
army is entirely dependent on the consent of the Ministry of Agriculture.
19