The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-09-19
HORSES FOR THE MIKADO.
HIS STUD FARM DIRECTOR HERE
TO BUP STA Ii ION

Has Travelled Through Europe and Made sone
Purchases, but Expects to Get Forty Horses
Izere-He IL AFTER Racing stock Friucipal-
Iy-The R1ikndo's Three BtE stock Farms.
Tho Hon. s. Niyama, Dircctor-General of tho
Imperial Stud Farms Of tho Japanese Empire, Is
in town. He is accompanied by Two Of his US
s~istants. Mr.. Z. onoutchi and Mr.. W. Shina-
gawa. They have been sent TO this country by
the Mikado for tho purpose Of buying Amcri-
can horses for the Japanese Governments stud
farms.
I'VE arrived here on Wednesday" said Mr..
Niyama to a Sun reporter last night. I'VE
came here to get thirty or forty good stations,
and will remain here probably six weeks. IT. Is
our intention to visit the leading stock farms in
this country, as we have done in Europe, be-
fore making any purchases here. We left
Japan on May /, and camo through the Suez
Canal. We visited the stock farms OF France
and Hungary, and there purchased eighteen
stations of tho Anglo-Arab breed. These we
shipped to Japan from Antwerp. We found some
good horseflesh In Germany. and in Belgium
we found much to admire In their big cart
horses. As we wero not commissioned TO pur-
chase any Of this sort Of stock we left the Bel
Rian horses, and had . hard job to forget their
fine appearance.
Our Government wants horses that can be
used for breeding purposes, stations that will
produce good saddle horses for our cavalry
regiments. The horses we have now in Japan are
small in stature and are known as Yumas. They
are bred on tho Government stud farms, Of
which we ha We q great number. Some of these
farms have as many as 200 brood mares. They
are managed by eighteen officers, under whom
are eighty farmers and grooms. It 10 for
these farms that we are now searching for good
Apart from the Government farms, the
Emperor has three stud farms which are his
vision over these three farms, as well as those
owned by the Government. The Emperor has
Right hundred OF these are at Simoussa.' The
smallest OF the Emperor's stud tarms 10 that at
est Is that at Niccap. in the northern part Of
Japan.
hore tho Emperor has 1000 horses. He takes
q great deal of interest in them and breeds
the fashionsbio race track at Yooko6ama.1 Here
tumn meetinss. They are running races with
a hurdle now and then. The race meetings
tends tess tnrf set a I Is sna not s'S Sllo Sss 'n under E@P sng c ar:
&c betting, but he puts UP what We call a shayo
silver cup or other piece either Of gold or sill.
yer. The price Of admission in our money is
We, have stake races and purse races,
but all are running races. l mean to say
1 TSs JS %s asve done ne d gGsliG 1u t5S9tt aSSu. F9 sses:
ting horses. About, ten years ago the EN-
peror sent me over here to get q few ~trotters,
there purchased Ave a. horses r. FOR t6Se'iiI imperial Is
stables. Tod. y We went TO the horse exchange,
t them 1 over cry THAT'S mfs'I ans american xDuid sny e Mp
Folks think 1t slrange.here to find that l can
speak English, although l have never. been hero
English in Japan. While attending the Ag-
ricultural College at Toxic one of the profes-
sors, an American, taught English to me.
r rom the time i was IL years old / was O
lover Of horses, and / learned all ! know about
teen years. For nearly twenty years l have
had charge Of all the stud farms in Japan, SO 1
ought to know a little about a horse. At some
OF the foreign stock farms which we visited
they tried to induce us to purchase horses that
were not up to the mark. Tried toto buneo.
fellow who tries to bunco me in a horse deal
will have to know more than know about
horseiiesh, This afternoon we went to Dan.
Ridgewood Farm. but we did not mako any
purchases. as l had heard a great deal about
Kentucky stock. and want to see some of it
before buying elsewhere.
shall probably visit Gravesend race track
on Monday, as none OF US has seen a horse race
Derby and the Grand Prix. and attended races
in other countries. but never here. They tell
"The horses bred on the Government stock
sale. Of, course. the Government saves the
best Of them. 1t is after getting our pick for
the army that we sell on our surplus STOCK TO
persons who want them for saddle horses.
Only a few people in Japan use horses for car.
riages. Many are Americans. There are quite
q number OF Americans living in Japan just
now. They attend our races. and sometimes
enter horses with American Jockeys on them.
Our Japanese jockeys wear their stable colors
just as they do here. and I suppose thev are no
heavier there than elsewhere.
After remaining "a few days in New York
we shall go to Philadelphia, and then probably
to Lexington. Ky. We hope to have all our
horses purchased and be ready TO sail home
about Oct. 81"