riding to hounds, never so strongly developed in France as in England, necessarily goes hand in hand with that improvement in the breed of light horses, in which Vial de Saint Bel took so large a share in the eighteenth century before he became head of our first veterinary college, and dissected the body of our most famous sire, Eclipse.

It may be added that the breeding of light horses in France, after having reached a low ebb, is now progressing rapidly every year, thanks to the system of public stud farms and substantial assistance given to breeders by the Government, who set aside more than 300,000l. annually for the needs of national horse-breeding. Thoroughbreds, too, are appreciably improving in quality, and to a French breeder, M. Edmond Blanc, goes the credit of having given the highest price ever realised by a horse of any breed. Nearly 40,000l. seemed a heavy sum to pay for Flying Fox, but his wonderful success at the stud has been a triumphant vindication of M. Blanc's judgment and enterprise.

Great progress is also being made with horse-breeding in all parts of Germany, for Prussia has always held her own in this direction, and the cavalry of Frederick the Great was said to have been the finest of the period. The original stock of horses in Prussia seems to have benefited largely by the infusion of Oriental blood at the time of the Saracen invasion of Europe, and at a comparatively recent date the English breeds did their share towards improving their quality. Sir Walter Gilbey has told us that during the past century the hackney blood has been widely diffused over the horse-breeding districts of Germany, particularly Hanover, Oldenburg, Holstein, Mecklenburg, and East Friesland; but long before the introduction of this blood, Eldenborg produced handsome coach-horses that made the name of the province well known throughout Europe, and it is on record that Oliver Cromwell, at the time of his Protectorate, received as a gift a team of coach-horses from the Duke of Oldenburg. Thus it is reasonable to rank the breed of Oldenburg among the national breeds of Germany, and the Hanoverians (so often used in English State processions) and the Mecklenburgs come under the same category. It is an odd coincidence that Germany should have the distinction of supplying both the cream Hanoverians for our State coaches and the black horses of Drenthe for our funerals.

Nationality in horses in Russia comes to the front in the Orloff trotting breed. To an Eastern horse called Smolenska, presented

to Count Alexis Orloff by Catherine II., according to several authorities, belongs the credit of having laid the foundation of the Orloff horses, but they derived the trotting action which has always been one of their characteristics from the Friesland breed, with which the Russians crossed the Arab blood. This Friesland horse, whose pace Blunderville described as a 'good comely trot,' did much to develop the trotting gait in different parts of Europe, and in all probability the Norfolk trotter, and just possibly the Yorkshire variety, get their brisk action from him.

The big horses of Flanders are renowned in the history of war, and in part from them are descended our own good breed of Shires, in whom we see the war-horse of medieval times, able to carry knights in armour, and to withstand the shock of joust and tournament.

Spain comes within the scope of this consideration of nationality in horses more than the majority of European nations do; for when the Arabian horses were originally brought to this continent they probably halted first in Spain. For ages the virtues of the Andalusian horse have been extolled, and one authority has it that the breed was acknowledged to be the best in Europe until the English produced the thoroughbred. 'I have heard some of the Spaniards,' said an old-time English writer,' to set such praise on their jennets' courage, as they have not letted to report that they have carried their riders out of the field, I cannot tell how manie miles after the jennets themselves have been shot clean through the bodies with Harquebushes.' As a national breed Spain has highly prized the Andalusian, and many of the wealthy hidalgos of the country still possess beautiful specimens of the ancient breed which do not differ very materially from the horses which Markham and the seventeenth century writers eulogised for their value in war and their accomplishments in the manège.

On this June 18 the scope of the International Show is to be enlarged. Perhaps the time is not far distant when the display will be ideally international. England and Ireland then would be represented by their incomparable thoroughbreds and hunters. The fine old roadster blood of Yorkshire and Norfolk would be seen in the driving classes; Scotland would send her fascinating Shetlands, and Wales her stout running cobs. Heavy horses, chosen from the Shire, Clydesdale and Suffolk breeds would come up to prove that room will always be found for the great draught-horse in spite of motor traction, while the Cleveland Bays and Yorkshire coach-horses would typify the survival of coaching in the face of

mechanical competition. America would again send her brilliant pace and action horses, her pacers and trotters. France would be to the front with the always serviceable Percherons and the Boulonnaise breed, and, together with other continental nations, she might with advantage show some of her best military horses as practical evidence of the value of Government assistance in horsebreeding. Germany would make a special display of her Oldenburgs and Hanoverians; Russia, of course, would have her Orloff trotters, and the stately Andalusians would come from Spain. Then from Arabia we should have the pride of the desert, while Walers from Australia would remind us that at the show of 1907 the Colonial-bred All Fours held his own against the highly trained Continental jumpers in many exciting competitions, while Canada, surprisingly well represented at the last show, would once more be prominent.

Such a gathering would unfailingly appeal to all the nations. The promoters of the International Horse-show went halfway towards the achieving this ideal last year, and the scheme is by no means impossible of realisation in the near future.

In June the prize list reaches a total of 10,000l., and three times that amount will have been spent on organisation before a single competitor steps into the ring. Among the thirty-three challenge and champion cups offered, those given as a mark of international courtesy by American, French, Belgian, and Dutch breeders are perhaps the most noteworthy. The system of an international jury, containing one English, one American, and one Continental expert has justified repetition by its success last year, and on the judges' list are representatives of Great Britain, of the United States, France, Belgium, Austria, Holland, Italy, Canada, and Spain. Every one of these countries is struggling to produce an animal that will beat last year's record of 7 feet 2 inches for the high jump. The Venture' Cup of 2001. is likely to arouse the keenest competition among four-in-hand teams for road coaching.

It would all be splendid were there not the touch of pathos at the back of it. It is the last effort of the horse and the horse-lover to show that the world cannot do without them. But the world as they have known it is passing away, and the Kingdom of Machinery is at hand. Let us make haste, while there is yet time, to see the finish of that mighty race which began on the Arabian highlands and ends in all the lustre of the limelights at Olympia.

THEODORE ANDREA COOK.

793

NEW FRUITS.

Most of us have echoed the cry of Punch's footman: 'It's high time a new animal was invented.' But a new fruit is still more desirable. It need not be more delicious than the old. Who was the sage who cried: Doubtless God might have made a better fruit than the strawberry, but for sure He never did'? Imagination fails to conceive that superior product, and yet it must be admitted that cream improves the flavour of strawberries. A fruit combining the two by its inherent virtue would certainly be a boon. In childhood I read of such a blessed prodigy. Some enthusiast described the cherimoya as tasting like strawberries and cream. I longed to visit Peru for no object beyond testing this assertion. The opportunity never came in many years of travel, but of late the cherimoya has been seen not infrequently at Covent Garden. Many of our readers have tried it, no doubt, but it may be asserted confidently that none of them observed a resemblance to strawberries and cream.

Nevertheless, such a happy combination may exist, or, what is more probable, may be created. I hope to show that some delicious fruits, known for ages, still await the attention of civilised man; and some others, well worth culture apparently, have but lately been discovered. But, putting these aside, for the moment, much may be done with the species already established.

If we cannot hope to improve the strawberry further, those few of us who know what Continental science has effected, and profit by the knowledge, find themselves able to enjoy it the year round-not of the quality to which we are used, but as tasteful and as large, perhaps, as the fruit which delighted our ancestors. This is the Perpetual' form, obtained by crossing garden varieties with Alpines. The invention is but a few years old; in a few years more assuredly its weaknesses will be corrected and its virtues strengthened.

·

Scientific gardeners are fond of saying: 'Hybridisation is in its infancy.' In truth, this phrase is heard so often that it rather gets upon the nerves of the fastidious. But it is undeniable all

the same. Hitherto the ingenuity of British hybridisers has been employed almost exclusively on flowers. The next generation will see marvels; already the species which they have taken in hand are transformed. But results as extraordinary can be obtained from the treatment of fruits-not less profitable either in the long run. Hybridisers generally are the pick of their class, not only intelligent but enterprising. Difficulties attract them, any new idea is welcomed if there be a reasonable prospect that it will pay expenses-for I speak of 'growers' or market gardeners, who have their living to get. Something has been done to improve the blackberry by crossing various species. Professor Babington reckons more than thirty. In one English garden at least beds of the excellent thornless' variety are established. One may buy hybrids of raspberry and blackberry-even of raspberry and strawberry. Few purchasers are satisfied with their bargain, probably, if they expected something 'nice.' But this is the beginning.

6

To discourse of new fruits without allusion to Dr. Luther Burbank and his achievements would be unwise, for many persons, supposing the omission due to ignorance, might conclude that the writer was unqualified to deal with his theme. But it is enough to correct this error. However interesting or important Dr. Burbank's labours may be, by his own statement they are still incomplete. When the authorities at Kew begged him four years ago to forward some of the remarkable fruits and flowers credited to his genius, he replied that none were ready; the reports circulating are premature. Under these circumstances, I need not speak of them.

Darwin threw a glance at the problem.

If (he wrote) it has taken centuries and thousands of years to improve or modify most of our plants up to their present standard of usefulness to man, we can understand how it is that neither Australia now the Cape of Good Hope nor any other region inhabited by quite uncivilised man has afforded us a single plant worth culture. It is not that these countries, so rich in species, do not, by a strange chance, possess the aboriginal stocks of any useful plant, but that the native plants have not been improved by continued selection up to a standard of perfection comparable with that acquired by the plants in countries anciently civilised.

It follows that our colonists ought to have begun the process of improving those useful weeds, neglected by the savages, as quickly as possible, to make up for lost time, but I am not aware that an attempt has been made. Competent persons would not be daunted