The entries during the current year are, I am informed, not far behind the large total of 1897; this is the more gratifying in view of the fact that more stringent conditions of registration have been imposed. It is not desired to overload these pages with statistics; but the following few figures quoted from the Report of the Council in March last will serve to show the progress made in the last fourteen years. 1884 1898 Number of Members 903 2237 Entries in Stud Book for year 1423 3581 Value of Prizes given £524 £1200 The last eleven volumes of the Stud Book have contained in each year tabulated lists of prizes won; thus displaying fully a very important appendage to a pedigree. The illustrations, some from paintings, others from photographs of stallions and mares which have taken the Championship at the Society’s Annual Show, which are to be found in each volume, possess not only an instructive value for the breeders of the day, but as time goes on will form a series of the utmost interest and importance as the pictorial record of the progress of the breed. The essays on breeding and management which are to be found in these volumes, coming from experts who are not only masters of their respective subjects, but who possess the gift of lucidly conveying their knowledge, enhance the value of the Stud Books in no small degree. The Show held each spring serves a double purpose in promoting the interests of the breed and keeping breeders in personal touch with one another to the advantage of all. It may be worth giving here, in condensed form, the number of entries received for the Shows of the last ten years since the first edition of this little book was published. 1889 1890 1891 1892 1893 Stallions 276 480 332 337 294 Mares 171 166 165 224 213 Geldings -- -- -- -- -- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- 447 646 497 561 507 ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- 1894 1895 1896 1897 1898 Stallions 268 241 263 319 300 Mares 207 226 223 217 210 Geldings -- 22 17 17 16 ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- 475 489 503 553 526 ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- Many causes operate to produce fluctuation in the numbers of entries; but the general average is well maintained, and the quality of exhibits, as the auctioneers’ returns prove, continues steadily to advance.