'Government of Bahrain Annual Report for Year 1359 (February 1940 - February 1941)' [‎186r] (43/74)

AGRICULTURE
I h< t xp< riim ntal garden at Hmlova was enlarged clurinjf the year and more land was put
under cultivation. A quantity of Kuropean vegetables were ^rown in the garden and sold in the
vegetable bazar but it was found difficult to ^et good prices for them. Potatoes were successfully
grown and sold well. The heavy rain in the autumn caused much of the garden to be flooded and
all the first sowing of vegetable seeds was destroyed. The most profitable crop is still lucerne
which grows well and easily can be sold at all times of the year.
Barley was planted in the open ground below Rafaa and in a sheltered valley near Safra.
I he crop was fairly successful; though it did not attain a good height it produced heads of corn
which were of fair size.
Ihe herd of white Rath cattle, many of them prizewinners, which were purchased from
Alwar State arrived during the year. As a temporary measure they were kept at Budeya. They
are considerably larger than the local cattle and the cost of their food is expensive. It is not yJt
possible to give a definite opinion of their milking qualities but it appears that the Rath cows
continue in milk for a very much longer time than the Bahrain cows and it is possible that they
will show a greater annual yield of milk.
His Excellency the Viceroy presented His Highness Shaikh Hamad with a prize Sindi bull
lor breeding purposes. Ihe local cattle are of two types: one is said to have been introduced
from India, the other from Arabia. Experiments are being made by crossing the local cows with
the Sindi bull, but it will be some years before the results will be known. The public show some
reluctance in bringing their cows to be served by the bull mainly because they think that he is
too heavy.
There is a steady increase in the amount of new land which is being put under cultivation
both near Manamah and on the coast especially between Zellaq and Saddad. Almost all the new
cultivation consists of lucerne, dates, and local vegetables which the public find more profitable
to grow than European vegetables and otberg*crops which last only for a few months of the year.
No more artesian wells have been sunk and this restriction has reduced the extension of cultiva
tion. It is a restriction that was very necessary owing to the apparent sinking of the water level.
In several areas, especially in the gardens at Burri, the natural springs have decreased so must
that some of the date gardens are dying for lack of water. The gardens in low-lying areas have
not yet been seriously affected.
PASSPORT DEPARTMENT
Ihe revenue from passports, etc., amounted to Rs. 14,000. This sum is only slightly more
than the cost of maintaining the department, and it is likely that the revenue will decrease in
1360. Fhe passport department maintains records of all persons entering and leaving Bahrain
and supplies detailed lists and statistics to the Bahrain Government and to other officials.
During the year 14,475 passengers arrived in Bahrain, of whom 3,219 were steamer pas
sengers; 10,997 came in native craft and 259 by air.
The Bahrain Government permitted Iranian divers, who dived with and were indebted to
Bahrain nakhudas, to visit Bahrain for the diving season without obtaining regular travel docu
ments.
There is still a large influx of Iranians into Bahrain; many of them are destitute and come
seeking employment. These persons frequently land off lonely parts of the coast and, after swim
ming ashore, make their way to Manamah. Numbers of Arabs from Qattar enter the country in
•1 similar way, although the number has decreased since the mounted police patrols are on duty
a ' 0 ng the coast. During fhe year ^7 prosecutions were instituted by the department against
persons who had entered the country unlawfully. The police and the passport department co
operate well in efforts to prevent illegal entry of undesirable aliens.
The following were among the important visitors to Bahrain during the year:
The Hon'ble Political Resident A senior ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul General) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Residency. in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , Lieut.-Colonel C. G. Prior, c.i.e.
His Excellency A1 Signor G. B. T rinwnzi, Bishop of Gaza.
His Excellency Pail Knabexshi e, United States Minister at Baghdad.
His Royal Highness Prince SaVo bin Abdilaziz, Crown Prince of Sa'udi Arabia.
Shaikh Rashid bin Humaid, Ruler of Ajman.
Shaikh Sa'id bin Maktum, Ruler of Dubai.
Shaikh Abdulaziz Al-Mo'ammek, Amir or Taif.