'ANNUAL REPORT OF THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE BOMBAY PRESIDENCY, FOR THE YEAR 1909-1910' [‎146r] (23/148)

SUMMARY.
XV
agriculturist to borrow more freely for digging wells and making other
permanent improvements on his lands. In Sind also, advances under this
act increased owing. to the extension of cultivation. There are indications
that greater activity in the collection of instalments due for recovery is having
a salutary effect by checking indiscriminate borrowing and by removing
the idea that the repayment of takdvi may be avoided by procrastination.
Generally, the new system of tagai settlement appears to have been well
received.
31 . The services of the Civil Veterinary Department were again indented Breeding
upon for the purchase of 36 young Khillari bulls for breeders in the Ahmednagar operations ‘
District where the system of granting joint takdvi for the purchase of stock-
bulls prevails. The increase of 22 \n the number purchased shows that interest
in good stock is increasing in that district. Local Boards throughout the
presidency The name given to each of the three divisions of the territory of the East India Company, and later the British Raj, on the Indian subcontinent. possessed 31 stock-bulls, almost double the number of last year.
The herd of cattle of pure Kankrej blood at the Northcote Earm at Chharodi
consisted of 323 bead. Sixteen young bulls were sold for breeding purposes
against 7 last year. There are indications that the advantages accruing from
improvement of their stock are being gradually recognised by cattle-owners.
The question of handing back horse-breeding in the e selected ’ districts from
tbe Army Demount Department to the Civil Veterinary Department was under
the consideration of Government. The eight Government stallions in the
Deecan were used more extensively during the year, but there was a considerable
fall in the demand for the eleven stallions retained in Gujarat.
32. The Ahmedabai Horse Show resulted in success and the stock was up Pairs and
to the standard of former years. Cattle shows were held at Panvel, Mhasvad,
Sholapur, Ahmednagar, Jalgaon, Baramati, Yeola, Nevasa, Viramgam and
Ahmedabad, those at Mhasvad and ShoMpur being organised by the Civil
Veterinary Department. In Sind, cattle shows were held at Shik^rpur and
Talhar. The former was a failure, but the interest in the latter appears to
have revived, as the entries were threefold greater than those of last year.
33. Though the monsoon reached the coast on the normal date and eight Meteorology,
days earlier than in the preceding year, true monsoon conditions were not
established in the inland tracts till much later, so that the 27th of June may
be considered the date of commencement in Gujarat, Kathiawar and the
Deccan. Throughout July and during the first week of August the rainfall
was on the whole well distributed and favourable. Daring this period disturb
ances originating in the Bay of Bengal and moving over Northern India
resulted in heavy downpours of rain in the central parts of the country,
particularly around Mount Abu between the 16th and 19th July and between
tbe 2nd and 4th August. Another noteworthy feature in July was that
Karachi received half its annual rainfall in one day. After the oth of August
a well-pronounced break in the rains set in and lasted for a fortnight, but the
current revived after the 19th August, and from the 26th August there was
abundance of rain, so that the total rainfall for the season was nearly equal to
|be average. As in the preceding year the retreating current was marked by
ack of strength so that there was a general deficiency of rainfall in October.
^ November, Sind, Gujarat and Kathiawar were entirely rainless while the
0n kan and the Deccan received but half the normal rainfall. In Gujarat
Kathiawar however this deficiency was compensated by considerable rains
111 ^OGRiber but this benefit did not extend beyond these areas. A depression
Bering Sind on the 13th January resulted in fairly widespread rainfall In the
^orth-west for four days. Sind and Gujarat received no rain in February and
^ arc h, and in the Konkan and the Deccan rain was almost entirely absent in
Q cold weather and transition period from January to March.