'REPORT ON THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE BOMBAY PRESIDENCY FOR THE YEAR, 1910-1911' [‎247r] (77/150)

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i 9 IO ..9.i0 AGR!CULTURE. 4 ,
. At Surat experiments were continued with a view of determining the best of the
, -hrid and selected cottons. Three varieties have now been shown to give the most satis-
( torV results. Large samples of these varieties grown by cultivators were sent to the
cwetary of the International Federation of Master Cotton Spinners’ and Manufacturers’
Associations and were well reported on.. At Dharwar a comparison made between selected
kumpta seed and baz f: r seed conclusiv ely proved the superiority of the former in point of
ield P er acre - Cambodia . cotton from Gadag was sent to Liverpool and the report received
las satisfactory. The yield of this cotton was 409 lbs. per acre against 221 lbs. of the local
Ohar^ar-American. In Khandesh experiments were continued in order to ascertain the best
local varieties, and excellent results were obtained from Roseum cotton. At Nadiad good
rields were obtained from Buri and Cambodia cottons. A large amount of new work in
selection and hybridization was also carried on at Surat, Dharwar and Nadiad. Efforts to
evolve a cotton with the good characteristics of Cambodia but a longer stalk by crossing
Cambodia with soft Peruvian cotton were attended with some success. At the agricultural
firms in Sind experiments were chiefly carried on with reference to the Egyptian, American
Upland and local Sindhi varieties.
4. At Dohad several varieties of wheat were under trial, and the highest yield was
shown by Australian No. 27, a Punjab variety. A hybrid between Nagpur and Muzaffarnagar
wheats gave twice the outturn of the local wagia. At Dharwar Bansi wheat gave a-ood
results as a dry crop, yielding 850 lbs. per acre against 612 lbs. from the best local variety.
At Gadag Shet Parner wheat from seed newly introduced from Manjri yielded a relatively
hio-h outturn. Experiments to ascertain the comparative yield under irrigation of Mundi, the
common irrigated wheat of Khandesh, and of the Bansi variety gave results much in favour of
the latter. Experiments in selection and hybridization were carried on at the Dohad, Nadiad,
Dhulia, Dharwar and Gadag farms. At Manjri the Sia Das variety of wheat was found to
give a very large outturn. On the Sind farms experiments were continued with the object
of selecting suitable seeds of red and white wheats for distribution in place of the mixed
seeds commonly used. A number of South African, Australian and Indian wheat varieties
are under trial.
5. At Dhulia the two local jowars were compared with Egyptian white jowar, an early
variety likely to prove suitable in Khandesh. The foreign jowar, however, showed a poor
yield, being affected by absence of rain when the grain was setting. Trials with combined
grain and fodder jowars at Dharwar resulted in Handimasadi giving the best all-round results,
though Sadgar gave a heavier yield of kadbi. Pure fodder varieties gave very poor vields.
A comparison of local with Gujarat jowars went in favour of the former. Selection in jowar
is being systematically carried on at Surat, Dharwar and Dhulia. At Nagar and Akalkot
experiments in soil moisture conservation were carried out with rabi jowar. Steeping with
copper sulphate again showed good results on the college farm.
6. A number of new varieties of tobacco of the cigarette class have been obtained from
America and Turkey for trial at Nadiad. Experiments were also commenced with the object
of improving the low potash content of Nadiad tobacco, which is the cause of its bad burning
properties, by means of potash manuring in the forms of sulphate of potash and wood ashes.
7. Excellent results were obtained on red soil at Kelgeri with Spanish peanut and smal
Japanese groundnut grown as a dry crop. At Dharwar the Mozambique and Virginia varieties
produced good yields. Experiments were conducted in order to ascertain the best seed-rate
tor different varieties. At Surat the effect of various seed-rates on Spanish peanut was
ascertained, and this variety was also grown in alternate rows with cotton and jowar.
Manurial experiments were carried on at the Manjri farm and at Islampur, Shirala and
Sholapur. Spacing experiments and varietal tests were made at the Poona college and
Manjri farms, the latter including experiments with new Egyptian and Mauritius varieties.
8. At Dharwar the best yield was obtained from the black-seeded variety. Experiments
at the college farm indicated that, if the rainfall is good, additional irrigation has harmful
resu lts. At Nagar deep ploughing was found to give an increased yield of 10 per cent.
9 - At Nadiad a comparison between the iron and the country plough in preparation
^ a crop of tobacco showed an increased net profit with the iron plough of Rs. 7-8 per acre,
cep ploughing was compared with shallow cultivation for cotton and jowar at Surat. Cotton
was found to do badly on deep-ploughed land, while jowar has shown an average increase in net
proht °1 over 50 per cent, during five years’ experiments. At Gadag deep ploughing with the
- Pj 0u gh has given good results with rabi jowar. Experiments with maize and cotton at
oiad demonstrated the value of drilling seed compared with the local method of dropping
jqi I 1 ! furrow. Manurial experiments were carried on at Surat, Dharwar, Gadag and
an jn, rotational experiments at Dhulia, Surat, Dharwar and Manjri, and irrigational
x P e nments at Mirpurkhas, Sukkur, Baramati and Sholapur.
l0, Lxperiments were made with a French balance plough worked by indirect traction
free' re ^ uds were promising and may point to a partial solution of the important problem o
with ^ . acb s . od from deep-rooted weeds. Experiments were also conducted during the yea:
findel^A 118 ^ 11 ^ 6 * 8 P um P^ n §! machinery and well-boring plants and with an automatic water
At Surat some success was obtained with a mowing - machine suitable for the
lancls of Gujarit
B 963.— 1 j
gras:
Chap. IV.
PRODUCTION
AND
DISTRIBUTION.
Cotton.
Wheat.
Jowar.
Tobacco.
Groundnuts.
Gram.
Tillage and cultural
experiments.
Implements.