‘REPORT ON THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE BOMBAY PRESIDENCY, FOR THE YEAR 1919-20’ [‎273r] (93/192)

1919-1920.]
AGRICULTUEE.
69
Chapter IV.
PRODUCTION
AND
assistance of a chemist as promised by Government. The very striking distribution.
success of bone-meal applied to rice on laterite soils, as demonstrated on
Government farms, is being appreciated by cultivators, and a small demand
for bone-meal is now beginning, and is expected to increase rapidly.
6. The only pedigree bulls that the department has to distribute are Animal husbandry.
Kankrejis from the Ohharodi and Surat Farms, and Karachi bulls from the
Dairy Farm. Kankreji bulls were being put out on the premium system,
and the department was purchasing Khillari bulls in the open market to
supply to breeders in the Deccan. Pure bred Mysore cattle are now being
purchased to form the nucleus of a herd. This herd will in time supply
bulls for the Southern Maratha Country, and very possibly to a considerable
part of the Deccan. The buffalo bulls kept for the use of the public on
Government farms were fairly used, and the experiment of using she-buffaloes
for ploughing in the Konkan shows that such a development is quite possible
and should be profitable to small holders.
7. The question of fodder is of the greatest importance in connection Cattle and fodder,
with cattle breeding; for,_ in tracts where fodder famine is chronic, little
success can be hoped for in improving the type of cattle. In such tracts small,
hardy cattle have a survival value which, for the poorer cultivator, puts them
ahead of the larger cattle which the effective tillage of the soil demands. The
local storage of fodder at Chharodi and Kopergaon continues, and these supplies
are very useful when shortage occurs. During the past few years the trouble
has been that fodder shortage has occurred so frequently that it was not
possible to build up the reserves that the department had hoped to store
against famine. The question of shredding and baling kadbi on a large scale
at Karajgi in the Dharwar district is being considered. Efforts are being
made to popularize various fodder crops, a number of silos have been
constructed in various parts of 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. in which jowari, maize, grass and
cane tops are stored, the use of mowers and chaff cutters is being demon
strated and the use of prickly-pear as a rough feed for cattle is being widely
advocated. Some results are being secured from this campaign, but the
progress is slow. No improvement in the fodder supply can be obtained
unless people are prepared to undergo some expenditure in this matter, and
people are very reluctant to do this, as a business proposition, because the
returns from the average cattle are so small. The cattle breeding industry,
speaking generally, rests on an economic basis; and it is very difficult to
devise any acceptable remedy for the present state of affairs.
8. The work of the Agricultural Engineer was continued on the same Agricultural
lines as in the previous year. One hundred and twenty-seven successful engine3nng ‘
bores were made during the year and much attention was paid to pumping
plants.
9. Eleven bulletins and 7 leaflets (with vernacular versions) were issued Pro P a g anda '
during the year. Four irregular agricultural journals were published, as
usual, with the assistance of the Agricultural Department. Three agricultural
shows of some size and several fairly elaborate farm demonstrations were
held. A large number of village demonstrations and ploughing matches, etc.,
were organized all over 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. , at which the advantages of improved
implements, good seed, chemical manures and other matters were shown in
actual practice in cultivators’ fields.
4.—Agricultural Education.
1- The number of students attending the Agricultural College shows a cX* e AgriCUltural
marked increase and now stands at 203 as against 170 in 1919. Of the 203
students at the college, 136 belonged to the Bombay 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. and 67 came
r oni other parts of India and from Ceylon. It is remarkable that considerable
Lumbers of students joined the college, not only from adjoining provinces and ^
afes, but also from the United Provinces, Bengal, Assam and Burma.
2. The schools are doing useful work, except the one in Sind. It is Agncuitmai schools
m ended to open six new schools at Bagalkot, Karad, Niphad, Surat, Jalgaon
and in Sind.