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This officer reports as follows :—
"Not up to the standard of the Punjab or North-Western Provinces Fairs, but nevertheless a very useful
one for Native Cavalry. The importation of Government stallions in and around Jeypore would have good
results; great interest appears to be taken in horse breeding, and I have no doubt the stallions would be well cared
for.
The commencement in the development of horse breeding in this State
on sound lines, is most satisfactory.
Jodhpur.
496. I was unable to visit this State during the year under review, but, as
stated in last year's Administration Report, horse breeding to be of any value
must be carried out on some recognized system, and this, I fear, cannot be said
to exist in Jodhpur.
497. As, during 1894-95, so in March last, a horse show was held, but the
interest in this useful adjunct to horse breeding, I regret to find was not main-
tained; for whilst 874 horses were present last year, only 321 attended this year.
Forty seven horses competed for Rs. 822 awarded in prizes; none of which are
reported by the Committee as being good; this is disappointing.
EASTERN STATES OF RAJPUTANA.
498. From remarks made in the Annual Administration Report of this De-
partment for the year 1894-95, it will be seen that of the three States in Eastern
Rajputana, Bhurtpore alone offered any chance of success. I therefore con-
fined my visit to this State during 1895-96, and am pleased to say that I met
with marked success.
Of the 10 stallions reported as useless last year, 5 had been got rid of, and
of the 5 remaining, 4 were ordered by Colonel Loch, the Political Agent, to be
sold and 1 to be retained to cover small mares.
Colonel Loch kindly collected some mares from each Tehsil in order to
enable me to judge of the class of mare to be found in the State; the opinion
I formed of these was that about half were good roomy mares deficient in bone,
but which with good Arab sires, would produce horses fit for Imperial
Service Troops and Native Cavalry. Of the remainder, some were pony mares
that could be covered by the small Arab, whilst the rest could be made available
for mule breeding when popular prejudice would be overcome.
The State concurring in my opinion agreed to purchase 3 Arab stallions
and one donkey.
Already these are at work, and I receive most gratifying accounts to the
effect that the horses are covering steadily and that already a few pony mares
have been covered.
No. 16—32 M. D., dated 5th May 1896, to the Sec-
retary to Government of India, Military Department.
In a letter received from Colonel Loch, he states that he will have work for
two Arabs at Bhurtpore itself, and that two or three more will be required during
the current year; further that he has been strongly advised to send two donkeys
to the north of the State in the country inhabited by the Meo Mussalmans, who
have no scruples against the breeding of mules. A better class of donkey
than the Persian is, however, asked for, and the sanction of the Government
of India has been asked to allow three
Cyprians to be imported for the State
with those that will be despatched for this Department during the current
year.
Rearing farm at Bayana.—I inspected the young stock reared at this
place, and found them to he in good condition. In all, 46 were present amongst
which were many promising youngsters, The main fault was that they were
narrow-chested; this no doubt arose from the fact that they are not reared on
the liberty system. Although, as a rule, I am not an advocate for Home
Studs, still I certainly do not advise the abolition of this Depôt which, if put
on a sound basis and properly supervised, would yield to the State a good
number of remounts annually ; rather do I advocate the extension of this rear-
ing Farm and I submitted, for the consideration of the Political Agent, the
adoption of breeding from the best mares of the Local Rissalas, and that the
young stock together with any, the produce of the State stallions, which may
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