3
8. Of the 25 donkey stallions on the roll on 1st April 1889 two were des-
troyed, leaving 23, of which one was stationed in the Deccan and 22 in Sind and
Cutch. To this number must be added one in Beluchistán, thus making a total
of 24 in charge of the Superintendent of Horse-Breeding Operations during the
year under review. Of the donkey stallions 13 are classed as very good, 8 as
good and 3 as fair. Since the close of the year the only donkey stallion serving
in the Presidency proper has been transferred to Sind to which Province mule-
breeding is now entirely confined. The demand for good mules is steadily rising
in Sind and the Superintendent expects to receive from Europe 7 more donkey
stallions during the current trooping season.
9. The total number of mares covered by the donkey stallions in 1889-90
was 821 as compared with 890 in 1888, thus showing a decrease of 69, which
is explained to be due to the reduction in the number of stallions and the in-
ability of 4 of the stallions to cover owing to sickness or other causes. The
average number of donkey stallions employed was 20.20 and the average
number of mares covered by each stallion was 40.64 in the year under review.
10. The produce of Government donkey stallions foaled in the year under
review is shown as 40 colt and 33 filly mules as compared with 62 and 41 re-
spectively in the previous year. The proportion of produce foaled during 1889-90
to the number of mares covered in 1888-89 is given as 18.38 per cent., which is
much lower than the percentage (27.24) returned for 1888-89.
11. Horse-shows were held during the year at Poona, Ahmedabad, Rájkot,
Shikárpur and Sibi. The reports on all the shows held within the Presidency
have been reviewed separately by Government. The total expenditure on these
shows amounted to Rs. 20,520-1-3, of which Rs. 6,600 were contributed from
Provincial Revenues, Rs. 1,000 by the Government of India, and the rest from
Local Funds and other sources.
12. The total expenditure of the year under review amounted to
Rs. 65,606-9-4 or Rs. 2,283-6-5 less than that (Rs. 67,889-15-9) of the previous
year. It is stated that out of the total expenditure Rs. 17,443-0-3 were met from
Local Funds, Rs. 5,949-0-11 were paid by the Government of India on account
of the expenses incurred in Beluchistán, while the remainder (Rs. 42,214-8-2)
is chargeable to Provincial Revenues. The latter amount, however, includes
Rs. 1,000 on account of the contribution of the Government of India to the Sibi
Horse-show and should therefore be reduced by that sum. The actual expen-
diture from Provincial Revenues thus amounts to Rs. 41,214-8-2 against
Rs. 45,795-11-11 in 1888-89.
13. The total cost on account of supervision amounted to Rs. 13,613-8-7.
Under the head "keep of stallions" the expenditure was Rs. 44,393-0-9, or,
excluding Beluchistán, Rs. 38,443-15-10. The average cost of maintenance per
horse stallion was Rs. 363, being higher than the cost incurred (Rs. 344) in
1888-89 and the average (Rs. 340) of the three preceding years taken together.
The Superintendent of Horse-Breeding Operations attributes this increase to
the "increased prices of gram and fodder during the year." Excluding Beluchistán,
the average was highest in Sind and Cutch (Rs. 398) and lowest in Gujarát
(Rs. 286). The average cost of maintenance of each donkey stallion amounted
to Rs. 270 as compared with Rs. 260 in the previous year. There was thus
an increase in cost during the year under review and not "a satisfactory decrease"
as erroneously assumed by the Superintendent in paragraph 123 of his report.
14. In their review of the Administration Reports of the Horse-Breeding
Department in the Bengal and Bombay Presidencies for the year 1888-89 the
Government of India have remarked on the meagre results achieved in this
Presidency in comparison with the expenditure incurred, and the Superintendent
of Horse-Breeding Operations has been requested to furnish an explanation of
the circumstances as to which the Government of India have found reason to