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The juari grown on the Asylum farm was sold to the Poor-house authorities,
at Bagargunge, at rates slightly lower than the Bazaar rates then current.
The total receipts from all sources amounted to Rs.22,913-6-4, as compared
with Rs.19,272-7-9 in 1896. The total expenditure, in 1897, amounted to
Rs.22,303-14-5, as compared with Rs.16,934-12-6 in 1896.
The expenditure on the Dairy during the year amounted to Rs.2,986-10-5
which includes Rs.479 expended on the purchase of new live-stock and Rs.431 the
cost of an Alexandra Separator, a Victoria Churn and some dry fodder which was
stored. At the close of the year 1897, the live-stock in the Farm consisted of
a breeding bull, 12 pairs of draught-bullocks, 30 cows, 10 buffaloes, 5 buffalo-
calves, 25 heifers and 21 cow-calves, or a total of 115 animals, valued at Rs.2,264.
During 1897, the following additions were made to the Farm : —
Cows purchased
...
...
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Buffaloes
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...
...
...
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Calves
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...
...
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Calves born during the year ... ...
5
5
2
5
As I am about to submit a separate note on the subject, with certain pro-
posals which I wish to make, a very brief abstract only is given here of the Dairy
Farm. An epidemic of rinderpest broke out amongst the cattle during the early
part of the year (lasting from the 14th February to the 7th March) ; 13 animals
were attacked (4 cows, 7 calves, 1 buffalo and 1 buffalo-calf), out of which 5 died
(1 cow, 3 calves, and 1 buffalo-calf ); the affected animals were inspected,
and the diagnosis confirmed by some of the officials of the Civil Veterinary
Department, who also helped in the measures which were adopted for the segre-
gation of the affected animals. I obtained through the courtesy and kindness of
Dr. Simpson, the Health Officer of Calcutta, a dozen tubes of a gelatine and agar
culture of a bacillus, which Dr. Simpson has discovered and isolated, from the
blood and other parts of the internal organs of animals affected with rinderpest, and
which he considers is the specific bacillus of this disease. Dr. Simpson is further
of opinion that healthy animals, inoculated with these cultures, pass through a
mild form of rinderpest, and are thus rendered immune against any further
attack of this disease. In all 7 animals were inoculated in the manner indicated
by Dr. Simpson and with all necessary precautions, and all recovered, after suffering
from slight fever, &c, and none of these inoculated contracted rinderpest,
whether the immunity will be permanent is another question and remains to be
seen. The experiment was interesting, but the number inoculated was too small
to enable one to draw any distinct and definite conclusion as to the efficacy of
this preventive vaccine in rinderpest generally. It seems, however, quite harmless,
and it would, I think, be worth while to repeat the experiment on a large scale if
a suitable opportunity offered. It is unnecessary here to enter into details of the
medical treatment adopted in these cases, but I may note that soup made from
parts of the flesh of cattle who had died from the disease, was also given to some of
the sick animals, and apparently with benefit.
The actual cash sales of Dairy produce amounted to Rs.3,848-1-3 and the
expenditure on the Dairy to Rs.2,986-10-5 or a net cash profit on the year's trans-
actions of Rs.961-6-10. In addition to this, nearly 289 maunds or approximately
3,000 gallons of separated milk were supplied during the year to the Asylum
inmates and nearly 7 maunds of fresh milk, the total value of this being
Rs.756; credit must also be taken for the value of the cow-dung partly used
in Asylum as fuel and partly as manure, and also sold to outsidte buyers. The
value of this may be roughly taken, as Rs.250 of the value of he milk to the
Asylum inmates so much was said last year that nothing additional is necessary.
The Deputy Superintendent and other officials who have had to carry on the
ever-increasing Dairy work in addition to their own responsible duties, have all
worked very well, and the success of the Dairy is in no small measure due to
their exertions.