REVIEW BY THE SURVEY COMMISSIONER AND DIRECTOR, LAND RECORDS
AND AGRICULTURE, BOMBAY.
No. A/2143 OF 1898.
Poona, 26th July 1898.
Submitted to Government.
Superintendent's tour.
Ahmednagar, Khándesh, Násik, Sholápur, Poona,
Dhárwár,
Belgaum, Ahmedabad, Kaira, Surat,
Hyderabad, Shikárpur, Upper Sind Frontier, Bháv-
nagar, Grondal, Vankáner, Morvi, Pálitána, Junágad,
Dhrángadhra and Rájkot.
2. Veterinary Major Morgan was in charge of the Department during the
whole of the year, except from 15th October to 7th
December 1897, when Veterinary Lieutenant Walker
acted for him. The distance travelled by the Superintendent, Civil Veterinary
Department, was 9,296 miles (807
miles by road, 7,660 miles by rail
and 829 miles by boat), against 9,114
miles during the preceding year.
He visited the marginally noted
districts and States, and paid six visits to Bombay. He inspected all the vete-
rinary dispensaries, excepting the one at Bhadgaon, and attended all the shows.
Horse and pony stallions
on the register.
3. There were 66 horse and pony stallions on the register at the com-
mencement of the year. Out of these, 8 stallions were
removed from the register, 4 being destroyed and 2
sold as unserviceable, and one sold to the Cutch Dar-
bár for stud purposes, and one transferred to Beluchistán. Among the stallions
destroyed was the celebrated " Tom O'Shanter. " Two Thorough-bred English stal-
lions were added during the year under report, but owing to exorbitant prices
demanded, the purchase of Arab pony stallions had to be deferred to the com-
mencement of the current year, when the Arab dealers, anxious to get back to
their country, reduced prices. The number of stallions, standing at the close of
the year, was thus 60, out of which 15 were Thorough-bred English, 1 half-bred,
4 Hackney and Norfolk Trotters, 39 Arab, and 1 country-bred.
Stallions actually at stud
work.
4. The effective strength or the actual number of
stallions at stud work during the year fell from 59.52
to 58.82, of which 9.86 were working in Gujarat, 1403
in Sind and the rest in the Deccan.
Mares covered.
Province.
Deccan ...
Gujarát ...
Sind
...
Average ...
1896-9 7
32.29
29.70
33.65
32.24
1897-98.
23.33
29.41
32.78
26.60
5. The total number of mares served by Government stallions was 1,565 or
354 less than during the preceding year. Out of these,
815 were covered in the Deccan, 290 in Gujarát and
460 in Sind, against 1,161, 265 and 493, respectively,
during the preceding year. The average number of
mares covered per stallion was 26.60, against 32.24 in
the previous year. It will be seen, from the marginally
noted figures, that this falling off was almost solely
confined to the Deccan, owing to the famine and plague
prevailing in that division.
The certification system.
6. Only five out of the 36 officers empowered exercised their powers of
granting certificates to mares fit for service by
Government stallions, and they issued 37 certificates.
From this it appears that little or no headway has been made ; at the same time,
there are no reasons why the system should be abolished, and the Local and
India Governments have been pleased to give a further trial to the system.
(Vide Government Resolutions, Nos. 3668 and 4330, dated 2nd June and 1st
July, respectively, 1898, Revenue Department.)
Produce statistics.
7. Out of 1,919 mares covered during the preceding year, 714 foaled, 857
did not hold, and the result of 348 coverings was not
known. The following statement shows the results
for the different divisions of the Presidency :—
B 302—14