16
and the fact that they are, as I have already said, almost invariably in the croup.
The natives here call a disease "Mara," which name is similar to Mura, and is
caused by jowári, but it is by eating the young shoots, and causes hoven, and death
from that cause. I shall make further enquiries during the months of July to
September, when further information may be elicited. As to treatment, I should
advise the application of Stockholm tar to the back of cattle who are turned out
as a preventive.
IV.—CATTLE-BREEDING, INCLUDING CATTLE PAIRS AND SHOWS.
Cattle-breeding.
55. In continuation of the remarks made by Major Morgan last year, in
paragraph 62 of the Annual Report, I issued a circular to all Collectors, which
together with the replies received, is summarised below:—
Cattle-breeding is an important branch of agriculture and very
profitable to the individual agriculturist, as the whole of his transport and
field work are carried on by bullocks. This work is best done by well-
bred and typical animals. The necessity of preserving good bulls is thus
self-evident, but the deterioration of cattle and the mixture of breeds has,
at present, reached such a state that some attempt must be made to pre-
serve the purity of each breed.
It will be noticed, however, from the last Annual Report, paragraph 62,
that no District Local Boards in this Presidency have maintained stud bulls.
The manner in which cattle-breeding is carried on at present is as shortly
described below:—
In large towns, where there are professional milkmen, stud bulls are
kept by some of them for the use of their own cows, though their services
are utilised by other people on payment of a fee in money and ration fixed
by the owner of the bull. These bulls are in several instances good and
well fitted to the required purpose. In many villages, however, Walli bulls
i.e., bulls dedicated to some deity, are seen wandering about freely, fed by
the villagers and used to serve their cows. These are not always of a good
type. The system, however, is well fitted to the country and can be
taken advantage of in improving the breeds of cattle.
"With this object in view I made the following proposal to all Collectors:—
"That District Local Boards should purchase through an expert, such
as the Deputy Director of Agriculture, bulls of a pure type of the breed in
that particular district and dedicate them to some deity most popular in
the district. The initial cost would not be very much and quite within
the reach of any Local Board. The subsequent keep of the bull is nil, as
he obtains food whenever he serves a cow in addition to the fact that he is
fed by the villagers. It is also possible that the people of the 'Bania' class,
who always dedicate their bulls, would contribute to the Local Board for
the purchase of a selected bull."
I have not yet received replies from the Collectors of Khándesh, Sáitára.
Broach and Kaira. The Collectors of Násik, Poona, Belgaum, Dhárwár and
Surat have stated that the question will be considered in the next meeting
of the District Local Board, and the result communicated in due course.
The proposal cannot be adopted for want of funds, &c., in the districts of
Ahmednagar, Kánara, Kolába, Ratnágiri, Thána and Ahmedabad. In the
Panch Maháls a bull has already been purchased for Rs. 150 and handed
over to a herdsman, and the Board is not in a position to purchase another
bull for want of funds. Mr. Bagnell, the Collector of Bijápur, does not re-
commend the idea, stating that no one will be disposed to dedicate such bulls
to any deity, and in case any one does so, a bull so purchased and let loose will
not evoke the same feeling of superstitious regard which a true Walli bull
does among the ignorant cultivators, as they are not likely to divest them-
selves of the idea that the bull was purchased for serving cows and was let
loose only to deceive the people into a belief that it was dedicated. None
will give such a bull a morsel of food, and it would be difficult to protect it
from cattle-thieves. Instead of this course, he recommends that good bulls
should be purchased by District Local Boards and the use of their services