23
126. The following were purchased in India:—
Persians
Arabs
Country-breds
Cabuli
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
Total
...
...
...
...
...
1
3
11
1
16
Of the 11 Country-breds, 5 were young and had to be run on the Farm at
Babugarh.
127. Six Jacks that had been run on the Farm for two years were allotted
to the various Provinces. The number allotted was, therefore, as follows:—
Persians
Arabs
Italians
Cyprians
Country-breds
...
...
...
...
...
Total
...
...
...
...
...
1
3
15
14, one having died.
12
45
128. A fair trial has been given to donkey-breeding at the Babugarh Farm,
but it has, I regret to say, proved a failure. The mares were purchased by my
predecessor, and were as fine mares as could be obtained. The best Italian was
allotted to cover these mares, and the foals always promised well. They were
allowed constant liberty and the best of grazing, and were always fed under
supervision, but still they never developed sufficient bone to warrant my allotting
them for mule-breeding. On my last visit, I had to order the sale of 9 head of
this young stock as being unfit for any thing. Under the circumstances I felt it
my duty to recommend that the mares should be sold; this was sanctioned.
129. In purchasing young stock to be run on the Farm, I have to exercise
great care in selecting none but such which show good development of bone, as I
have come to the conclusion, after careful observation, that Babugarh is not a good
bone producing centre.
130. As the producing of Ordnance mules is of the greatest importance, I
shall first consider the Jacks which are likely to meet this end; the Italian and
some of the Cyprian are the only ones which can be depended upon.
131. Mr. Sutherland having repeatedly informed me that drain on Italy
from countries other than India had resulted in the removal of all the best Jacks,
whereby the breed was deteriorating, I addressed the Government of India
requesting that full liberty should be given to him, as our purchasing Officer,
to purchase the number required for this country wherever he could get the
best, bearing in mind that we require more size and substance and especially
girth measurement. I, therefore, trusted that some more Spanish donkeys would
have been received this year, but Italians only have been sent out.
132. Mr. Sutherland, in a letter to the Secretary of State for India being
a reply to the above recommendation, states that he doubts if he will be in a
position to avail himself of the recommendation. I greatly regret this especially
as I gather from his letter that the cause was ill-health. I say, I regret it, for I
feel that to this gentleman's exertions, and to the fact that he has sent out year by
year such good Jacks, are due the excellent Punjab mules now to be found in our
Mountain Batteries. Still, by Mr. Sutherland's own showing, we must look
elsewhere than to Italy, for, in the above quoted letter, he states:—
I have on more than one occasion, pointed out that, in consequence of the great demand generally for the best
Italian donkey stallions of the Razza type, as mule-getters, which has been going on for some years, and also on
account of the apparent inability of the Italians to meet this demand by breeding more and better animals, it has
become an increasingly difficult task to find suitable Jacks, especially as it has been intimated to me that larger
animals with correspondingly larger girths and more bone are now required for breeding Ordnance mules.
133. The original standard given me for Jacks, was:—
Height—from 12 to 13 hands or even 13-2.
Girth—not less than 54 inches.
Shank—not less than 6¾ inches.
To these measurements I will say Mr. Sutherland has adhered except
perhaps in girth and shank, and this to only a very slight degree; still, I think, it