80
and vigour was equal to the first crop, due principally to top dressing with manure after each cutting), and
300 maunds of Karbi or Impey hay from the Kharif crop against 593 maunds 34 seers 'Charrie,' and 90 maunds
'Karbi' last year, making a total increased yield of this fodder for the year of 225 maunds.
Experiment will this year be made with the Amber variety of Impey, viz: the American Sugar Solghums
seeds have been obtained from the Deputy Director of Agriculture, Bombay Farms.
Maize
The area under cultivation was 60 bighas (12½ acres). Fifteen bighas were put down in April, the
yield from this plot was 25 maunds. This crop had to contend with unfavorable climatic conditions, viz: the strong
westerly winds which prevailed and dried up the top parts of the plants the plumes or male flowers, and as they did
not shed their pollen as usual, the final flowers in the cob did not fertilize. The remedy is to keep the young cobs
wet by artificial spraying during the time the pollen is being shed. The remaining 45 bighas were put down as a rain
or Kharif crop and the yield was 103 maunds 9 seers. The total yield of the 60 bighas (12½ acres) being 128 maunds 9
seers against 12 maunds 20 seers off 10 acres last year. The proportionate yield this year for 10 acres was 103 maunds
9 seers, being an increase of 90 maunds 29 seers on last year's yield from the same area, but an increase in the
total yield of 115 maunds 29 seers.
The following varieties were sown:—
Depot, Bilsi, Bombay, Basatikri, American and Sayan (Chalaka variety).
The Bilsi, Depot, and Sayan seed gave the best yield, the Basatikri coming next. The Bombay and American
were not a success. The Sayan cobs, though smaller than the other varieties, weighed more in grain than any
other cobs. They also became fit to cut a week earlier than the other varieties.
Carrots.
The area under cultivation was 4 .bighas (5/6th acre).
The outturn of this crop was also ex-
cellent, the yield being 325 maunds 31½ seers of carrots and 361 maunds 30 seers of carrot tops against 277
maunds 29 seers last year's yield from the same area, being an increased yield of 48 maunds for the 4 bighas. This
yield is only calculated to the 31st March as there are still sufficient carrots to feed the animals for at least
another fortnight.
Four varieties were sown, viz : (1) Bombay, (2) Matnaura, (3) Behar, (4) Shahpur.
All varieties were sown on the 1st September, after seven ploughings and plentiful manuring. The Bombay
carrots were the first to set and were first fit for issue for feeding, being 2 weeks in advance of the others;
they were of a deep red color, sweet flavoured, and of very great size, some of them weighing from
3 seers to 3½ seers each, the average weight being from 2 seers to 2½ seers each. The tops were also very
luxuriant. This variety was greatly admired by the European and Native visitors to the Farm. A sufficient
quantity of seed has been reserved for our own use and also for sale. The other varieties gave a good yield, but
were later in setting.
Oats.
The area under cultivation was 50 bighas (10 5/12 acres). The outturn was very good, the yield being
175 maunds of good Oatseed, which when weighed by the Overseer gave 37½lbs. to the bushel, ordinary Indian Oats
being computed at 32lbs. per bushel, and 200 maunds of Oat straw against 40 maunds of Oatseed and 60 maunds of
bhoosa last year's yield off 4½ acres.
The proportionate yield this year of 4½ acres is 75 maunds of Oatseed and 85½ maunds of bhoosa being an
increase of 35 maunds of Oatseed and 25½ maunds of bhoosa from the same area; but the total increase of outturn is
135 maunds of Oatseed and 140 maunds of bhoosa. Half a bigha was put under Canadian Oat cultivation. The seed
did not germinate freely and took a much longer time to do so than the indigenous variety. The plants also took a
much longer time to mature, they grow to a great height, are very thick and succulent and make an excellent fodder
for feeding when green. A small plot has been reserved for the purpose of obtaining the seed and this will be tried
again on a small scale next year. This crop was of course irrigated.
Barley.
The area under cultivation was 30 bighas (6¼ acres).
The yield was very satisfactory, the outturn
being 100 maunds of most excellent seed, and 150 maunds of bhoosa. The seed was weighed by the Overseer and
gave 53½lbs. per bushel. The ordinary Indian Barley being computed at 46lbs. per bushel, vide Lieutenant Pogson's
'Agriculture' for India. The yield last year of 2 ¾ acres was 38 maunds of seed and 30 maunds of bhoosa. The
proportional yield this year off the same area is 40 maunds of seed and (60 maunds of bhoosa being an increase
of 2 maunds of seed and 30 maunds of bhoosa from the same area; but the total increase on the whole outturn is 62
maunds Barley and 120 maunds bhoosa. The seed obtained is of most excellent quality, and I have seen none in
the district to equal it. This crop was also irrigated.
Gram.
The area under cultivation was 80 bighas (16 2/3 acres). The yield was good, the outturn being 300
maunds of grain and 400 maunds of bhoosa against last year's yield of 36 maunds of grain and 30 maunds of
bhoosa off 23 acres, the proportionate yield of 162/3 acres last year being 26 maunds of grain and 22 maunds of bhoosa.
This shows an increase yield this year of 274 maunds of grain and 378 maunds of bhoosa from the same area. The
outturn would have been greater but for the ravages of the grub worm (Soondi). The winter rains were also late,
which caused the plants to wither in the most exposed plots. The grain is of an excellent quality, and of a rich
brown colour.
Several plots were plentifully manured by my order, prior to the sowing, and a few plots were left unmanured
as was the custom in former years. The difference in the manured and unmanured plots was most marked. In the
former, the plants were stronger, thicker, and showed much less tendency to wither owing to the manured land
retaining the moisture for a much longer period. The yield of both grain and bhoosa was also much greater from the
manured plots.
Marwa.
The area under cultivation was ¼ bigha, the outturn being 20 maunds of Marwa hay and 1½ seers
seed. The crop this year was a complete success owing to the following procedure being carried out:—
(a). It was sown in seed beds during the 3rd week in May and transplanted as soon as we had a good shower
of rain.
(b). It was frequently weeded and after each weeding a top dressing of manure was given. As soon as the
plants began to flower it was cut and made into hay which was greatly relished by the horses who ate it
with great avidity.
Hay.
The hay made during the year under review amounted to 2,560 maunds against 1,015 maunds last year
being an increase of 1,545 maunds. This amount includes that obtained from the Superintendent's compound, and
also 609 maunds from the Hapur Encamping ground. Two hundred maunds being of a coarse description was issued
as bedding grass, and the ground from which it was obtained has been ploughed and harrowed, a part being put under
Impey and Buffalo grass cultivation. The remaining hay was of a most excellent quality, and consisted of a mixture
of all grasses. I have introduced the system of saving and storing all the seeds left at the bottom of the hay stacks
after the hay has been consumed. These seeds were collected and utilized by sowing broad cast in all bare places, a
light barrow being afterwards drawn over the places. This system of utilizing, what in most cases is considered
' waste,' has been most successful, as the parts so treated produce a much heavier yield to good mixed grasses, and the
plots also looked healthier and stronger. I think it: is much more desirable to obtain hay of mixed grass than
hay containing solely 'Anjana.' The latter is also most deceptive as to yield and weight.
The yield per bigha of plots containing Anjana only, gave a yield of 6 maunds only, whereas plots containing a
mixture of grasses gave an outturn of 6 maunds 25 seers, 7 maunds and 8 maunds per bigha.
Land on which animals had been allowed to graze prior to the rains also gave a better yield than ungrazed land,
the outturn of the former being 8 maunds, and the latter 6 to 7 maunds per bigha. Twelve acres of grass land was
also kept apart to try the effects of Cheeling' and burning, as follows:—
(a). Three acres cheeled, stems collected in cocks, burnt, and ashes strewed over surface of ground.
(b). Three acres cheeled and stems burnt as they lay on ground.
(c). Three acres cheeled only, not burnt.
(d). Three acres not cheeled.