50
Review by the Survey Commissioner and Director, Land Records and Agriculture, Bombay.
No. A/2985 OF 1894.
Poona, 27th September 1894.
Submitted to Government.
2. During the year under report Baluchistán was made into a separate
charge and the Superintendent, Civil Veterinary Department, handed over the
Baluchistán stallions and records on the 15th February last. Hence in this
review the Baluchistán figures have been excluded.
*Government Resolution
No. 8667, dated 27th Novem-
ber 1893, Revenue Depart-
ment.
3. The report under review has been framed as far as possible in accord-
ance with the form* laid down by the Goverment of
India and deals with horse-breeding, cattle-breeding,
veterinary dispensaries, and horse and cattle shows.
Veterinary Captain Morgan was in charge of the
Department during the whole of the year under report.
Sholápur, Poona, Belgaum,
Dhárwár, Bijápur, Khándesh,
Násik, Ahmadnagar, Ahmad-
abad, Shikárpur, Upper Sind
Frontier, Hyderabad, Balu-
chistan, Kathiáwár, Mahi
Kántha.
4. The Superintendent toured in the districts and states marginally noted.
It is impossible for him to minutely inspect his whole
charge during each year. He travelled 681 miles by
road, 12,268 miles by rail and 1,002 miles by boat,
making a total of 13,951 miles. The details of his
tours are given in a tabular statement which gives all
the information required by the Government of India.
The result of the Superintendent's observations during
his tours is given in paragraphs 178 to 189 of his report which indicate the
districts in which the best results are likely to be attained in horse-breeding.
A special feature in his tour was his visit to Káthiáwár, which was visited with
a view to purchasing young stock for the Rearing Depôt. Government stepping
in as a purchaser must awaken a new interest in horse-breeding among the
Káthiáwár Chiefs and will tend to induce them to breed up to a given standard
and employ none but the best stallions.
5. The Poona and Ahmadnagar districts are in the estimation of the
Superintendent the best horse-breeding districts of the Presidency proper. The
establishment of the rearing nursery at Ahmadnagar has tended and undoubtedly
will further tend to stimulate the enterprize in the surrounding districts.
Very little progress has been made in horses-breeding in Khándesh although
Government stallions have been stationed there for more than 30 years. The
Superintendent attributes this to the unsuitability of the stallions, the mares
being undersized ponies, which, though excellent, were not, with few excep-
tions, "fit to mate with anything larger than a 13-2 pony, and the majority not
even large enough for this." The experiment which the Superintendent
proposes to make of introducing one or two country-bred pony-stallions into
these districts seems commendable and likely to succeed. There seems little
doubt that if sound well-shaped hardy pony stallions were available, breeders
would be keen to secure their services. At any rate the experiment is worthy
of fair and full trial.
The central and northern parts of the Násik district have apparently small
pony mares similar to those of Khándesh, and there also thoroughly good
country-bred pony stallions might be tried advantageously. Parts of the
Sholápur district on the other hand seem to have mares suitable for the larger
stallions. Although in Ahmadabad the horse-show has collapsed, and horse-
breeding seems to have received a severe check within the last few years for
which it is difficult to account and matters have been made considerably worse
by the outbreak of anthrax last cold season, the Superintendent is hopeful
of the district for horse-breeding. He removed all old and unsuitable stallions,
purchased suitable young stock and strove to revive and improve the industry.
His efforts may be successful, as he says, "there are still a number of men
B 579—14