MUKTESAR, FOR THE TWO YEARS ENDING THE 31 ST MARCH, 1924
9
of an extension of cultivation operations, namely at Latoli village, which
had been allowed to run derelict and become covered with jungle for a
number of years, was added to the dairy for concurrent development,.
14 acres were cleared during the year 1922-23 and 84 acres during 1923-24.
Excellent crops of fodder have been grown upon the cleared area, pri-
marily for the provision of green food and silage for the dairy herd,
including the experimental dairy herd, now maintained at the laboratory.
The amount of fodder grown on the area of 2½ acres which were under
cultivation in 1922-23 was 92 maunds, and during 1923-24, 2,858 maunds
were obtained from the rabi crop. The acreage of land under cultivation
elsewhere in the station was 42½ in 1922-23, and 53¾ in 1923-24, providing
1,838 maunds fodder in 1922-23, and 10,067 maunds fodder in 1923-24.
The extension of cultivation elsewhere is being kept in abeyance until
information is forthcoming concerning the success of the Latoli experi-
ment. The demands for green fodder from the station gardens for the
feeding of small animals considerably increased during the years under
report.
Acting likewise upon the advice of the Imperial Agriculturist, steps
were taken to improve the milk producing capacities of the cattle main-
tained at the Dairy, by the purchase through the Imperial Dairy Expert,
of good class Karachi and Thar-Parker cows for crossing with the high
class Holstein bull kindly lent by the Imperial Agriculturist to the Dairy.
In order to investigate the very important problem of the immunity of
calves towards rinderpest and also to ascertain the susceptibility of
various breeds and cross-breeds to contagious bovine abortion it was
decided in 1922 to maintain a number of cattle at the Dairy as an Experi-
mental herd, the accounts of which are kept separate from those of the
Dairy herd maintained for the purpose of supplying the needs in milk of
the inhabitants of the station and which is run on a self-supporting
basis. The quantity of milk sold to the station inhabitants during
1922-23 was 16,416 seers at a price of 3 annas per seer and 2,962½ seers at
4 annas per seer, and during 1923-24 14,238 seers, at a price of 4 annas
per seer. It is anticipated that in a few years, when results have
accrued from the scheme now in operation for the improvement of the
Dairy and cows of small profit have been eliminated, ample supplies of
milk will be placed at the disposal of the inhabitants at a low rate, a
consideration which, together with the provision of ample cheap
supplies of vegetables, makes much for their contentment in this
isolated station.
In March, 1923, the Agricultural Adviser to the Government of India
(Mr. S. Milligan) inspected the resources of the Izatnagar estate, where
about 800 acres of land, the greater part of which is of fair quality for
cultivation, are available. It was decided to lease out the land for the
first few years during which serum production is carried out on the estate
to a contractor, in return for a certain proportionate yield of the grain
produced on the land, but that as soon as sufficient experience has been
obtained concerning our needs for the animals maintained during the
serum season at Izatnagar steps should be taken to exploit the