(5)
45. The following additions, etc were made during the year under review
at a cost of Rs. 2.283; oil godown, motor tractor shed, bullock shed, culverts and
syphons and kutsha irrigation channels for irrigation, repairs to sheep houses, and
servants' quarters.
46. One hundred and fifty-four acres of land were cultivated during the
year at cost of Rs. 3,980 and which yielded a return of 19,86,281 lbs. grain and
fodder, the market value of which was estimated at Rs. 18,772.
This, together with the grazing, fed the stock, leaving a balance of 4,49,611
lbs., which will feed the stock up to the breaking of the monsoon. It was hoped to
create a six months' reserve but owing to the poor grazing due to the weak monsoon
it had to be broken into. For the last six months the cattle have been stall-fed at
the rate of 7,000 lbs. of green and dry fodder per day. The following fodders, etc,
were grown:—Rhodes grass, lucerne, maize, jowar, guar, gram, barley, turnips,
and sugarcane. Sileage was again made and relished by the stock. A chaffing
machine and blower capable of dealing with 600 to 700 maunds of fodder daily
is badly needed so as to improve the sileage and it is hoped to be able to purchase
one when the markets are more favourable.
47. The farm as regards advancement has again made good headway. It
was hoped to do a great deal with the motor tractor, but it was not received until
late in the year and soil conditions were not to its advantage. A careful record
will be kept of the running costs, etc., of the tractor so as to be able to state what
it actually costs to cultivate a known acreage of land and under different condi-
tions, etc., so as to be a guide to anyone who is contemplating taking up mechani-
cal power in place of bullocks.
(2) SHEEP-PREEDING.
48. The numbers of adult sheep at the end of the financial year were 663
and 150 mixed unweaned lambs. Last season the following matings were carried
out;—
Pure Merino and country ewes.
Ditto and half-bred Merino ewes.
Ditto and three-quarter-bred Merino ewes.
Half-bred Merino rams and three-quarter bred Merino ewes.
Three-quarter bred Merino rams and half-bred Merino ewes.
Romney Marsh rams with half-bred Merino ewes.
Ditto
with three-quarter bred Merino ewes.
Ditto
with country ewes.
49. In every case the progeny was superior in wool quality to the
parents, but in the second and third Merino crosses, the progeny in many cases
lack size and constitution. The wool of the seven-eighth Merino cross is excellent
both in fineness and length of staple, but this has been gained at the expense of
mutton carcase and robustness. At this stage a cross with a good mutton type
is desirable. Last June six Romney Marsh rams were imported for this purpose,
but these did not survive more than three months after arrival. However a few
lambs from these have been obtained.
50. It is intended to import some rams of the Leicester or Romney breed
from the warmer districts of Australia, which should prove better able to resist
the conditions of climate here. In the few lambs obtained from the Romney
Marsh rams an improvement in frame is clearly marked. The progeny of the
Romney Marsh and half bred Merino ewes have lost a deal of quality in the wool,
but those from the Romney Marsh and three-quarter bred Merino ewe have lost
little in character, although the wool does not appear so fine as that of the female
parents.
51. Personally I am of the opinion that these results go to show that our
efforts should be directed towards breeding a quantity of seven-eighths Merino
ewes and rams, and a quantity of seven-eighths bred Leicester or Romney ewes and
rams. Then mate them together, the seven-eighths Merino rams to the seven-
eighths Leicester ewes, and the seven-eighths Leicester rams to the seven-eighths
Merino ewes. (During the carrying out of this experiment other crosses will be
carried on with the members of the flocks not used for this object.) This cross
should produce an animal carrying a fleece of Merino character modified of
course by the long wool blood and a carcase approaching that of the Leicester or
Romney Marsh. Having obtained this it remains by careful selection and