The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-06-19

thing like 100000 acres in the native states. and about 5.000.o00 are con tralled by the government of Bombay The Wheat Crop of India
 Tell me something about your whea, crop"
 We are increasing the area and oui facilities for handling the crop. We have now something like 25.000,00 acres in wheat, and the greater part of that Is in the northern part of the country and especially in the Pun1ab Most of the wheat goes to karachi for shipment to Europe. It is taken from the farms to the cars and shipped, with out storage In elevators. Indeed. 1t is a question as to whether the elevator system Is not what we need. That is live question in India"
 How much does your wheat yield per acre?"
 "On our irrigated lands we can raise from twenty to thirty bushels. but the crop must be carefully cultivated and manured and 1t must be watered three or four times. We sow in October and harvest in March. In most localities 1t Is reaped with sickles; it Is thrashed with bullocks and winnowed in the wind. Much of the blowing is done with wooden blows, and altogether the culti- vation Is primitive.
 Our agricultural stations are now doing all they can to introduce mod ern machinery. They advise the use of iron blows and of reapers and thrash : CTS, They show the farmers how to use such machines and encourage com petitive trials on the part of the deal CTS in different makes.
 We are also testing as to artificial manures India produces but little barn. Ar0nninRl Of th e cattle are used for fuel, and the aver age peasant gives almost nothing back to the soil The stations are distribut- ing leaflets describing improved farm ing and giving suggestions. Yet 1t Is difficult to make the ryots, as our farmers are called. undertake any new methods or try new seeds.'
 Stock rsxning
 "what are you doing to improve your stock?" I asked.
 We have breeding establishments con- nected with some of the agricultural sta- tions, and there is breeding farm at the Phipps Agricultural college, of which I have spoken. Many of the provincial | governments hold agricultural shows where prizes are given for the best bred animals, and of late dairy farms have | been started under government provi- sions. The Bombay agricultural depart ment established one some years ago, managed by experts from Sweden. There are also dairy farms in the United provinces, and little creameries where milk is cheap All dairy machinery is ad- mitted free, and of late separators, churns and butter workers have been goes by rail to the cities. and is there made into butter, which Is sold fresh or put up in tins and shipped over India. The native butter, or ghi, Is also made in large quantities, as well as some con- densed milk. Much of our butter goes to Ceylon. while the ghi Is exported to other countries for the Indian emigrants. Some of these dairfes have been estab- lished on the military cantonment farms. They are under military control and they give our troops pure milk and butter"
 Sacred Cows Poor Butter Makers
 Are the sacred cows of India good milkers?"
 Not as a rule.' was the reply. Our cattle are raised chiefly for work, and the milk used by the natives comes largely from buffaloes. Some of our finest cattle are from the north. and especially from Rajputana. Mysore has some fine breeds. but the cows are poor mixers There are also good cattle in Madras, and in central India. One of the best milk breeds comes from the Cir hills and oth- CTS are from the Sind, where they are owned by Mohammedans. who drive them in herds from one jungle pasture to an- other. The Punjab has good dairy cows, but those of Bengal are poor.
 we are having trouble in improving stock of this kind. The Hindoos look upon the cows as sacred. and keep them when they are maimed, old and worth- less and give no return for the food they consume. This reduces the grazing for the younger animals. We have tried to improve the stock by distributing fine bulls to the district boards. but 50 far no valuable results have been reached.