INSTITUTE AND COLLEGE, PUSA, FOR 1909-10. ;I5 



scarcely to be expected that such complete alteration of the 

 flora as has characterised similar experiments in Europe 

 may be looked for in the case of Pusa. The condition 

 of the plots at present may be summarised as follows : — 

 In the cold weather, they consist mostly of A fang 

 {Andropogon annulatus) with a certain amount of dubh 

 {Cynodon dactylon) and in the rains, of Digitaria and 

 Rottboelia. At the end of the rains, the whole area is 

 overgrown by rari {Sacctiarum sfontaneum) and dabhi (Im- 

 perata arundinacea) which disappear entireiy during the 

 cold weather. The only legumes worthy of notice are 

 Medicago lupilina, Linn., and Indigofera linifolia, Retz., 

 both of which are " bottom " plants, useless for hay pur- 

 poses. Weeds are practically a negligible quantity- On 

 the whole, the composition of all the plots is as yet practi- 

 cally the same. 



7. Fodder. — The supply of fodder for the cattle is one 

 of the chief objects of the farm, and consequently by far 

 the larger portion of the arable area is devoted to this 

 purpose. Maize, sorghum, arhar {Cajanus indicus), and 

 oats are the crops found most suitable. Ensilage is much 

 resorted to, and if the process is properly carried out in 

 silos of the American type, it is invariably a success. 

 Maize probably gives the most nutritious food when thus 

 prepared, but in point of yield per acre sorghum is more 

 satisfactory and therefore more economical. The amount 

 of silage made last year on the farm was 13,329 maunds. 



8. Breeding, (a) Cattle and Sheep. — The Montgomery 

 herd of cows continues to do well and its numbers have 

 been increased. There are 62 cows, 3 bulls, and 108 young 

 stock. The local herd of cattle which was maintained for 

 thei Bengal Government have been removed to Bettiah 

 where they are being looked after by the Bengal Agricul- 

 tural Department. This has given us more room for the 

 extension of the Montgomery herd. The flock of 80 

 Bikanir sheep which were purchased two years ago have not 

 done well. The change from an excessively arid to a humid 

 tract caused a breakdown in their constitution and the 



