12 REPORT OF THE AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH 



Tours. — During the year I made several short tours in 

 Bihar and conducted the final examinations in Agriculture 

 at Coimbatore and Lyallpur in March and April. 



Training. — Three students were instructed in cattle- 

 breeding. 



II. — Farm Cultivation. 



Character of the Season. — The rainfall during the year 

 amounted to 41-26" (i.e., from 1st May 1912 to 30th April 

 1913) as against 53-49" last year. 



Monsoon rainfall began early and continued normal up 

 to the second week in July. The bad effects of a prolonged 

 break during the latter half of that month were mitigated 

 by fairly well distributed rains in August. The Septem- 

 ber and October rainfall was, however, far short of normal. 

 Late rains in November and February, however, improved 

 the rabi crops considerably. The season was thus unsuit- 

 able for rice, sugarcane, maize and wheat, but fairly good 

 for such crops as sarson, oats, etc. 



Cropping. — The present double cropping system ap- 

 pears to require the application of organic manures at more 

 frequent intervals to ensure maximum yields. During 

 the present year owing to the scarcity of rainfall in Sep- 

 tember and October no increase was obtained in the wheat 

 crop succeeding a green manuring with sunn hemp. The 

 manure evidently became available at too late a date to 

 affect the grain outturn. 



The following crops were grown : — Sugarcane, maize, 

 wheat, sarson, guar, turnips, oats, gram, linseed, lucerne, 

 paddy, mung, joar, khesari, oats and peas, arhar, Florida 

 velvet beans, sweet potatoes, kudzu (a Japanese fodder), 

 guinea grass, bajra, cowpeas, castor, indigo and jute. 



Experimental Cultivation and Implements. — Suitable 

 methods of sowing and inter-cultivating sugarcane and 

 maize have been worked out. The most economical spacings 

 for these crops are under investigation- Implements 

 suitable for inter-cultivation are under trial. A year's ex- 

 perience of the heavier low-lying area has demonstrated the 



