32 LETTERS ON AGRICULTURE. 



While in Poona, India, the site of the Bombay Agricultural School, 

 I saw more of this Sind breed of cattle and learned that although it 

 deserved all that it was credited with in Ceylon, it has been superseded, 

 for butter-making- purposes, at least in the Bombay presidency, by the 

 milch carabaos. 



The carabao or water buffalo (Bubahts bubalis, Lyd.) is a well-known 

 object in Manila, and its use as a beast of burden thoroughly under- 

 stood, but, so far as I am aware, little attention has been paid to it as 

 a milk producer. 



Unthinking prejudice, which prevents us from eating- many excel- 

 lent things, may play the same role in Manila that it does in Ceylon, 

 and forbid the employment of buffalo milk. If this is so it is a o-reat 

 pity, for there is a race of water buffaloes which come from Delhi. 

 India, that gives over 30 pounds of milk per day. while the best Sind 

 cattle give only 18, and this buffalo milk is so rich in fat that 1^ to 13 

 pounds of it make a pound of butter, whereas 20 pounds of milk of a 

 Sind cow are required. 



These Delhi buffaloes are easier to keep, less expensive, and cleaner 

 (having almost no hair) than ordinary cattle. They sell for about 180 

 rupees, or $56 gold, in Bombay, and can be bought at Dawans, the 

 buffalo market, near Grant Road Station, but could be best secured 

 by applying- to Mr. Mollison, director-general of agriculture for India, 

 at Poona, who could probably be prevailed upon to arrange to have 

 good specimens picked out. 



In general, the animals are priced according to the amount of milk 

 they give, 10 rupees being added to the price for every two additional 

 pounds of milk given per day. 



Another good variety of milch buffalo is that from Gujarat, called 

 the Surti. It yields only about 2<» pounds of milk per day. and is 

 sold at from $33 to $36 gold. The cost of keeping this variety per 

 day amounts at Poona to only 16 cents gold, and it is considered 

 the most economical race by Mr. Kelkar. the foreman in charge of 

 the college herd. According to him, a dairy should have both buffaloes 

 and Sind cattle. The buffaloes are better for butter production, and 

 the cattle are superior for milk purposes, because the milk fetches 

 a better price, being, in fact, much preferred to that of the buffaloes. 

 which has a bluish color and a slight, though not disagreeable, odor. 



Both the buffaloes from Delhi and Gujarat and the Sind cattle arc 

 well worth introducing into the Philippines. The buffaloes should be 

 tested for butter making, though they cost more to feed than the Sind 

 cattle, which latter will prove, however, especially useful for milk. 



Breeding animals of these different races might be secured through 

 Director Mollison, of Poona. who could arrange for their shipment to 

 Manila through such a well-known shipping firm as Latham £ Co.. of 

 Bombay. 



