28 



Btatns varies from that of the big zamindars whose herds are numbered by 

 the hundred to the small owner of two or three. The big zamindars own 

 extensive herds of cattle, but do not as a rule exploit their produce commer- 

 cially. Their cattle are to them chiefly a means of maintaining their dignity 

 and supporting their dependents. This they are enabled to do, by the great 

 extent of grazing available. But as the Ganji Bar comes under colonization 

 this will cease to be possible, and these large herds will cease to exist ; on the 

 other hand the influx of colonists will keep up cattle for their own use and 

 the numbers of these stall-fed animals will probably be not less than those 

 found at present. Unless the people take to laying down permanent pasture 

 the result will be to substitute stall-fed for pasturing cattle." 



With reference to the provision of permanent pasture the 

 Deputy Commissioner writes : 



" A very interesting experiment in this connection has been made by 

 Chaudhri Jehangir Khan. He informs me that with 2 or 3 waterings 50 acres 

 of permanent pasture keep 80 cattle for 4 or 5 months, a larger num- 

 ber than would be kept by fodder crops on the same area, the expense 

 both for water and fodder being much less. If this is found generally to be 

 the case, I believe that permanent pasture will solve the grazing problem. 

 But for permanent pasture to be worked land must be given out in 

 sufficiently large blocks ; a peasant farmer cannot afford to keep half his 

 holding under grass. " 



This system is not unknown in Multan where zamindars are 

 accustomed to irrigate small pieces of land from May to Septem- 

 ber. Such grazing grounds are known as posals. Mr. de Montmo- 

 rency considers that the grazing areas in the Lyallpur Colony 

 grants are too small, and urges that in the new Montgomery 

 Colony every Crown chak should have at least 20 per cent, of the 

 area reserved as grazing ground (charagati). The Deputy Com- 

 missioner of Gujrat makes similar recommendations with regard to 

 the Bar lands in his district wbich are to be irrigated under the 

 irrigation scheme known as the Triple Project. 



Arrangements for fairly extensive grazing grounds combined 

 with a system of permanent canal- irrigated pasture would go far 

 towards the preservation of existing breeds, and may even result in 

 the successful development of home-breeding on an extensive scale 

 in the new colonies. This aspect of tbe colonization problem calls 

 for even more attention than it has received in the past. Its 

 importance must become yearly greater with the increasing 

 difficulty of supplying the growing demand for cattle. 



XIII.-FODDER SUPPLY. 



Against the disappearance of valuable breeds which too often 

 results from the incrense in irrigated cultivation may be set tbe 

 greater security of the fodder supply. If good animal? cannot be 



