28 



In ordinary seasons these are the villages which should receive 

 assistance from Government. This 1 aid may take the form of 

 specially selected balls from the Hissar Farm in considerable num- 

 bers, or of a grant to provide first class animals from elsewhere. 

 The Hissar Farm is constantly auctioning stock which, though un- 

 suitable for the requirements of the Farm, is nevertheless often 

 greatly above the average of the ordinary village herd. The 

 scheduled villages should receive special consideration in this 

 respect. 



In times of famine these villages would again receive priority 

 of attention. The information collected in ordinary seasons would 

 place the authorities in a position to estimate how much was likely 

 to be disposed of at the autumn fairs. It is obvious that in time 

 of famine a large number of old and useless animals must disappear, 

 and from an economic point of view, this is a positive advantage. 

 But the preservation of really good stock is an object which how- 

 ever difficult of attainment needs to be impressed on the people, 

 and no assistance given by Government in this direction can be 

 considered wasted. 



The problem of cattle preservation has two aspects : 



(1) The storage of fodder in ordinary years to provide 



against scarcity. 



(2) The importation of fodder at cheap rates when scarcity 



has actually declared itself. 



A good season in the Hariana districts produces jowar, bajra, 

 pulses and grass in such quantities that, were the stuff properly 

 stacked and preserved, nothing short of a two years' famine of the 

 worst type could reduce the fodder supply below the requirements 

 of all the cattle worth preserving. Unfortunately the grass is 

 neglected altogether, and the jowar and bajra even when carefully 

 cut and collected and not allowed to stand in the field, is only 

 ^ stacked in exceptional cases. Most of the fodder is sold, chiefly 

 for the Delhi market, and any stacks remaining in the villages 

 will be found to belong to local banias who are prepared to hold 

 till the opportunity of reaping famine prices presents itself. It is 

 easy to accuse the zamindar of laziness in neglecting valuable 

 supplies of grass year by year. But the grass is useless, unless 

 cut at the proper time, which unfortunately coincides with the 

 autumn harvest and the annual epidemic of fever. The zamindar 

 has no leisure himself and labour is . at a premium. The 

 difficulty of stacking grass on a large scale seems almost 

 insurmountable. , The charge of thrift! OP sness in dealing with 

 jnwar and bajra fodder has more justification. The zamindar 



