not only enjoys the proceeds of his fodder sales in good 

 years, but counts on Government for assistance in time of 

 drought. But unless he receives substantial inducement to do 

 otherwise, it is useless to hope for improvement- The District 

 authorities of Hissar have under consideration a scheme by which 

 in good years bajra &nd.joivar stalks should be bought up by the 

 District Board and stacked at diffierent centres, .each centre being 

 made to serve from 1 5 to 20 villages. It is estimated that pro- 

 perly stacked straw could last about 5 years. In case of scarcity 

 this fodder should be sold to zamindars at cost price, plus interest 

 at 12 per cent,, and a sum to cover District Board expenditure. If 

 no such occasion arose the old stock could be sold locally or exported 

 to Delhi, new fodder being bought to replace it. The loss, it is 

 estimated would not be great. The Settlement Officer thinks 

 that a plan of this kind might be tried experimentally. The 

 Deputy Commissioner considers that the District Board must be 

 given material assistance both in men and money if such a scheme 

 is to be carried out. 



The importation of fodder at cheap rates in time of actual 

 scarcity was attended by considerable success during the fodder 

 famine of 1905-1906. The only unsatisfactory feature of the 

 action taken was that it came too late. But vigilant supervision 

 would result in enquiries being made soon enough to ensure fodder 

 being railed down when most required, v/0., at the end of Septem- 

 ber when the zamindar needs assurance that his bullocks can be 

 provided for. 



The information obtained as to villages where cattle- 

 breeding is important would enable the distribution of the imported 

 fodder to be made with comparitive certainty that the expense 

 incurred by Government bore some relation to the assistance 

 afforded to the people. The Deputy Commissioner of Gurgaon 

 points out that importation of fodder must be accompanied by 

 grant of iaJcavi to purchase it, care being taken that takavi is only 

 given for the preservation of valuable animals. 



It is obvious that the amount of work entitled by these mea- 

 sures, both in ordinary years and in times of famine could not possibly 

 be undertaken by the ordinary district staff, and to work schemes 

 of the kind techninal knowledge is required. The Deputy Com- 

 missioner of Hissar believes that the stock is deteriorating owing 

 to ignorance or neglect of proper methods of breeding and to 

 constant exportations of the best animals. Arrangements are wanted 

 for arresting that deterioration and for rendering unnecessary the 

 forced sales of live-stock caused by spells of drought. If such 

 arrangements are to be a succes? an officer %f the Civil Veter- 



