63 



(i) Bullocks. 



The demand for draught cattle has largely increased in the 

 last 20 years owing to the spread of cultivation. (Chapter II). 

 This increased demand has been met, but only by pressing every 

 class of animal into service. The increasing use- of the male 

 buSalo for draught is evidence of the difficulty felt in meet- 

 ing the demand. The number of draught animals is not much 

 greater than it was 15 years ago, but the animals kept are 

 more efficient. Grazing grounds are becoming more and more 

 contracted, and the farmer cannot afford to keep old and worn 

 out stock, which can be readily disposed of to traders. The 

 problem of adjusting supply and demand will be greatly facili- 

 tated, if, as seems probable, the use of labour-saving machinery 

 is widely adopted. The number of bullocks required can be 

 reduced by more efficient ploughs, cultivations and harrows. 

 Improvements in well machinery, which may be resonably 

 expected, would also mean a considerable saving of bullock power. 



Prices have practically doubled in the last 15 or 20 years 

 partly owing to the increased demand and partly to the success- 

 ion of bad years between 1896 and 1906 which depleted the 

 sources of supply (Chapter XVI). Nevertheless the profits of 

 agriculture are so great that the zamindar of the highly culti- 

 vated districts prefers to pay a long price for imported stock 

 rather than face the very considerable difficulty of conserving 

 grazing grounds and breeding his own stock (Chapter VIII). In " 

 highly cultivated districts cattle of a kind continue to be bred 

 locally, but the main sources of supply are the breeding centres 

 of Hariana, the Potwar Dhanni tract and Sind (Chapter VI). Of 

 these centres the first is liable to suffer from drought, and the 

 second is threatened with depletion owing to reckless export. 

 If the quality and quantity of the stock bred in these centres can 

 be maintained a further rise in prices may possibly be prevented. 

 The two essential points to which attention should be directed are: 



(1) the appointment of special officers to Hariana and the 



Potwar Dhanni tract to obtain information as to the 

 villages in which the best cattle are bredj io direct 

 breeding operations, and assist the people with expert 

 advice. (Chapters XIII and XXI (i), 



(2) the storage and import of fodder in bad seasons so as 



prevent the loss of valuable stock by forced sale in 

 time of drought. (Chapter XIII). 



It is probably impossible to breed more animals in highly 

 cultivated districts under present conditions. But the quality of 



