MANUAL OP THE NiLAOlRI DISTRICT. 479 



fodder, turnips, and low country grain and oil-cake, no doubt CH. XXVII. 

 the climate will support an improved breed of cattle with every a.qriculture 



certainty of success. Country sheep at the third cross with 



English cannot be distinguished from English sheep. 



The best method of improving the breed of cattle would be to 

 import, say, a Kerry bull and cross him with the best Nellore 

 and Guntoor cattle ; the produce, if stall-fed, would be good 

 milking cows and draug'ht bullocks. For the warm climate of 

 Coonoor or Kotagiri Mr. Robertson recommends the Devon 

 breed ; these, if fed on Guinea grass. Sorghum saccharatum, 

 lucerne, and maize, would no doubt do well. 



For sheep an imported Cots wold ram crossed with a large —sheep, 

 woolly sheep bred in Mysore would be moat likely to succeed. 

 A cross of Leicester and China has been introduced, and for 

 flavour of meat and early maturity left nothing to be desired ; 

 but from want of fresh blood the sheep became delicate, and 

 many lambs were lost from inflammation of the lungs brought 

 on by continued exposure to cold in the monsoon. Shelter at 

 night is necessary. 



The Berkshire breed of pig crossed with the China has sue- —pigs, 

 ceeded admirably, but Nilagiri bacon and hams have never been 

 a success, the absence of winter weather preventing the due 

 curing of the same. 



Horses could no doubt be produced on these Hills, as it may —horses. 

 be laid down that where oats can be grown horses can be bred. 

 The Arab horse, after a year on the plateau, becomes fully 

 acclimatized ; the Australian horse fills out in an astonishing 

 manner ; and a cross of a thorough -bred Arab horse and Australian 

 mare would produce a very serviceable horse, worth at four years 

 old some seven hundred rupees. Mules, too, could be bred 

 with great advantage, provided that the jackass siies were of 

 the best kind from Spain. Australia could furnish the mares. 



All poultry flourishes here. The young should be raised in —poultry. 

 the dry months from January to May. 



Cattle diseases of two kinds are very prevalent. Murrain or Diseases. 

 JDoddah RogJui sometimes decimates the native herds. Conse- 

 quent upon the system common amongst Todas and Badagas 

 of allowing the Kotas to preside over the carcase of every 

 animal that dies, the ,skin and meat being the Kotas' perquisite, 

 the men carry these off and thus infect neighbouring herds. Foot- 

 and-mouth disease is not uncommon. 



Treatment should be — food, conjee-water of rice or raggi. Treatment 

 Medicine — mouth to be washed with carbolic acid and water, — ™»^>^aja- 

 and a decoction of 30 water to 1 carbolic acid administered 



