8 FODDER IN INDIA. 



a passion for these realizations otherwise grazing would 

 "never" be allowed except with great restrictions, under 

 strictly scientific and intelligent arrangements, and for a 

 limited period— and why ? The cattle come on in hundreds, 

 and I should not be far out in some cases if I said thousands. 

 Some are paid for many are not. They wander at their will 

 often accompanied by goats and destroy and pollute as much 

 as they eat. The soil is trampled down, and very often 

 puddled, after which baking into a hard iron-like surface, 

 any shoots or roots (which may be left) are thereby done to 

 death from frost, damp, inclement winter weather, and the 

 following scorching summer sun, simply because the capillary 

 arrangements are absolutely ruined, the banding is severely 

 damaged, fences and trees are destroyed, in addition the 

 chances of disease, and the moral damage to preservation, 

 protection, and conservation of farm lands at all times. But the 

 loss may be called a " negative " one and not prominently 

 noticeable to the ordinary observer. A few hundred rupees 

 are received and credited as a set off against the year's 

 expenditure, and every one is satisfied (especially the cattle 

 owners and a few others)— although the loss, negative of 

 course (sic), may amount to more than one thousand rupees, 

 and is often incalculable. But enough, and to get back 

 to tillage. After the harvest and the raking up, what is 

 left on the ground is short broken grass and much seed. Of 

 the latter some will rot and form manure, the remainder will 

 germinate later on ; all the former will rot and form manure. 

 After the first decent shower of late rain, or winter rains 

 (and don't wait for a deluge), get your country ploughs and 

 harrows on to the land, run them across both ways, this 

 procedure will enable the roots to secure moisture and keep 

 alive. It will cover up delicate young shoots, enable the land 

 to absorb the water quickly and prevent waste of rain by 

 evaporation, assist in decomposing the aftermath (referred 

 to above) leaves and other organic matter due to autumn 

 falls, and stimulate the "capillary" tendency, that most 

 important of all considerations in farming. If time, labour. 



