232 



Agriculture in Paraguay, 



14,305 mares were covered by Government stallions during 

 the year, and 4,188 foals were reported to have resulted from 

 the coverings of the previous year, apart from 2,011 cases in 

 which the results were unknown ; 7,236 coverings are known 

 to have yielded no foals. The average number of foals 

 thrown to each horse stallion employed in the previous year 

 ranged from 6*4 in Sind to 22 in Baluchistan, and 15*8 in the 

 Northern Punjab ; and for all India the average was 13-6 for 

 horses, and 12*0 for ponies. It is said, however, that the 

 statistics are not trustworthy, and are probably below the 

 truth. By the Government donkey stallions 18,475 pony 

 mares, besides 966 donkey mares, were covered ; and 3,734 

 mule foals, besides 214 donkey foals, are reported to have 

 been born. The veterinary officers believe that the produce 

 of the mares served by Government sires is greater than 

 these figures would show. The stallions kept by district 

 boards and local bodies covered 7,682 mares during the 

 year; 1,872 foals are reported to have been born during the 

 year; in 1,174 cases the results were unknown; but the returns 

 of the produce of these mares are open to doubt. The 

 average yearly cost of keeping stallions ranged from Rs.153 

 to Rs.401 for horses, and from Rs.122 to Rs.419 for donkey 

 stallions in several provinces. Baluchistan, the Deccan, and 

 Sind are the provinces where the cost of keeping stallions is 

 highest. The number of remounts purchased for the army 

 at the different horse fairs was 2,365, while 1,746 mules were 

 bought for army purposes. 



Agriculture in Paraguay. 



In his last Report on the Trade of Paraguay Mr. W. J. 

 Holmes, Her Majesty's Consul at Asuncion, states that the 

 agricultural development of Paraguay may be said to be 

 still in its infancy, and making but slow progress, notwith- 

 standing the efforts of the authorities to encourage and assist 

 agricultural industries by every means in their power. The 

 total area under cultivation, as compared with the vast tracts 

 of forest and grass land with which the country is covered, is 

 infinitesimal. Rarely, except where foreign colonies have 



