Sept. 1895.] PARLIAMENTARY PUBLICATIONS. 



229 



The following table shows the area under some of the staple 

 crops for the year 1893-94 : — 



DGScription of Crop. 



Millions of 

 Acres. 



Area cultivated with rice . - . . . 



68 



4 



„ wheat - - - . _ 



22 



2 



„ millets of different kinds - _ _ 



38 



5 



„ „ other cereal food crops, including pulses - 



47 



2 



Total of cereals and pulses . _ _ 



176 



3 



Area cultivated with oilseed - - 



14 



8 



„ „ sugar cane _ . _ . 



3 



0 



„ „ cotton - 



10 



5 



„ fihres other than cotton - - - 



2 



9 



„ „ tobacco - - - - 



1 



2 



„ fodder crops - _ _ _ 



1 



9 



Area covered by orchards and vegetable gardens 



2 



7 



Miscellaneous food crops - 



3 



1 



If tea, coffee, and sugar be reckoned as food crops, then the 

 total area under food crops in 1893-94 was 185 J million acres, 

 or 82 per cent, of the total area of crops in British India. 



In 1889-90, an expert agricultural chemist, Dr. J. A. Yoelcker, 

 was deputed to visit India to advise upon the best means of 

 applying the teachings of agricultural chemistry to, and of 

 improving, Indian agriculture. After spending thirteen months 

 in examining the facts of Indian agriculture, and attending two 

 agricultural conferences. Dr. Yoelcker presented a report, making 

 a series of recommendations either for organised inquiry on 

 specific points, or for definite action in certain directions. He 

 held that in many parts there was little that could be improved 

 in Indian agriculture in present circumstances ; and he advised 

 that attention should be given to the diffusion of agricultural 

 education ; to the increase in the supply of water to dry tracts ; 

 to the encouragement of arboriculture, and the due utilisation 

 of existing forests for the benefit of the people ; to increasing 

 the supply of manure ; to furthering the growth of fodder 

 crops ; to improving the breed of cattle ; and to scientific in- 

 quiries in chemico-agricultural matters. Dr. Yoelcker's scheme 

 of work has been accepted by the Government. The agri- 

 cultural departments of the several provinces are gradually 

 adopting the advice given, and already something has been 

 accomplished in more than one of the directions indicated. A 

 bacteriological laboratory has been established for investigating 

 the causation and possible prevention of Indian epizootic 

 diseases. Two agricultural chemists have been engaged to carry 

 out some of the inquiries suggested by Dr. Yoelcker, and to 

 assist in traiaing students who shall be hereafter able to impart 

 sound agricultural education. 



