438 
Supplement to the "i'ropicai Agriculturist" [Dec 1, 1900. 
THE GOVERNMENT DAIRY AND^DAIRTING 
IN COLOMBO. 
The Administration Report of the Director of 
Public Instruction for last year contains the 
following appreciative remark with reference to 
the Government Dairy: — "The Dairy lias done 
well, as usual. It has supplied excellent milk 
to various hospitals, and — what is still more 
important — it has introduced a useful breed of 
cattle into the Island." 
The financial statement attached to the report 
of the Superintendent of the School of Agricul- 
ture not only shows the working of the Dairy 
for the past year, but reviews the result of its 
work since its etitablishment up to the date of the 
report, and this retrospect only goes to prove the 
fact that as a commercial undertakitig this 
instruction has been a success. 
Now there are many who would be inclined 
to ask how this success has been attained. 
We take it that it is to be ascribed to more 
thau one cause. Of these, the selection of a useful 
breed of cattle, referred to by the Director, is 
perhaps the most important. To attempt to carry 
on a Dairy with the breed of cattle native to 
Ceylon would be a foolhardy undertaking, as 
good milking qualities — if they ever exisled 
in them — long ceased to characterise the-e 
animals. The ordinary South Indian or 
"Coast" breed of cattle found in our cattle marts, 
and usually kept as milking stock by the Tamil 
cattle-keeper and milk vendor, only suits the con- 
ditions of this class of people, and is by no means 
adapted to the requirements of an establishment 
such as the Government Dairy, the reason being that 
the average output of milk is too small for successful 
working. It must be remembered that the 
produce of dairy cows should realize enough 
not merely to pay for their feed but also for their 
attendants, and for both not only during the 
period they are in milk, but also when dry and 
until they come into full milk again. In addi- 
tion to all this tliere must be the margin of profit. 
Of course in the case of the native milkman the 
cost of attendance will be saved, as tlie owner 
himself tends his animals. There may be other 
good milking breeds of Indian cattle, but 
they have yet to be discovered and introduced 
into Ceylon as profitable dairy stock that will do 
well when kept in large numbers. The so-called 
Nellore cowond the Knglisli cow may thrive under 
special conditions and wilh individual attention, 
but they are unsuitable for a dairy of any size. 
The introduction of the Sind breed into Ceylon 
must, therefore, be put down as one of the chief 
factors in the success of the Government dairy, 
and for this the Superintendent must take credit, 
as nothing was known of these cattle in Ceylon till 
he "discovered" them and arranged for tlie first 
consignment of stock for the dairy. 
The adeiiuate provision made in the way of 
building and grazing accommodation, and the 
precautions for preventing the Dairy Stock coming 
>n_coataQt with out«id§ 9attle, w<i other causes 
of the Government Dairy's success. Tlie cows of 
the native milk vendor are usually poorly 
housed in crowded, ill-ventillated and damp 
localities, and either permitted no exercise or 
allowed to wander about roadsides at nights, 
exposed to the night air, so that thev might find 
grnzing as best they can and at tlie same time 
take the risks of contracting contagious and 
infectious disease-% which, for wanr.of a sufficient 
surrounding area, even threaten them in their 
sheds. 
Another matter to be remembered as regards the 
Government Dairy is that it is under good super- 
vision and good management, both of which are 
wanting in the so-called dairies scattered about 
tiie town, where no rules or regulations are 
enforced for carrying out the various operations 
involved in good dairying. Is it any wonder 
then, with so precaricus a livelihood, that the 
native dairyman resorts to illicit means in order 
to supplement his legitimate income? 
CLINICAL NOTES. 
By D. A. Chinniah Veterinary Surgeon. 
A case of cancer in a slut came under ray treat- 
ment about two months ago. The animal was 
brought to n.e on the 12th of September in a 
very emaciated condition, and as she shewed 
great weakness I could not perform the complete 
operation 1 decided on. For the same reason I 
dispensed with the use of chloroform, and then 
proceeded to make a vertical incision in a line 
with the anal and vaginal openings. 
Under proper antiseptic precautions I inserted 
my fingers into the cavity and after a vaginal 
and rectal examination with the help of my left 
liand, I was able to trace and draw out the horns of 
the womb, but instead of removing the ovaries 
I only cut off about 2^ inches of the horns 
together with the neck and appendages. The 
wound having been sutured and treated for some 
time, I performed a further operation on the 8th of 
October, and removed the cancerous mass. 1 had 
the satisfaction of ultimately seeing this dog 
regain its health, I may mention that the 
animal was the property of Mr. Chapman Dias of 
Mutwal, Colombo. 
Subsequent to my first operation for worm in 
the eye {Filaria Occuli) performed on the 22nd of 
April last year, 1 had two other cases brought to 
me. One came a day after it had been unsucces- 
fully punctured by a farrier and the other was sent 
from Matara in a state of complete blindnes=,— 
this animal, too, I was led to believe, having been 
previously punctured without good results. This 
subject was a property of Dr. Asserappa, and it 
was sent for the operation on the 8th of October. 
As on the previous occasion, I threw my animal but 
dispensed with the use of Cocaine. I tried 
to use the speculum for the first time in this 
operation, but abandoned it finding my finaers 
more effectual in preventing the eyeball from 
moving. With the help of a candle light-which 
bmigs the parasite to the surface-I found no 
difliculty m removing the worm. la both the 
Suon,^^^^ -"^^^^'^ 
