Sept. l, 1«9S.] 
Supplement to the " Tropical Agriculturist 
221 
fiufficieutlyl large scale to check au epidemic in any 
particular area. It is hoped that the Bacteriological 
Laboratory under Dr. Lingard will ultimately be 
able to manufacture the serum in any quantity. 
We would suggest that the veterinary scholar 
now undergoing his course of training in Bombay 
should be instructed by Government to thoroughly 
acquaint himself with the details of serum inocu- 
lation, so that on his return to the Colony he may 
be in a position to operate on local stock atid make 
a beginning in stamiingout a disease which at 
present is admitted to be amenable to no curative 
treatment 1 that English veterinary science is able 
to bring to bear upon it. 
« 
EEPOKT ON THE GOVERNMENT DAIRY 
FARM, 1897. 
At the beginning of 1897 the dairy stock con- 
sisted of 127 head, made up as follows: 65 cows, 
o8 calves, 2 stud bulls, and 2 draught bulls. In 
January a batch of 2o cows was imported from 
Sind (brought over by the Colonial Veterinary 
Surgeon) at a cost of R2,999. Three other half- 
bred Durham cows were purchased for R400, while 
two extra draught bulls were also added. In 
February and June 22 cows, 18 calves, and 2 stud 
bulls were sold by public auction and realized, 
after paying all incidental charges, El-,047'85. 
The cows were such as could not have been 
profitably retained any longer, the calves were 
male animals that would have served no useful 
purpose iu the dairy, while the stud bulls, which 
had been in use for over three years, had to be 
disposed off to prevent in-and-in breeding among 
the stock. These latter were replaced by younger 
animals bred on the farm. 
Some of the heifers born in the dairy were 
transferred to the herd of milch cows. 
For the twelve months there were o deaths 
among the cows and ten among the calves. The 
cows were nearly all old and debilitated animals, 
while the calves succumbed to ordinary calf 
ailments. There was thus a total absence of any 
form of epizootic disease. In December, however, 
there were ax^prehensions of an outbreak of cattle 
plague, which arose from the fact that a number 
of animals became feverish, 4 calves dying rather 
suddenly, while colour was lent to our suspicions 
by the fact that rinderpest was prevailing in more 
than one j^art of the Island. Precautionary 
measures were at once adopted, but tlie fears that 
had been entertained fortunately proved to be 
unfounded, 
There were 40 calves born during the year, at 
the end-of which the dairy herd was constituted 
ns follows-: 71 cows, 62 calves, 3 stud bulls, and 
4 draught bulls, and numbered in all IJO head. 
lu the latter pait of the year the supply of milk 
was a good deal short of what was demanded from 
the hosj)itals, owing to the increase of the demand 
as well as the running down of some of the 
: milkers. Of necessity a part of the snpply to the 
I hospitals had to be supplemented with milk pur- 
chased from outside. As the price paid for 
dairy mi'k is only 18 cents per bottle (26 oz.), it 
was fourtd e.'Ctremely difficult to get pure milk for 
that value, \the market rate for pure dairy milk 
ranging from 22 to 25 cents, Much trouble arose 
owing to the inferior quality of the purchased 
milk-, and it is to be hoped that in future the dairy 
will be so stocked as to obviate the necessity of 
milk l)eing purchased in the open market. Of the 
I;37,loG pints of milk supplied 34,190 pints had to 
be purclmsed from outnde. The quantity pro- 
duced ill the dairy was thus about 102,961 pints, 
or 12,870 gallons. Tlie largest quantity supplied 
in any montii was 12,710 pints in July, and the 
smallest, 9,580 jiiiits, in February. 
A new wing, 52 ft. by 42 ft., has been added to 
the dairy building, principally for the accom- 
modation of the growing heifer.s, which are au 
exceptionally fine lot. The new structure cost 
R300. 
The quarantine shod, which is a thatched build- 
ing, had to be repaired, and this cost aaothev 
R13105. 
It is to be hoped that from next year the 
Medical Department will see its way to give 
20 cents for a bottle of dairy milk instead of 18 
cents hitherto allowed. The enhanced price would 
be nearer the intritisic value of the milk, and also 
meet the complaint of other dairy keepers that the 
Government dairy is underselling them and inter- 
fering with private enterprise. 
The Model Farm revenue has steadily increased 
during the year under review. The income, after 
deducting all fxpsuses connected with the farm, 
was E4,004-30. From this a furrlier sum of 
E 1,350, payable to the Government Acrent of the 
Western Fiovince as rent, must be deducted, when 
a clear profit is left of E2,6o5-30. Adding to this 
a sum of R121 per annum paid by the Colombo 
Golf Club (RIO per mensem for the use of the farm 
bungalow and 25 cents per mensem peppercorn 
rent for the use of the grounds), the total revenue 
for 1897 will be found to be R2,778-30. 
Since the month of June no dairy cattle^ were 
kept on the Mo(hA Farm, as it was found con- 
venient and more economical to have all the cattle 
in one centre, while the acquisition of the 
Ilavelock Rticecourse as a grazing ground met the 
difficulty as regards pasture. 
At the end of the year, on the application of 
the Mayor of Colombo, a block of about 3 acres of 
land lying at thebick of the infectious diseases 
hospital was given over to the Health Department 
of the Colombo Municipality as a site fjr the 
erection of an incinerator. 
The grass farm attached to the daiiy was 
worked departmentally during the year, and this 
resulted in an increased revenue. In 1896 the net 
profits from this source was R776; in 1897, in 
spite of purchases of carts and bulls for working 
the land.s, the net income was Rl,414-65. To give 
some details the value of grass taken off the land 
was R3,331-02, tiie value of carts and bulls was 
R192, aiul the e.xpeuses were Rl, 724-37, and the 
net profit Rl,414-65. 
The Ilavelock Racecourse has proved an econo- 
mical investment, though as mucii as li60 jier 
mensem is paid to the Ceyl m Turf Club for the 
right of grazing daiiy cau'le. As I stated in my 
previous report, it is particularly valuable as an 
exercising ground for the stock. 
... C. DRIHBERG, B.A., F.H.A.S., 
Superiiifendent' 
