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                        PART II.—PROVINCIAL REPORT.

                                          VII.—GENERAL.

Provincial cost
of Department.

1130.     Table Q. shows the Provincial cost of the Department during
1897-98 to have amounted to Rs. 2,67,161-12-1 against Rs. 2,06,607-9-7 last
year. The chief differences are under the following heads:—

                  Establishment Officers.
                       Do.           Subordinates.
                  Travelling allowance of Officers.
                  Contingencies.
                  Stable feed and keep of Provincial stallions.
                  Medicines and Instruments in Burma.

                                             GENERAL.

1131.     As affording a ready method for reference and as adopted last year,
I purpose giving below a short summary of the work done during the year.

                                             IMPERIAL.

1132.     This Department has passed through two years of famine, and it was
only natural to expect that horse-breeding would suffer. It is always with
regret that I have to own to any falling off in this important direction, but as
will be seen below, there has been a certain amount of retrogression all through;
it is but slight and I confidently expected that it would have been greater; this
undoubtedly would have occurred had it not been for the careful supervision
exercised by all the Superintendents. I trust, therefore, that the Government
of India will recognize the difficulties under which we have worked and that
they will be satisfied with the results. The main difficulties arose:—

      (a).—From the fact that many mares were removed from districts in
            quest of fodder, and that many were sold.

      (b).—The extreme debility of some of the mares belonging to small
            owners which prevented them holding.

      (c).—The ignorance of the ordinary zemindar and his fear that if he
            brought his animals to be served or branded, they would be seized
            for service.

Horse-breeding—
Imperial.

1133.     Three hundred and fourteen (314) stallions were at stud work
against the same number last year; 14,467 mares were covered against 15,152
last year. This, showing as it does only a decrease of 685, must, under the
circumstances, be considered satisfactory.

1134.     46.08 mares were covered per stallion employed against 48.17 last
year. The percentage, viz: 46.08 being less than is expected of the stallions.
I feel bound to explain that if the 4 large breeding centres, viz: North-Western
Provinces, North Punjab, South Punjab and Baluchistan, are taken alone, we
find that each stallion covered 50.86 which is slightly above the sanctioned
number. The reduction is due to the Deccan, Guzerat, and Sind.

1135.     Four thousand two hundred and sixty-nine (4.269) foals were dropped
against 4,090 last year.