Songad School.-The Dhanka schools for boys and girls at Songad are peculiar institutions opened with a view to train the most backward class of the population, namely the Kaliparaj, into good agriculturists. The boys and girls live in boarding houses, and are clothed and fed at State expense. They are given the usual primary instruction in Gujarati, and go through a graduated course of agriculture, all the work on the farm being practically done by them according to their age and physical condition. With a view to introducing sericulture as a cottage industry, a plantation is being prepared, and practical sericulture will form a part of the curriculum. The boys' school was opened in 1890, and the results so far are very encouraging. A good many Gujarat crops have been introduced in the district, and there is a general improvement, though slow, in the agricultural practice. The Farm attached to the School was 50 bighas in extent, and a fresh plot of 35 bighas was added during 1903-04 for the sericulture section. The income of the Farm was Rupees 1,807 in 1902-03, and Rupees 1,509 in 1903-04, as against an expenditure of Rupees 1,188 and 1,214 respectively. This is probably the only Government Farm in India that works at a profit.

Entomology. For the study of insect pests of crops Mr. Chhotabhai Umedbhai was sent to Surat to be trained under Mr. H. Maxwell Zefroy, the Entomologist to the Government of India. Mr. Zefroy reports that the learner has made very good progress, and will be fit to take up independent work on his return to Baroda.

Seed Depôts. To supply good seeds and manures on

in 1895. Four such depôts were working during the years under report at

1. Padra in the Baroda District,

2-3. Kalol and Kheralu in the Kadi District,

4.

Kodinar in the Amreli District.

In addition to supplying seeds locally collected, these depôts indent the best seed of local crops from outside through the Director, and act as agencies for the introduction of improved or new varieties of crops.

On account of heavy arrears due to the famine and bad years, the State advance of Rupees 25,000 to these shops was locked up, and very little business was possible during the years under report. The total advances during the two years were Rupees 5,263, and 4,649, and the recoveries amounted to Rupees 17,009 and 8,541 respectively. The net loss in working was Rupees 920 in 1902-03, and Rupees 829 in 1903-04.

Arboriculture. The work of planting Babul trees in the waste lands of the Baroda district was retransferred to this department during 1902-03. Of waste lands, 40,195 bighas had previously been given to the people for raising Babuls on the share system, but the work was not properly done in most cases. An enquiry was taken in hand and by the end of 1903-04, 10,648 bighas were resumed, and 29,547 bighas allowed to remain under the contractors. Enquiry into the remaining cases is proceeding. Towards the close of 1903-04, the work in the Kadi District was ordered to be taken in hand, and seed was broadcasted in the waste lands of 24 villages of the Dehegam Taluka. The expenditure on Babul planting was Rupees 625 in 1902-03, and Rupees 944 in 1903-04,

respectively. On the sandy beds along the Kodinar coast fresh water is available at a very small depth, and the place is fit for cocoanut plantation. A small trial plantation was undertaken in 1896 with a view to the introduction of cocoanut palm in the district. At the end of the period under report there were 650 trees, of which 200 are expected to bear fruit after two years. The special establishment is now abolished, and the plantation is maintained under the supervision of the Kodinar Seed Depôt Clerk. In some villages the people have raised small plantations, and they are doing well.

Veterinary and Cattle breeding.-There are two Veterinary Surgeons under the department, one at Baroda and the other at Mehesana in the Kadi District. These Surgeons travel about during the fair season, and treat the cases that come to their notice, and remain at head-quarters during the monsoons. As many cattle die of rinderpest, both the Veterinary Surgeons were sent in November 1903 to Bareilly for a special course of rinderpest inoculation under the Imperial Bacteriologist, and they returned with certificates of proficiency. The following table gives the number of cases treated and the deaths that occurred at the two dispensaries :

Out of all the cases treated, there were 61 cases of

Number.

Four stallion Gir buffalo bulls were maintained during the period under report, 2 at Baroda, 1 at Naosari and 1 at Gandevi. They served 834 buffaloes.

Area under Crops.-The following table gives the area under the principal crops during the period under report :

Director of Agriculture.-Mr. Raojibhai B. Patel, M.R.A.C., of whom some mention has been made under the head of Customs, was the Director of Agriculture and of Industries during the period under review, and initiated many of the measures described above.

(j)-INDUSTRIES AND TRADES.

Weaving. The weaving industry of Naosari District is of ancient repute. Fine Dhoti, Sari, Basta and Bafta, made at Naosari and Gandevi, were in great demand at the Portuguese, Dutch, and English factories in Surat, in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, for export to Europe; and in 1788 Dr. Hove, a European traveller, visited Gandevi to learn the art from Parsee weavers. The industry practically died out early in the nineteenth century, but Parsee women still manufacture quantities of Kasti worn by men and women, and are skilful in making ornamental borders of Saris.

In Baroda District, there is a considerable weaving industry still at Dabhoi, where fine turbans are prepared. And cloth, superior to the common coarse cloth of the lower classes, is produced at Petlad and Vaso and some other places.

In Kadi District, Patan the old capital of Gujrat, (from the 8th to the 14th century) was famous for its weaving industry. A great part of the trade was transplanted to Ahmedabad when that place was chosen as the capital, but the decayed weaving community of Patan still turn out a superior quality of cloth which has a fair sale. Silks, however, are the speciality of Patan, and the silk Potala of this town is largely in