Page 250 - Bahrain Gov Annual Reports (II)_Neat

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The Department recovered a number of old debts duo to estates without
resorting to the courts and it oollected the rents of 160 different properties. Over
Bb. 10,000 was spent on purchasing house property for minors and 11s. 6,000 was
advanced from minors funds in loans at 10% & 15% interest scoured by mortgages
on gold or house property.
The Department maintained 70 orphans during the year, paying them
regular allowances from the income of their properties.
The Minors Department, although not as effective as it might bo, is doing
valuable work and its existence is a deterrent against administrators who in the
past had nothing to fear if they misappropriated the funds of the persons entrusted
to their oare. It is not possible, at present, to insist on the estates of all minors
being automatically administered by this Department as such a suggestion would
cause strong opposition from the Shara as well as from a number of notoriously
corrupt administrators.
Agriculture.

The experimental garden at Budeya, which is now in its third year, was put
under the oharge of Captain A. C. Byard, who reports upon it as follows :—
In the autumn the whole area of the garden was taken into use and laid
down to the following crops :—
Approximate
aoreage.
Main crop, lucerne • • • 4
Vegetable crops, Potatoes 1
„ „ Tomatoes *
Miscellaneous vegetables etc. 3i
In addition an acre on the east side was taken in and planted with grain,
half wheat and half barley. The total area now under cultivation is 10 acres.
A considerable amount of additional space for cultivation was made inside the
garden by digging up unnecessary paths and water channels. The whole cultivated
area has been deeply dug twice, cleared of stone, and enriched with good manure
and as much green manure as was available. The value of green manure iB not
appreciated by local cultivators in Bahrain who are accustomed to burn all such
material before using it in the ground.
The water supply, which is from one artesian well, is good and adequate, but
irrigation needs careful attention owing to the unsatisfactory drainage system. This
is a ditfioult problem owing to the relative levels of sub-soil water and the sea, which
is about a mile away. A solution of this problem may be found expensive as there
is much rock in the garden and between the garden and the sea.
A very healthy crop of lucerne was grown from local seed, which is considered
better than imported seed. The second cutting produced 7 tons. The income from
this main crop should cover the cost of maintenance of the garden. The luoerne
is being bought by the Police Department for the camels and horses.
The potato crop was sown from South African tubers which were bought
locally. A quantity of seed potatoes were ordered from England, including samples
of about a dozen different kinds, but these were lost at sea. The potato crop was
healthy : the early yield produced 4J owta to the quarter aore, whioh is not a full
yield, but better results will be obtained with the improvement of the soil. It is
possible that other types of potatoes may produce better results but the South
African were the only ones available at the time.
The tomato crop did well under the trellis system and is producing well, but
tomatoes, in Bahrain, are not a money-making proposition.