Page 113 - Bahrain Gov Annual Reports (III)_Neat

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on account of various estates, more property would have been purchased but the great increase in land
values in Manama restricted purchases. A piece of land opposite the Secondary School, under the
administration of the department, was used as a site for a large school building which was let to the
Government on a long lease. The department also carried out various improvements in the amara of
the late Khan Bahadur Abdurrehman Zayani. In this ease the estate, which was being administered
by a guardian, was handed over to the Minors’ Department by orders of His Highness owing to the
unsatisfactory conduct of the administrator.
Receipts. Rs. a. p. Expenditure. Rs. a. p.
Proceeds of eighteen estates 2,29,757 11 5 Maintenance allowances, etc. . *3.375 13 o
Rents of leases collected . 32,516 4 9 Properties bought for minors. 16,837 0 0
Refund of loans advanced 60,176 13 3 Repairs and up-keep of pro
Interest on loans .. 6.003 6 parties .. 25,687 14 7
Properties sold 16,042 o o Paid in cash .. 23,097 1 10
Old debts recovered 11.873 14 3 Loans advanced • • 90.739 13 o
Balance from 1361 .. 56,381 9 7 Balance at Bank •. 2.33.014 6 4
Rs. .. 4.12,752 0 9 Rs. .. 4.12.752 o 9

AGRICULTURE.
At the end of 1361 experiments were made in various parts of Bahrain to ascertain whether
wheat could be grown. The seed which was used was partly Canadian wheat, which had been imported
as food and partly Indian wheat seed. It was sown on new ground and also on previously cultivated
ground by the Government, by His Highness Shaikh Suhnan and members of the public. On the
whole the experiment was a failure. In many areas the seed failed to germinate or did not reach
maturity, possibly owing to the salt in the ground and where it ripened a great proportion of the grain
was taken by birds. Garden owners who planted small areas of wheat found it an expensive and
unproductive crop. Owing to lack of early rain no wheat was planted as a rain crop and all of it was
grown on irrigated land. In the past some wheat and barley has been grown successfully as a rain
crop in certain parts of Bahrain but owing to the uncertain rainfall, which seems to be diminishing
each year, there is no certainty of this being a practicable proposition.
There is a steady increase in land being put under cultivation. During the year the Government
levelled and prepared an area of about 13 acres adjacent to the Palace Garden, on the edge of Manama
town, irrigating it from the Palace Garden well. This ground was planted with wheat, which failed
to mature and later with date palms and some lucerne. In many districts private owners have
extended their gardens and cultivation to the extent of the available water supply and local garden
owners are now growing European vegetables in the winter, which is the only season during which
European vegetables will grow, and indigenous vegetables in the summer, all of which find a ready sale
in the markets. An indication of the increased interest in agriculture is the fact that in the past animal
manure from stables could be had in return for its removal, now it can only be obtained by purchase.
In the Government garden at Budeya grapes were successfully grown but on a small scale. The
vines were imported from Karachi. This has shown that the soil and climate of Bahrain are suitable
for grape cultivation.
Among the many trees and plants which have been imported during recent years from India
and which have now become indigenous a strong bamboo has been found of great use for building !
purposes, it produces sticks twice a year and requires little attention and is in many ways more useful
than date palm sticks.
PASSPORT DEPARTMENT.
The revenue from passport fees was Rs. 8,800, about Rs. 1,300 less than was collected during i
the previous year. Since the beginning of the war passport fees have steadily decreased but the duties
of the passport department staff are no less than in the past. The extension of airways services has
necessitated more inspection work at the landing places. During the year over 250 people who would
normally have taken out book passports travelled between Bahrain and India and Iraq; owing to
the book passports not being available about Rs. 1,700 in fees was not collected.
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