Page:Gazetteer of the province of Oudh ... (IA cu31924073057345).pdf/329

 LUC 321 Rs. 6-12-0 per acre for one watering. Such appliances are, however, only used when the bullocks would otherwise be idle; human labour is much more effective. Eight men instead of two bullocks will work all day, with an interval of an hour at noon, and will water a bígha when the water is about 16 feet distant. There are also three additional labourers-two in the field, and one at the top of the well to empty the bucket; they will get two annas a day or grain to that amount, which will come to Re. 1-6-0 for a bigha, or Rs. 2-3-0 per acre. The above discrepancy between human and cattle labour only exists to such an extent in wells when the water is within sixteen feet from the surface, and when the wells are not stable enough to bear a large bucket. Such circumstances do exist in southern Lucknow throughout the district, except in a belt about four miles broad extending west and south from the Gumti. When the water is near, the bullocks, which pull up the buckets, have to descend a very short distance and then turn; this they do awk- wardly, and they come up the slope more slowly than men; their employ- ment then is exceptional, and as very small animals suffice for the small bucket, it might be fairer to value their services at 2 annas the pair, in which case the cost of irrigation would be Rs. 3-4-0 per bigha or Rs. 5-3-0 per acre. The important point is that, with the cheapest labour, three waterings cannot be given under Rs. 6-9-0 per acre throughout three quarters of southern Lucknow. The tenants, as might be expected, cannot afford this, and give the wheat only one watering or two, preferring to spend their spare time looking out for hired labour, Nearer the Gumti water is at 25 feet throughout the belt above referred to, the springs being at about 33 feet distance on the average. Buckets holding 20 gallons are used, and bullock power becomes more effective. South-east of Lucknow in Mohanlalganj, in the plain running south-east between the Gumti and the Sai, water is tolerably near the surface; the average distance at which it lies on the morning before any water has been drawn being about fifteen feet. The springs are at about 30 feet on the average except in the low lands near the Gumti, and in the high lands edging the plain. In calculating the depth of these wells for irriga- tion purposes, the average distance of the water from the surface throughout the day should be estimated. At dawn when the bucket is first let down the distance will be fifteen feet, but by evening the water will be exhausted—all but two or three feet, and the distance will be twenty-seven feet; the average will then be about 21 feet. Under such circumstances, the pair of bullocks and three men will water half a local bigha in half a day, the work being such that the inferior cattle employed cannot do more. This comes to an acre in eight days, or at one rupee for the cattle and two rupees four annas for the human labour, three rupees four annas for one watering. Here again the tenant complains that he cannot afford to water his wheat more than once; the owners of land who got labour a little cheaper often irrigate twice, but the vast majority of the tenants' wheat, I calculate 70 per cent., gets only one watering or none at all.