Page:Gazetteer of the province of Oudh ... (IA cu31924073057345).pdf/332

 32+ LUC requires the investment of most capital, was often carried out in the dark ages, but has since been utterly neglected. I have not seen one such embankment or irrigation tank in the district which has been made in the present century. It may be observed here that tank-irrigation is the same as canal-irri- gation as regards the cost of the human labour employed; a lift from one costs just as much as a lift from the other. I have here calculated the cost of tank-irrigation at eleven annas for one lift for one watering of an Mr. Buck caleulates that eight men working with two baskets irri- gate an acre in the day. This would come at one anna and a half per bead to 12 annas ;* but it is strange if practically the same results are attained with two baskets as with one basket. The explanation lies, it is believed, in the differing size of the basket used. When the system of double reliefs exists as in Lucknow, the basket is heavier, as the men have only to work half the day. In Mr. Buek's case the Deorha relief is in use—that is to say, half the gang is relieved every hour, and each man works eight hours ; they use therefore a lighter basket, and the result is about the acre. same. Irrigation is also carried on by the dhenkli,, a long lever whose short arm is weighted with a mass of clay, and is pulled down while the long arm raises a clay jar of water. Under favourable circumstances--viz., a good supply of water close at hand-two and a half biswas a day can be watered by two men working all day; their pay will be three annas, and the cost of irrigation Re. 1-8-0 per bigha, or Rs. 2-6-0 per acre for one watering Sometimes the earthen pot is pulled up by three men; five men will then water ten biswas a day if the water is within fifteen feet, and the cost is reduced to ten annas a bigha or one rupee an acre for one watering, but in this case the same five men being themselves the owners of the crop work all day without a relief, therefore I allow two annas a day for the labour. Water is very rarely so close to the surface. In the case of irrigation from jhíls and tanks it is very cheap, indeed, the land is near the water or within a low elevation. The work is very hard, and there are always double reliefs. Practically there are never less than two lifts, and on the average four lifts are used. There are two men at each ; the latter number of lifts then will require sixteen men to swing the wicker basket, and two men to guide the water in the field. They get one and a half anna per day, and half a local or small ser of parched gram at midday each ; they will water one bigha and a half per day. The cost of this labour will thus be one rupee eleven annas and nine local sers of gram, equal to about three annas; this will make the cost of irrigating an acre once exactly two rupees if the water has to be raised four lifts, one rupee two annas for two lifts, and three rupees twelve anpas for eight lifts. Strange as it may seem they do sometimes use up to nine lifts. At the ordinary distance from the pond the cost of giving sugarcane five people will only allow that area to be passible,
 * In a number of instances I found that only ten or eleven acres were irrigated, and the