Page:Gazetteer of the province of Oudh ... (IA cu31924073057352).pdf/194

 186 RAE acre. “ Cost of irrigation from ponds and marshes. This gang managed to irrigate 2, acres per diem, and calculating their wages at one anna and a half per man per diem, the cost of irrigation was about Rs. 2-0-0 per About seven gallons of water are raised about three feet and a half at each delivery of a common sized basket, and the process can be repeated by men working easily at least six hundred times, which gives over four thousand gallons in the hour. · Artificial reservoirs.—Rights in wells are clear, and are seldom, if ever, called in question. With regard to artificial reservoirs, two classes may be said to exist (1) those in the case of which the excavator or his heir is living and in possession, and (2) those in which all rights have lapsed. In the former case, after taking as much water as his purpose requires, the owner usually allows the privilege of irrigation to such cultivators of the village or neighbouring villages as he pleases. In the latter case, however, it is usual for the lord of the manor to first irrigate his sír lands, afterwards those cultivators, whose lands are situated within reach of the water, appoint a committee to estimate the contents of the reservoir, and the amount of land which it is proposed to irrigate. The amount of water to which each man is entitled is then apportioned in 'dauris.' The dauri contains about five gallons, and the 'dugla' rather more than twice as much. “Depth of water.—The maximum depth of water in this district is 78 feet, and to be found in village Bigahpur Kalán, pargana Magráyar, the minimum is eight feet in village Pára Khurd, pargana Hardoi. During the heavy rains of 1868, the river Sai rose to within twelve feet of the general ground level of the station, whilst the water in wells not far from the banks, remained at their normal level of about twenty feet from the surface. On the 21st September, 1871, the river rose to within twelve feet of the ground level of a compound three hundred yards distant, in which is a well, the water in which on the same date was twenty-five feet below the same level. « Pakka wells. The assessment retums show 11,560 kachcha to 10,501 pakka wells; pakka wells are properly those of which the chambers are made of kiln-burnt bricks and mortar; but wells of which the chambers are made of kiln-burnt bricks, joined with clay, are also so called. The cost of construction of pakka wells varies from Rs. 50 to Rs. 200. " Kachcha wells.—Kachcha wells are properly those which have no interior supporting walls or chambers below the water level, but wells are also called kachcha in which there are such chambers made of potters bricks, wood, or twig fascines. The cost of making a kachcha well varies from two or three to thirty rupees and over. Potter's bricks differ from common bricks, only in being of such a shape that a certain number put together will form a circle ; some are made in wooden frames, but the larger ones are made by drawing concentric circles on prepared earth when it becomes consistent, and then cutting the bricks of an uniform size and burning them in a kiln. It is said that these bricks are generally made by 'kumhárs' or potters, hence their name.