Page:Gazetteer of the province of Oudh ... (IA cu31924073057352).pdf/200

 192 RAE rather striking at first sight; not only does the cost of irrigation appear extravagant, double and treble what canal water costs, but it seems impos- sible that it would pay to irrigate wheat or barley three times as is com- monly the case in this district. It is impossible to value either the human or cattle labour at a lower rate than is here estimated. Mr. Halsey, of Cawnpore, values bullock labour in a similar calculation at three annas a hcad, and one anna per day is rather less than the sum which will feed a bullock, pay the interest on its value, and the required quota to a sinking fund to replace it when dead or decrepid. Two annas is the rate actually paid to men who work at the wells all day; those who only labour half the day get 11. The labour rates then seem unimpeachable ; it seems impossible that it can pay to give three waterings. Wlieat watered once will give 900 lbs to the acre, watered three times it will not exceed 1,250 IBs.--a difference of 350 lbs., worth on the average Rs. 8 for an increased expenditure of Rs. 6-11-0. This would pay, but in many fields the crop is never more than 1,000lbs., even after three waterings; its value then will be about Rs. 25 for grain and Rs. 5 for straw. Rent will be Rs. 8, ploughing Rs. 8, seed Rs. 2, weeding Rs. 2, manure Rs. 3, reaping and thrashing Rs. 2—in all Rs. 25. It is apparent then that watering even twice will not pay. The people of Rae Bareli are industrious, and apparently would rather work in their own fields even when they might obtain more by hiring themselves out. Further, wlien as is generally the case the cattle are their own, it is better to employ them even if the result will only pay haif their kcep than that they should be idle. The people, however, quite understand that watering is very expensive, and they abstain in this tract from the cultivation of sugarcane, tobacco, and other crops requiring much water. If canal water were introduced, the cattle thus partially deprived of employ would be profitably used in pressing sugarcane, carting fuel and manure, ploughing more land. At present hardly any sugarcane and little tobacco are grown in the district, the main reason being appa- rently the scareity of water. No permanent embankments of the rivers have been made, and the tanķs made by the Bhars are not so numerous as in Partabgarh. The estates of the different land owners are a good deal intermixed, and the ore inte ent of them give this as a reason for their inactivity: Sai and Naiya rivers have high steep banks, and in many places might be embanked with great advantage to the surrounding crops. The Oudh Government in 1858 issued a circular containing advice and instructions on the subject. Some very interesting statistics on the subject of wells are given by Major Orr of Rae Bareli. Since annexation he had constructed 20 wells for irrigation purposes up till September, 1873; their average width was 81 feet, the average depth to which they were sunk 44 feet, of which 194 feet were filled with water; the average cost was Rs. 277, and six leather buckets could be used at once from each well. Of these wells seven were not sunk to the spring, and would not probably irrigate more than six acres of ground each, the other 13 would irrigate 15 acres each-in all 237 acres, or say 200 acres The rent