ii8 SCIENCE PROGRESS 



because of its intrinsic importance but because it is pioneer work 

 that will serve to show clearly the method adopted of solving 

 this question. 



Lifting ^<7/(?r.— The chief requisites of the Indian agriculturist 

 are water and manure, both of which, in the absence of public 

 sources of water supply, he has obtained hitherto through the 

 agency of cattle. Water is lifted from between three and four 

 million wells ; as the quantity required is large, the expense 

 is a very heavy charge upon the ryots. Careful investigation 

 of the indigenous methods of lifting water demonstrated the 

 high degree of efficiency attained in applying the power and 

 no improvement seemed to be practicable until the oil engine 

 became a source of motive power, so economical in fuel, so simple 

 in action and involving so small a capital outlay that it was 

 easily brought within the range of the wealthier ryot who had a 

 sufficient water supply to justif}' using it to drive a centrifugal 

 pump. In the South of India through Government agency 

 large numbers have been installed and there is no doubt that 

 their use will extend rapidly as their advantages become better 

 appreciated. The requirements of India in this direction have 

 now attracted the attention of engineers in England and, espe- 

 cially since the invention by Mr. Humphrey of the gas pump, 

 it cannot be doubted that there will be a rapid development of 

 mechanical methods of lifting water on a small scale that will 

 greatly conduce to the prosperity of the ryot and at the same 

 time familiarise him with the advantages of employing better 

 tools or appliances in his daily work. Where the individual 

 ryots are farming on too small a scale, the advantages of a 

 number co-operating are apparent and have already been 

 utilised. 



Searching for Water. — The application of the oil engine and 

 pump to lifting water for irrigation has extended the range 

 through which water can be lifted profitably and rendered it 

 possible to go to greater depths in search of water. To facilitate 

 this work boring tools have been introduced and through their 

 agency valuable supplies have been discovered ; these have 

 greatly increased the value of the land in the neighbourhood. 

 The cost of a set of boring tools being beyond their means of 

 individual ryots and special experience being necessary to make 

 use of them, the work of boring for water has been taken up 

 in some cases by public bodies and in others by private 



