1HE IRRIGATION AGE. 397 



low the demand; and it has become necessary to refuse irrigation 

 largely during the cold weather in the upper reaches. This is not 

 such a great hardship to the people as it might at first sight appear; 

 for in consequence of the canals having been in flow, and irrigation 

 practiced for so many years, the subsoil water spring level has risen 

 considerably, and is near the ground surface. Irrigation from wells 

 is therefore easy and profitable; there are many wells in this tract of 

 country which have fallen into disuse, since canal water was obtain- 

 able, and these can be readily brought into use again, while new ones 

 can also be constructed at a small cost. Again the cessation of irri- 

 gation for half the year will check the too rapid rise of the spring 

 level toward the ground surface, while the general use of lift irriga- 

 tion from wells will even lower the spring level again to some extent; 

 so that the soil will be saved from becoming 'saturated, and be kept 

 wholesome, fit for use, and inhabitable. 



The tract of country, to irrigate which the Chanab Canal was con- 

 structed, was almost entirely barren waste and uninhabited jungle; 

 this jungle consisting of certain plants, shrubs and low trees, which 

 grow with very little rain to nourish them. It had not been claimed 

 by anyone at the time of the settlement of the Panjab after annexa- 

 tion, and therefore all the proprietary rights to it fell to the govern- 

 ment. The rainfall is too scanty and uncertain to allow of cultivation 

 and the only inhabitants were owners of herds of camels, cattle and 

 flocks of sheep and goats, which managed to find a sustenance on the 

 grasses that grew after rain, and on the jungle growth. Camels and 

 goats can subsist entirely on the leaves of shrubs and trees. The 

 subsoil water was at far too great a depth below the ground surface to 

 a low of irrigation by lift from wells. Hence the land was new land,, 

 virgin soil, uncultivated for centuries; and before the advent of canal 

 water, was practically valueless. But directly irrigation was practic- 

 able, by canal water being made available, its value at once rose to 

 about $15 per acre, in the open market. 



There being little or no population on the land to utilize the 

 canal water, government had. concurrently with the construction of 

 the canal, to colonize and to bring settlers on to the land; so that as 

 soon as the canal should be open for irrigation there might be irriga- 

 tors to make use of the water. Accordingly settlers were invited to 

 come from other districts, which, having been inhabited and cultivated 

 fully for generations, had been congested and needed an outlet for 

 their surplus population. 



There was no difficulty in obtaining new colonists; they came 

 freely; the colonization officer, specially appointed to allot land to 

 them, had rather to exercise discrimination, and select the most suit 



