56 



menting the deficiency of irrigation from Government works 

 and saving the Government as well as the ryots from loss, was 

 an eminently wise one. I am informed that large numbers of 

 wells have been excavated in the Chingleput, North Arcot, 

 Coimbatore, Madura and Tinnevellj/ districts during the last 

 two years with the aid of loans obtained under the very favorable 

 rules which have been framed for the purpose. In the single 

 taluk of Ponn^ri, which is liable more or less to drought, 

 it appears that no less than 900 wells have been excavated 

 during the last six months. This is a great boon to that taluk 

 which will henceforth, to a great extent, be protected from the 

 effects of partial droughts. The increase of produce under 

 the great irrigation systems has already been noticed. Of late 

 years considerable attention has been paid to the repair of 

 minor irrigation works also, and when the project for the 

 restoration of tanks throughout the Presidency at a cost of 26 

 lakhs of rupees, which is now under execution, is completed, 

 there is no doubt that the efficiency of the tanks and the 

 produce of the lands under them will be greatly increased. 

 As regards dry or unirrigated lands, it is true that there is 

 now less fallowing than formerly, though the practice of 

 leaving lands fallow prevails even now to a much greater 

 extent than is generally supposed. Thus out of 1 7 millions of 

 unirrigated lands held by Government ryots no less than 3 

 millions were left fallow in 1890. In the Godavari district 

 one-half, and in the Tinnevelly district one-third of the ryots' 

 holdings is left fallow annually.^^ There is, besides, a large area 

 of lands on the margin of cultivation which are taken up for 

 cultivation or relinquished by the ryots as it suits them. Culti- 

 vation under a system of fallows is of course poor and slovenly 

 cultivation, and with the increase of population and the 

 decrease in the area of waste, must necessarily be displaced by 

 cultivation under improved methods. My enquiries tend to 

 show that, under the stress of necessity and the additional 

 incentives to individual exertion promoted by the breakup of 

 the joint family system, greater care is now bestowed on culti- 

 vation of lands in the Tanjore district than in times past ; and 

 this is to some extent the case in other districts also. If any 

 marked results have not been obtained in this direction, it is 

 not because the ryots are so very unintelligent that they could 

 not be induced to adopt improved methods of cultivation, but 



31 The Madras Board of Revenue have since the above was written instituted enquiries 

 as to the teason for such a large proportion of dry land being left fallow in the Godavari 

 and Tinnevelly districts. The results of the enquiries are not yet known. In Tinnevelly, 

 however, it is stated that land planted with palmy rah trees, though included 'in ryots' 

 holdings, is treated in the revenue accounts as ' waste,' that is, fallo^v. This will 

 however, account for the area of land left fallow only in a portion of the district. 



