THE HISTORY OF IRRIGATION 453 



system. As a result of these activities, the irrigated area 

 of India was increased, between 1877 and 1897, from 6 

 per cent to 7.5 per cent of all the arable land. Irrigation 

 development in some phase is being pushed with un- 

 diminished vigor. 



South Africa has also shared in the recent irrigation 

 development. Cape Colony, ceded to England in 1814, 

 began its recent growth with the diamond discoveries of 

 1870. Soon afterwards, in 1877, irrigation boards were 

 organized to consider the small and scattered irrigation 

 efforts of the past and to propose new and greater plans 

 which have been in part carried out. Since 1904, in the 

 other states of British South Africa, irrigation develop- 

 ment has been undertaken on a large scale. In fact, so 

 urgent had the interest in irrigation become that, in 

 1909, an irrigation congress was held for all British South 

 Africa. Much irrigation progress may be looked for hi 

 South Africa. 



Australian irrigation has had a similar history. Iso- 

 lated irrigation plants were established soon after the 

 settlement of the continent, but it was only in 1884 that 

 a royal commission was appointed to consider ways and 

 means of irrigation development. Since 1885 govern- 

 mental consideration has been given to irrigation with the 

 result that notable structures have been built and much 

 advance made in the reclamation of the arid lands. 



In many other countries, on all the continents, interest 

 in irrigation has been developed in recent years, and in 

 many of them irrigation dams and canals have been 

 constructed. Argentina, for example, although only at the 

 threshold of her agricultural development, has already 

 constructed several irrigation works of considerable 

 extent. 



