UPPER INDIA. (55 



trees and vegetation generally during a season of drought on 

 lands with a hard consolidated soil, and in the case I have 

 adduced killed large trees. 



In lands of this description the leaves, if not taken away 

 for fuel or other purposes, are liable, owing to the smooth, 

 hardened state of the soil, to be blown away. Digging the 

 soil occasionally the deeper the better and burying in it all 

 leaves, twigs, &c., lying on the surface, so as to keep it open, 

 would, by preventing loss of moisture by capillary attraction, 

 ensure the safety of trees from death by drought. 



In planting trees in hard land, more particularly in hot dry 

 climates, it is advisable to dig deeply or trench the whole 

 ground ; for this reason, that the water sinking into the soil is 

 not so soon lost as when only pits are dug for the trees. If the 

 trees are planted at two yards apart, and pits are dug a yard 

 square, only one-fourth of the land is dug. Through the un- 

 dug hard soil the moisture will rise by capillary attraction, 

 and will also abstract the water from the dug portion of the 

 land, and none will remain for the trees, which will suffer in 

 consequence. 



Irrigation primarily from wells and afterwards from canals 

 was designed with the best intentions and hopes of success- 

 to prevent famines, to counteract the effects of droughts, 

 to insure good crops, and cheap food for the population, to 

 bring into cultivation land supposed to be unculturable from 

 want of water; and it was further supposed that a good 

 return in cash as interest would be made for the money spent 

 on irrigational works. 



What has irrigation done for the country ? It has signally 

 failed to do all that was foretold of it. Famines have been 

 more frequent and more severe since canals were made. 

 Droughts are greater than they previously were. The air of 

 the whole country is more arid and injurious to animal and 



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