(12) The line of the filtration shuuld not be less than eight times 

 the depth of water in ordinary soils and four times the 

 depth of water in very good soils. 



Another system of soil-preparation that has given very good 

 results is the ridge-and-ditch method. Ditches are dug contourwise, 

 usually two wide and one deep, and the earth from the ditches heap- 

 ed up in a ridge on the downward side to form a seed bed : the founda- 

 tion of the ridge must be well dug up before starting the making 

 of the ridge The ditches should be bandhed at intervals to 

 prevent side flow- The advantage of this system is that a large 

 quantity of water from the unworked ground is collected in the 

 ditches alongside the plants. The ditches require great care in 

 alignment, as otherwise they may drain off the water instead of 

 conserving it. 



Under this system grass comes in very slowly on the unworked 

 ground between the ditches, but the tree-growth is undoubtedly 

 more rapid than under other systems. 



So far the systems of soil-cultivation in the ravines have been 

 dealt with ; a certain amount of experience of afforestation on 

 entirely different soils has, however, been gained. The Hamirpur 

 babul areas offered quite a different problem ;. here the soil was 

 of the water-logged black cotton variety with no defined drainage 

 direction : sowings en ground level were invariably swamped and 

 the only system which succeeded at all was to sow on ridges above 

 the water level. In places this succeeded, but generally the tall 

 grass-growth, foods, and the hardness of the soil on drying destroy- 

 ed the work A drainage scheme was eventually started and 

 attempts were made ai- ploughing the very hard ground ; this 

 resulted in a little more 3uccess, but further experiments were 

 suspended by the transfer of the areas to the Banda division. 



Ravine-reclamation has been found by practical experience to 

 be eminently suitable for famine labour. Practically every class 

 of labour is catered for, the work can be closed down at any time 

 without leaving it incomplete and owing to its shifting nature it is 

 far healthier than the usual run of famine works. In the Etawah 

 district famine (1918-19) ravine-reclamation formed the backbone 

 of relief and gave employment to 1,253,706 units. A full account 

 of these operations is given in appendices XIV and XV. 



Of all the indigenous trees found on the area, babul seemed the Choice of species, 

 most attractive by reason of the demand for its bark at the Cuwn- 

 pore tanneries and wood for fuel and small agricultural require- 

 ments. In the absence of any knowledge as to what species would 

 grow in the ravines, it was natural that babul was selected in the 

 first instance. Experiments, however, were carried on eimultane- 



Famine labour 

 for afforestatior. 



