138 FORESTRY IN BRITISH EAST INDIA. 



buted over the seasons of the year, or altogether uncertain, as is 

 the case in many parts of India and also in some parts of Burma. 

 In this respect the action of forests in India is highly beneficial. 



3. Irrigation. 



The beneficial action of forests upon the preservation of 

 moisture becomes of special importance in countries like India 

 where artificial irrigation is of national importance. In a primi- 

 tive manner, irrigation has been carried out in India from time 

 immemorial, but it was not done on a scale sufficient to prevent 

 the horrors of periodic famines. One of the early measures taken 

 by the British Government of India was to increase and systema- 

 tise irrigation on lands in those parts of the country where the 

 rainfall was not sufiicient to secure the growth of food crops. 

 Now, the existing irrigation systems have reached such an extent 

 that starvation during periods of scarcity is no longer to be 

 feared. Sufficient food for man and fodder for cattle can be sent 

 by the existing railway systems in a comparatively short time. 



The irrigation systems existing in 1914 are classified as 

 follows : — 



57 Productive Works irrigating 

 30 Protective Works irrigating 

 119 Minor Works irrigating. 

 37,000 Tanks irrigating 



Total 

 Add Areas irrigated from Wells 



Grand total of irrigated Area 



16,320,500 acres. 



553,200 „ 

 4,750,700 „ 

 3,275,200 „ 



24,899,600 

 10,000,000 



34,899,600 



These areas are distributed over the several provinces of India, 

 more particularly in the Punjab with 7-8 millions, Madras with 

 7-1 milHons, Sind with 3-6 millions, United Provinces with 

 3-5 millions. The value of the crops produced on these areas 

 amounts to 800,000,000 rupees (£80,000,000) annually. 



Of the total irrigated area, about 10 million acres rely on water 

 taken from rivers which are fed by the enormous snowfields of 

 the Himalayas ; the remaining areas derive their water, directly 

 or indirectly, from the rain which falls on the heated surface of 



J 



