August, 1912.] 



121 



and 4,000 Munmari deficient in rainfall. 

 Of this increase in the 20 years 1,000 acres 

 were under Kanthalai. 



On Irrigation the outlay (to end of 

 1906) was Rs. 603,581 on construction and 

 Rs. 126,476 on maintenance. 



The recoupments are Rs. 10,042 in 

 rates Rs. 58,411 (repayments of original 

 cost) and Rs. 66 062 by sale of the lands 

 benefitted. Here too there was a fur- 

 their return to Government by the in- 

 creased tythe, but I have not mate- 

 rials to estimate it. 



THE NORTHERN PROVINCE 

 is one where the least progress and 

 development have taken place in paddy 

 cultivation. Between 1862 and 1882 the 

 average production was 627,000 bus. off 

 59,000 acres ; but owing to favourable 

 climatic conditions rose in the period 

 1883-7 to 771,000 off 61,000 acres. 



The Jaffna Peninsula. 



Here paddy is only one of the several 

 crops, by which the industrious cultiva- 

 tors turn the soil to account and pro- 

 duction varies accordingly. On the main- 

 land portion of the district there is a 

 large extent of suitable land but the 

 cultivation is limited and precarious and 

 the population is small. A large work 

 for the benefit of the Karachchi, the 

 necessity for which was long recognised, 

 has been undertaken, but I regret to 

 notice that, in view of the very heavy 

 cost, Government contemplate charging 

 a water rate of R9. 4 per acre on the 

 Orown land adjoining the tank and not 

 yet alienated (apparently in addition to 

 the selling price) and to leave out of 

 consideration, for the present, the old 

 fields, as the owners declined to any 

 advance on the Rs. 2 originally contem- 

 plated. 



The Vavunia District 

 was created in 1878 and there was a 

 transfer to it from Mannar of the 5 Vanni 

 Pattus, with a population of nearly 5,500 

 and 2,000 acres of paddy fields. It was 

 however shortly after practically amal- 

 gamated with Mullaifcivu. 



16 



This combined district, formerly known 

 as the Vanni, was celebrated in olden 

 times for the large area cultivated with 

 paddy, which it is reported extended to 

 over 11,000 acres in the times of Vannias 

 and under the Dutch, but fell after the 

 British occupation to 3,400 acres in 1807. 

 "The system of utilising the water 

 (required for such a large extent) was 

 remarkably perfect," writes Mr. Lewis, 

 and the number of tanks over 700, which 

 were practically uncared for, until the 

 introduction of the Paddy cultivation 

 ordinance and then repair was systemati- 

 cally taken in hand in 1880. In 1886-8 six 

 of the larger tanks were restored by 

 Government, and 150 tanks, on which 

 the cultivation had completed the neces- 

 sary earth work, were provided in 1890-1 

 with Murray sluices. In the latter year 

 a bigger tank known as Kanuakeni was 

 taken in hand by the Central Irrigation 

 Board and, though there was much delay 

 in providing the necessary channels, the 

 Asst. Agent: reports (1908) it has been a 

 great success, almost all the irrigated 

 land sold and yielding harvests twice in 

 each year over about 1,000 acres. 



Under these favourable circumstances 

 the crops and area have increased from 

 68,000 bus. off 8,000 acres in 1878-82 to 

 151,000 bus. off 11,000 acres in 1903-07. 



In the Mannar District 

 though the soil bears a high character 

 for fertility, the climatic conditions are 

 as a rule unfavourable, the rainfall aver- 

 aging only 38"; about 60 per cent, of which 

 is received in the N. E. monsoon. The 

 population, too, is limited and over two- 

 thirds of it resides in the island and is 

 largely engaged in fishing and interested 

 in palmyra groves. 



In 1875 the Irrigation ordinance was 

 introduced, and owing to action taken 

 thereunder, and the more favourable 

 seasons, the average crop reached 101,000 

 bus. off 7,000 acres in 1888-92. 



When Asst. Agent of the district in 

 1875 the writer urged the restoration of 

 the Giant's Tank, but the first estimate 

 by Mr, Parker in 1881 was over a million 

 rupees for the irrigation of 25,000 

 acres. To meet limitations imposed 



