£80 



Selections. 



[NO. 4, NEW SERIES, 



water would be worth no less ; tins estimate, it must he remem- 

 bered, is made by those who had to pay for the water, and who cal- 

 culated only the cost of the quantity they raised from the wells, 

 whereas the supply taken from the channels was at least double 

 and it contained a manure not found in well water. In conse- 

 quence of the very favorable climate of Ganjam in which rain falls 

 in almost every month of the year, and for 7 or 8 months there is 

 a stream in the rivers, the cost of a constant supply of water for 

 the year would be smaller than it is in most Districts, and as the 

 monsoon there is hardly less certain than it is on the western coast, 

 there would be nothing precarious in the supply of water. 



The works I would recommend for this cultivation are, anniculs 

 on the considerable streams, and tanks on the smaller tributaries 

 so arranged, that when the river failed, the tank water might be 

 thrown into the channels. The country seems well adapted for 

 works of this kind and the land suitable for sugar, (if such irriga- 

 tion is given to it) is unlimited. In speaking of this to a wealthy 

 land holder, he thought the plan all very good, but he believed the 

 whole soil of Ganjam to be so peculiar, that " bunds of tanks 

 could never be made of it," 1 need not say that this was purely 

 imaginary, and Major Birdwood will gladly undertake to prove to 

 the contrary as soon as he has determined on suitable positions for 

 his works, and obtained sanction for the sums required to build 

 them. 



Another relief that the Government might give to the sugar 

 growers is to take the Revenue from the land after the crop is sold, 

 holding the land as security ; I am quite aware that there is not 

 one Sheristadar in the service who would not object to this ; and 

 it would be a most unpopular move with the influential people of 

 the country, because it would help to relieve the ryots from the 

 thraldom in which they are held by the capitalists. So much is 

 this mode of relief objected to, that when a gentleman in Rajah- 

 mundry offered to pay the kists for the sugar growers, a party of 

 Sowcars offered him 3,000 Rupees not to begin that system. If 

 the security is good, the Government will not, I am sure, object to 

 this innovation ; and I am certain, if it was tried, it would be found 



