1839] 



and Statistical of the Ceded Districts. 



121 



and increase the produce of fruit : others apply it to the soil around the 

 root of the young tree. 



Irrigation. — Irrigation is conducted by means of tanks, wells, rivers, 

 rivulets, water-courses leading from the larger streams. Water is gene- 

 rally drawn up from the wells at a depth of from 6 to 50 feet by the 

 common mote, or water-wheel, turned by from two to four bullocks 

 moving down an inclined plane, the length and degree of inclination of 

 which is dexterously adapted by the natives to the depth of the well. 

 The water is thus drawn up in a large leathern bag, or bucket, and pour- 

 ed into a channel artificially raised above the level of the land to be 

 irrigated, and diffused by small acqueducts over its whole extent. The 

 skill and ingenuity displayed by the Hindus in this practical branch of 

 hydrostatics, is no where better exemplified than in the ruins of Bijanug- 

 ger; where, by means of a number of magnificent dams, or anicuts, 

 thrown across the course of a large and rapid river, its waters were plen- 

 tifully distributed by stone acqueducts in many places raised on pillars, 

 to every corner of a most extensive and populous city,, and to this day irri- 

 gate large and fertile tracks on the river's banks. By means of the mote- 

 water is also raised to the surface from the deep beds of rivers, and pour- 

 ed into the adjacent fields. The yettam, or balance beam, turning on a 

 wooden pivot, and moved on the principle of a lever by a single cooly, is 

 much employed in garden and other cultivation of small extent. The 

 principal tanks are those of Cummum, Hundi, Anantipur, Bukapatnam, 

 Dunnaikenkerra, Durmaveram, Daroji, Herri Toombul, and Yerratimraja 

 Cherru. The keeping in repair of the embankments of the tanks and 

 of the anicuts, is provided for by Government, and confided to the charge 

 of the civil engineers. The number of anicuts* over large rivers in the 

 Bellary collectorate, amounts to 46: over small streams to 285. The num- 

 ber of tanks, that are kept in repair and conduce to irrigation, in the same 

 collectorate is 1401, and of wells 22,440. 



Meteorology. — The wind blows generally from S. W. to W. and N. W. 

 from March to October, and during the rest of the year, fromN. E. to S. E. 

 In January and February, it often shifts from the N. E. to the S. W., 

 W., and N. W, and is usually strongest in March and April. Showers 

 fall from April to November, at first attended with severe thunder storms. 

 March, April, May and June are the hottest months ; November, De- 

 cember and January the coldest months during the year. The greatest 



* The anicuts are constructed of large masses of granite, in many places clamped toge- 

 ther with iron. They are built in great part on masses of rock which reduces the height 

 of the artificial stonework— much of which is only five or six feet high. The general 

 height of the anicuts from the riv«r-bed, is from 9 to 12 feet. 



