94 
On the Irrigation of Land in India. 
Moisture is a contingency that affects the quantity of production so very remark- 
ably, that there are observable on the same spot, at different periods of time, frequent- 
ly., all the shades of difference between a third of a crop, and a double or treble crop ; 
that is, a crop double or triple what is due to the unaided operation of the season*. 
Let any one compare the produce of a kitchen garden, with that of an ordinary 
field ; and he will immediately perceive the difference. Though much, no doubt, de- 
pends upon the quantity of labour, skill, and manure employed in the cultivation of 
the former ; without the aid of a more abundant irrigation, the quantity of produce 
will not greatly exceed that of the latter. The suburbs of l’aris sufficiently evince 
the truth of this observation ; and the fact has not been overlooked by the writers on 
the subject. 
The pressing necessity of France to manufacture suearf from the beet root, com- 
pelled her to cultivate it in the late war. Four quintals answering to 4001bs. French 
weight, or nearly 4 cwts, of sugar were the ordinary annual returns of such a sort 
of cultivation obtained from one acre ; and when the absence of a tropical sun is 
taken into the account, this amount of saccharine produce is surprising. 
The astonishment which so large returns naturally excite will, however, be some- 
what moderated, after our attentive consideration" of the facts recorded by several 
writers! of respectability, who have treated the subject in a familiar and clear man- 
ner; whose testimony is very materially corroborated by the transactions of the 
Bath Agricultural Society', the annual reports of which must be necessarily associated 
with that degree of national improvement, which the future historian will not fail to 
hand down to posterity' in terms of praise and of grateful acknowledgment 
Mr. Arthur Young, so long secretary to the Board of Agriculture in London, whose 
labours are. telt by the people of Great. Britain in the present dav, has given a very 
interesting account of the profitable employment of extensive irrigation in the north 
of Italy. 
The extensive knowledge of agricultural concerns which he has displayed as well 
as his unequalled talents in this department of human science, attracted from all parts 
of the continent of .Europe, and even from America, pupils of evert' description not 
even to the exclusion of wealth and rank ; since it is known that not only opulent 
foreigners, but even members of some of the noblest families, sought this extraordi- 
nary man to receive lessons of profitable instruction. 
The unquestionable nature of such an authority as that of Mr. Young will render 
unnecessary any apo ogy for the introduction of the following extraft from his 
writings ; nod s, nee the value of the information contained in the quotation w^esti- 
mated highly by its author, it would be unpardonable to omit a pissage thaVso di- 
rectly tends to establish wliat is advanced in this essay 1 g 
“ In the neighbourhood of Milan and Lodi canals are not „„i, 
tntetrmpted, but conducted with great skiU and expense 5 * 
road, ln7 Crimes Tere 1™™? Wha *’ tl,Cre \ S ™nal on the side of the 
W,y, ,S ^ by , Ue a,, lie- 
foot wide. de ' tW0 other canaIs carried in stone troughs one 
is made to flow i°n oppos^ ■ th e ease with which it 
objects of admiration auctions , and the obstacles winch are overcome, are 
these truly great Ind NO B f E works ^ NOTH,NG mcmr 
4 d 3S 1 *s&"S^t',t,'Sp* na - *» » •* 
+ lbe Kev - Mr - Wl “te of Gloucestershire, and others. 
