THIS 
BRITISH ENCYCLOPEDIA. 
IRRIGATION. 
TRRIGATION is the art of conducting 
water at pleasure over levels or inclined 
planes^ in such manner that the whole may 
receive the benefit of partial immersion ; 
whereby the surface may be duly supplied 
with moisture, and the vegetable produc- 
tions intended to be encouraged, should be 
enabled to put forth abundantly, and to 
yield a good crop. Irrigation is with us ra- 
ther a novel practice, but was well under- 
stood by the ancients, and has been in use 
among the Chinese up to the earliest dates 
of their records. In Hiadostan, the whole 
of the rubbee, or small-grain crop, is artifi- 
cially watered ; the grain being deposited 
in October, while the ground remains 
moist, after the heavy rains which had fallen 
for months previously to the operations 
of tillage ; so that the seed speedily germi- 
nates. But the perfect drought attendant 
on the five successive months, would infalli- 
bly destroy tlie promising verdure, were it 
not that the peasants divide their lands into 
small squares, about four or five feet each 
way, Iretween each pair of which a small 
channel, made by banking the soil, pro Uni- 
pore, in a very simple manner, conducts the 
little stream supplied from numerous wells 
made expressly for the occasion. When 
the ear, or blossom, has shot forth, water- 
ing is discontinued. The Chinese proceed 
on the grand scale ; they not only divide 
their fields by numerous channels, but even 
warp whole tracts of low land; whereby 
they insure immense returns. The Afri- 
cans, in some parts, follow the Hindostanee 
plan ; but raise their water chiefly from the 
rivers, or obtain their supplies of that inva- 
luable element from natural reservoirs, 
VOL. IV. 
formed by the hollows among hills. In 
every part of Asia, but especially in the 
Mysore country, formerly under the domi- 
nion of the late Sultan Tippoo, the reten- 
tion of water, for the pui poses of irrigation, 
is a matter of such importance as to be en- 
tirely under the auspices and controul of 
the government. Tippoo caused banks, or, 
as they are called in India, bunds, to be 
made between the bases of hills, so as 
to intercept the copious streams, which, 
during the rainy seasons, flow from the 
hilly country. An example worthy of imi- 
tation ! Thus immense bodies Of water 
might be collected in many parts of the 
United Kingdoms, whence mills and va- 
rious machinery might be worked, without 
causing any waste of valuable land; the 
soil, in situations appropriate to such pur- 
poses, being for the most part poor, and un- 
fit for tillage. 
The Milanese territory exhibits the great- 
est expanse of irrigation known in Europe. 
In that country are to be seen noble canals 
running in every direction, totally exempt- 
ed from local prejudice, private pique, or 
self-interest. All are under the authority 
and protection of government, which lets 
out the water to the various occupiers of 
meadows, at a fixed rate, according to the 
quantity supplied. Sometimes these canals 
are farmed out, by putting up the several 
sluices to auction; in other instances the 
canals go with the lands. 
Whatever may be the manner in which 
their water is dispersed, its due preserva- 
tion is an object of general solicitude, on ac- 
count of the benefits which individuals derive 
fi om its use ; while the government, both from 
B 
