INDIAN FAMINES - Institute for Social and Economic Change

MITIGATIVE JIEASURES. 207
already in existence, or at hand, for alleviating
theefl'ects of famines; and any process, the cost of
which is within the reach of most individuals,
may fairly be considered as an existing preventive
measure. Especially does this apply
to well - irrigation. From time immemoriRol
wells have been the basis of agriculture in
India; and although wells are no doubt numerous
throughout the land, still their number
could be increased very considerably with great
advantage. Colonel B. Smith estimated in
1861 that well- irrigation throughout India
amounted to between 3,000,000 and 4,000,000
acres, while canals irrigated only about onequarter
of that area. For the country cal1ed
the Doab,· that officer prepared the following
table, t showing the percentages of the different
modes of irrigation practised in that
province in ]861:-
Percentage of
total area.
1. Area protected by means of well-inigation, 24.0
2." ., " " Jheels, submersion,
natural moisture, &c., 2.0
• See footnote, page 11.
t This table is also given at page 152.