—
DIG:
389
parganas to the north, Nawabganj to the east, Guwarich to the west, and the Gogra to the south. It covers an area of 157^ square miles, with a greatest length of 16 and a greatest breadth of 15 miles. It is a wellwooded plain, rather higher to the north than to the south, and almost 'throughout covered with the most careful cultivation. All the northern, and the greater part of the western frontier, is washed by the Tirhi, an insignificant stream in the hot months, but in the rains the recipient of the whole drainage of the southern portion of the table-land which forms the centre of the district. Its neighbourhood is marked by narrow tracts of pure sand washed into barren hillocks, and verging here and there into a light soil of indifferent productive powers. The centre is finer soil, and supports a thicker populsition than either the northern or southern marches. It is drained by a number of small channels, with a general direction from north-west to south-east, which, after the rains, dry up along their shallower portions, leaving in their places of greatest depression long narrow strips of lake. The Gogra border is again generally marked by a light soil, and the cultivated spots are interspersed with, large barren plains covered with grass or a scrubby growth of jhau and dhak trees. The river, which runs between low sandy banks, is constantly cutting into this frontier, and the adjoining villages suffer every year The whole pargana lies low, and is subject, severe losses from diluvion. on the occasion of heavy rains, to most destructive floods. '
Water
everywhere within a few feet of the surface, but the extreme soil prevents its use in irrigation except for poppy, garden Even the latter is not unfrequently left without crops, and sugar-cane. The Februarywater, and a poor kind exists on wholly dry cultivation. rains supply aU that is wanted, and earlier irrigation is more likely to defresh element of uncertainty is added to that of the stroy than to save. floods, for a failure of the later winter showers can neither be foreseen nor is
moisture of the
A
remedied, and does nearly as much damage to the spring, as excessive rain does to the autumn crops. Of the total area of 100,696 acres (which varies from year to year in consequence of alluvion or diluvion), 67,880 acres were under cultivation during the year of the revenue survey, and of this, very nearly half, or 33,185 acres, bore two crops. In fact, the soil is exhausted in the most ruthless manner and by sowing several grains arriving at maturity in consecutive seasons, the same field is made to bear continuously nearly the whole year round. Thus, Indian-corn, urd, and arhar will be harvested in succession from one plot of land. Autumn and spring crops, cover about the same area, and in the year of survey the former is entered The relative proportion depends for 49,335, the latter for 51,725 acres. question the spring had been in year in the and much on the seasons, exceptionally favourable. The principal crops, with their respective areas
in acres, are
Bice.
14,773
shown
in the annexed table;
ladiau-com.
19,690
Wheat.
11,945
Gram,
8,665
Arhar.
9,075
Barley,
7,060
