Page:Indian Journal of Economics Volume 2.djvu/539

- ECONOMY OF IRRIGATION WATER 521 increase ?ho area irrigated from one ouflo? by charging a fixed annual sum per ou?le? instead of as a? presen? on ?he area actually irrigated. The objec? of irrigation is ?o ge? moisture ?o ?he roo?s of ?he plan?s. The-presen? me?hod of doing ?his, i.,., by flooding ?he surface of ?he soil is perhaps charging ra?her a clumsy and wasteful expedient; because, (a) i? cakes ?he surface soil, destroys ?he mulch, and promotes ?he loss of. ?he subsoil moisture by capillary action and evaporation; (b) ?here is a direc? loss of. wa?er by evaporation during ?he process of irrigation; () ?he roo?s are kep? near ?he surface; (d) aeration o! ?he subsoil and ?he activity of ?he nitrogen fixing bacteria are lessened. possible that by passing the by a number of ?hese moisture parallel disadvantages directly porous I? is obviated subsoil could be in?o ?he earthenware surface and saving o! pipes sunk abou? 18 inches below ?he 8 fee? apart, and ?ha? a very considerable irrigation wa?er would ?her. eby result.