Abstract

The object of this paper is to give in a succinct form the work of an Agricultural Chemist and the necessity for consulting him in launching any new irrigation project. With this purpose a descriptive account is given of the work done by the Chemistry Section here in connection with the Lower Bhavani Project. This project aims at constructing a dam across the river Bhavani at a place 9 miles west of Satyamangalam and taking a channel from there across the country in a south-easterly direction to join the river Cauvery somewhere near Kodumudi. The strip of land which thus lies between this channel on one side and the rivers Bhavani and the Cauvery on the other is about 60 to 70 miles long and of an average breadth of 4 to 5 miles. The total area which will thus get to be under irrigation when the channel becomes a fait accompli will be about 200,000 acres, the main crops being millets, nadam cotton and occasionally groundnut. There is no doubt that when the area comes under irrigation we will be greatly adding to the prosperity of the whole tract by enabling ryots to go in for more paying crops which for want of water they are unable to raise now.

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