Report on the Improvement of Indian Agriculture

The failure and abolition of the first Agricultural Department in 1878 and its reconstruction in 1881 as the outcome of the Report of the Famine Commissioners of 1880 are touched upon and the steps taken by the Government of India in carrying out the reAommendations of the Famine Commission are reviewed. [...] The influence of vegetation and especially of trees in improving climate is discussed ; the real value consisting in the lowering of temperature the production of a more gentle rainfall the increase in the number of rain' days the holding-up of the soil the obtaining of 4 cooler earth-suface and the retention of moisture by the soil. [...] It is maintained that the success of such a scheme must not depend alone upon financial considerations but should be considired from the point of view of the needs of the people and the demands of the principal industry of the country viz. [...] for.agricultural purposes (" Fuel and Fodder Reserves"); TION S. (2) the increase of plantations along canal banks and railway lines; (3) the further encouragement of arboriculture ; (4) the prosecution of agricultural enquiry for ascertaining the needs of the different cultivating districts in the matter of wood supply ; (5) the setting aside yearly of a portion of the revenue derived by the Fore [...] the extended introduction of agricultural education into the general educational system ; (3) the preparation of agricultural text-books suitable to the different parts of the country ; (4) the recognition of the claims of passed students in agriculture to appointments in the Land Revenue and cognate Departments.