The chief irrigation sources in the three Government taluks are the Varaha in Golgonda; this river and the Sarada in Savvasiddhi; and, in Pdlkonda, the Nagavali and its tributary the Suvavnamuklii. The area protected by these (and by minor tanks and channels) in each of the taluks is shown below : —
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It will be seen that it is considerable only in Palkonda. The great difference in the area safeguarded in ordinary and in all seasons in Sarvasiddhi is due to the fact that the taluk lies at the tail of the Varaha and Sdrada channels and so suffers considerably if the seasons are adverse, as the upper anicuts (sometimes private property) take all the water. This evil promises to increase rather than diminish, as the present tendency is to replace inferior and temporary anicuts by permanent and substantial works.
In this district wells are of comparatively small importance. The returns show only 7,293 * of them, of which 2,840 are supplementary wells dug in wet land and used chiefly for growing the second crops thereon already referred to. Less than a score of the whole number are pucka constructions with revetments, the average well being a big irregular pit with crumbling sides. The picottah is the universal water-lift, motes being unknown. The buckets are made of riveted sheet iron or of the hoUowed-out root end of a palmyra, bound round the top with hoop iron. For small lifts of three or four feet from channels to fields, the swinging basket, operated by two ropes on each side held by two
