‘Persia – especially Seistan’ [‎144r] (286/949)

9
distributed with but ordinary care. One-third of the Helmand, i.e., 1,400
cusecs, would similarly suffice for the irrigation of no less than 242,000 acres.
57 . The normal area of spring crop cultivation in Persian Seistan is>
now-a-days, 141,000 acres, and admits of large extension. The present
cultivated area of Afghan Seistan is only some 22,700 acres. The area
capable of irrigation and cultivation on the right bank of the Helmand is,
however, about equal to that in Persian Seistan. A vast area of land, once
cultivated but now deserted, in the Tarakun and Hauzdar tracts is, moreover,
capable of irrigation and cultivation from the Helmand, by construction of
irrigation works of no very great magnitude. Much of this tract is situated in
Persian territory.
58 . The period of sowing for spring crops in Seistan is an unusually long
one. It may be said to extend from the autumn equinox, on 21 st September, to
the spring equinox, on 21 st March, i.e., theNaoroz. The Helmand, during this
period, is recovering from its annual minimum by a steady gradual rise in
volume from the beginning of September to Xmas. Prom Xmas to Naoroz, the
river increases by rapid rises to a very large volume. After 21 st March,
watering of the later sown spring crops and sowing of autumn crops continue
simultaneously without detriment to each other. The unusually long period
of sowing in Seistan is a fact to be carefully remembered. In this report, this
sowing period is called the “ spring crop season ”.
59 . The Helmand reaches its maximum annual volume about the end
of April, and is reduced to its annual minimum by about the end of August.
60 . The Band-i-Seistan is constructed, annually, towards the end of
August. The Shahgul Band is reconstructed, as a rule, a little earlier than
this. In normal years both bands are widely breached by the rising river
about Xmas time, and then cease to serve their original purpose. All the
various canals leading from the Helmand, both those above and those below
Bandar-i-Kamal Khan, occasionally necessitate bands across a portion, or even
the whole channel, of the Helmand. There is no fixed custom about the time
for constructing them. They are only constructed when required or when
feasible, and are never constructed on the large scale of the Band-i-Seistan and
Shahgul Band.
61 . A few remarks are necessary regarding the future possibilities in
Persian and Afghan Seistan, respectively, of large extension of cultivation, as
preceding remarks apply chiefly to such moderate extensions as can be carried
out from existing irrigation works. The simplest method of arriving at a fair
understanding of this point is to take the gross areas of land in each country,
which are roughly as follows:—
In Afghan Seistan—
Tarakun tract ... ... ... ... 2,697 square miles.
Elsewhere ... ... ••• ... 1,510 „ „
Total
4,207
In Persian Seistan—
Hauzdar tract
Elsewhere
Total
Grand total
... 1,139
... 1,728
... 2,867
... 7,073
Afghan exceeds Persian land in the proportion of 4 to 3 ; but when the
proportionately larger area of uncommandable dasht and sandhills in Afghan
territory is taken into consideration, we find that the total culturable areas in
Afghan and Persian Seistan may be treated as approximately equal.
In one portion of the above, viz., the Tarakun and Hauzdar tract, the
Afghan area is double that of the Persian, but the Persian share consists of