MEIKTILA  , a

district and division in Upper Burma . The district is the most easterly of the districts in the dry zone, and has an area of 2183 sq. m . It lies between Kyaukse, Myingyan, Yamethin, and on the east touches the Shan States . It is a slightly undulating plain, the gentle slopes of which are composed of black " cotton " soil and are somewhat arid . The only hills above 300 ft. are on the slopes of the Shan hills . The lake is the chief feature of the district . It is artificial, and according to Burmese legend was begun 2400 years ago by the grandfather of Gautama Buddha . It is 7 M. long, averages half a mile broad, and covers an area of 31 sq. na, With the Minhla and other connected lakes it irrigates a large' extent of country . There are small forest reserves, chiefly of cutch . Large numbers of cattle are bred . The chief agricultural products are rice, sesamum, cotton, peas, maize, millet and gram . Pop .

(1901), 252,305 . Famines in 1891, 1895 and 1896 led to considerable

emigration . The climate is healthy except in the submontane townships . The temperature rises to too° F. and over between the months of March and June, and the mean minimum in January is about 61° . The rainfall is uncertain (36.79 in. in 1893, 25.59 in 1891) .