84 REPORT OF OFFTCE OF EXPERIMENT STATIONS. 



mcr. (too(1 crops have been raised in this way for twenty-five years 

 in the valley of Butter Creek, in Oregon, and it i^ believed that there 

 are many sections on the arid plains where similar results can be 

 secured. 



The studies of irrigation practice in the rice fields of I^ouisiana 

 and Texas, begun several years ago, were continued during 1905, as 

 was the rice exi)orinient begun at Lonoke, Ark., in 1J)04. The two 

 years' work at Lonoke has demonstrated that rice can be grown at a 

 profit on the prairie lands of Arkansas, and that there is a plentiful 

 supply of water to be secured by pumping. A considerable area 

 of land in the neighborhood of the experiment farm was })lanted to 

 rice last year, and more will be i^lanted next year. A company has 

 been organized to construct a rice mill at Lonoke, and there is talk 

 of putting in another at Little Rock. In all these rice districts there 

 is a growing necessity for drainage to remove the surplus water when 

 heavy rainfalls follow irrigation. 



From the beginning of the irrigation work of this Office the study 

 of irrigation laws and institutions has been an important feature. 

 The use of water from streams in irrigation has necessitated the 

 abandonment or modification of previous legal systems regarding 

 water, and there is a constant evolution in water codes. This Office 

 studies the operation of existing laws and points out wherein they 

 have promoted or hindered development, and also the principles 

 which should govern future legislation. Such studies have been 

 made in California and Utah and reports published. A similar re- 

 port on Montana is now being prepared for publication, and tlie field 

 work for a report on Nevada has been done. In addition, last year 

 a report on water rights on interstate streams, which is a study of 

 the water laws of Colorado, Wyoming, and Nebraska, was published, 

 and Mr. R. P. Teele made a study of the work of the State engineers 

 and of the other means of public supervision of the use of water. 



DRAINAGE. 



The drainage work of this Office includes the reclaiming of lands 

 now unused because of their swampy condition, and the improvement 

 of lands already under cultivation, which fail to produce maximum 

 crops because of an excess of moisture. It is under the direction of 

 Mr. C. G. Elliott. 



Drainage work in this country' may be classified as follows: 



(1) Providing outlets for surplus water from large, level areas, 

 where natural outlets are insufficient to remove surplus water quickly 

 enough to keep the lands in workable condition. 



(2) Providing interior drainage for small tracts, where outlets 

 either natural or artificial exist. 



(3) Protection of river bottom lands from overflow and removing 

 water from them after flood water has been shut out. 



