DRAINAGE INVESTIGATIONS. 203 



tion of soil stiulied with a view of putting this kuowledfio in a form 

 avaihible to owners of cultivated hill lands everywhere. 



This condition is not peculiar to the southern hill lands, but is 

 found in all land where the slopes are steep, and especiall}^ where clean 

 culture in farniintj operations is practiced. All questions pertaiiiini^ 

 to the control and conservation of water, distinctive chariu-teri^tics 

 of soil, and surface conditions should be carefully studied, not 

 neglecting the kind of crops and climate, which are frequently con- 

 trolling factors in the determination of the best methods that should 

 be used. 



The drainage of irrigated lands in the far "West has engaged a fair 

 share of our attention, and is a matter Avhich until recently has been 

 neglected in this country. The irrigated section in the West extends 

 from the northern to the southern boundary of our country, and 

 includes wide dili'erences in climate and variety of soil, as well as 

 surface slope and natural drainage facilities. The investigations of 

 this Office show that irrigated lands furnish one of the most intricate 

 and ])erplexing problems connected wath the improvement of land 

 by drainage. Some surprising facts have been ascertained, the com- 

 plete study of which is essential to successfully meet difficulties of 

 this kind which now confront the farmers in most sections of irri- 

 gated land. 



Preliminary investigations have been made in various localities for 

 the purpose of ascertaining the source and behavior of the water 

 which works injury, its effect upon the land by reason of the satu- 

 rated and swampy condition produced, and the accumulation of alkali 

 upon the surface which usually follows and is frequently a source of 

 serious and permanent injury. Efforts to find a method adequate to 

 the cure of this evil have been made upon injured land in cooperation 

 with owners of farms, who, in several instances, have constructed 

 drainage works according to the plans, under the direction, and in 

 some cases with the financial assistance of this Office. 



Mention of a few of these experiments will be sufficient to indicate 

 the line of work, the results of which have so far been encourajrinji:. 

 In 11)04 some tile drains were laid by farmers near Ilyde Park, Cache 

 County, Utah, the Office of Experiment Stations furnishing the 

 draintile and the landowners making the drains at their own expense. 

 The water doing the injury in this locality was found to come from 

 the higher irrigated lands, and, reaching the lower elevation and more 

 level surface, accunudated and came to the surface, seriously injuring 

 land which in former years had been valuable and had produced the 

 hugcst crops grown in the section. The soil was found to have 

 crevices and seams, which served to conduct the water thniugh it. 

 these crevices in some instances delivering streams as large as pipe 

 stems, while in others the water percolated slowly between the grains 

 of the soil. 



