INSTITUTE AND COLLEGE, PUSA, FOR 1912-13. 2t 



consequently some attention has been paid to this question 

 during the past three years. Hitherto, however, the object 

 has not been successfully attained. Two new methods were 

 tried during the past year, but neither was sufficiently 

 accurate. 



Water Requirements of Crops.— During the last mon- 

 soon season a series of pot-cultures were made in order to 

 test the effect of different proportions of water in various 

 soils on certain crops, namely, maize and cotton. It is of 

 course well recognised that a too low proportion of moisture 

 in a soil will prevent a full development of a plant, but 

 the information available as to what is a too low proportion 

 or a too high one for any particular soil and crop is ex- 

 tremely scanty, and practically non-existent for India. 

 Moreover, as was to be expected, the effect of a low propor- 

 tion in a particular soil varied with the crop. Whilst some 

 interesting information was obtained by the pot-cultures, it 

 seemed very doubtful whether this method is suitable for 

 the proper solution of the enquiry; the work will probably 

 have to be undertaken in the field. 



Usar Soil. — In January I was requested by the Chief 

 Engineer, Irrigation Branch, Public Works Department, 

 United Provinces, to examine some land in the Muttra 

 District which it has been proposed to bring under irriga- 

 tion, and to report as to the probability of it becoming 

 saline. 



The tract is a section of khadir land on the Jumna, 

 and the proposal includes the regulated admission of river 

 water annually for irrigation purposes and its subsequent 

 removal by drainage. Although the wells in the neigh- 

 bourhood are frequently saline, the soil of this tract is 

 generally very free from any contamination. Tests made 

 on specimens which appeared likely to contain usar salts, 

 showed that these consist of sulphate and chloride only, 

 whilst the more harmful carbonate is absent. Moreover, 

 the soil is very open and easily drained. There was no 

 indication that if the project were carried through harm- 

 ful results would follow. 



