200 DEPARTMENTAL REPORTS. 



appreciated ])y both the general public and the fruit growers. Such 

 work would need both time and labor, as new experimental methods 

 must be developed, and the field for experiment is a large one. A 

 study of the dietetic value of fruits, their digestibility, and their 

 effect upon the digestibility of other kinds of food materials, the eco- 

 nomic value of fruit in the diet, and the therapeutical value of fruit, 

 could not fail to bring results of great value. 



It is impracticable to meet all these demands with our present 

 appropriation. We shall endeavor to utilize the small increase given 

 us this year along the lines of the greatest urgency. It is hoped that 

 some further provision will he made to meet the growing needs of 

 this work the following year. I therefore earnestlj^ renew mj^ pre- 

 vious recommendation that the appropriation for the nutrition inves- 

 tigations be increased to $2U,0()U. 



A special subject which should be included in these investigations 

 in the future is the study of the dietaries of people living in tropical 

 countries, and the problems relating to the nutritive value of the food 

 products of these regions. This is a matter already of considerable 

 importance as related to the proper maintenance of our soldiers, sail- 

 ors, and civil officers in such regions, and will soon be of very great 

 importance as affecting our commerce and the health and comfort of 

 large numbers of people living under our flag. The Department 

 should without delay be put in position to undertake investigations 

 along this line. 



Irrigation Investigations. 



This report covers the operations of this Office in the use of the 

 second appropriation for irrigation investigations. This appropria- 

 tion was $35,000, and was made "to enable the Secretary of Agricul- 

 ture to investigate and report upon the laws and institutions relating 

 to irrigation and upon the use of irrigation waters, with special sug- 

 gestions of better methods for the utilization of irrigation waters in 

 agriculture than those in common use, and for uhe preparation, print- 

 ing, and illustration of i-eports and bulletins on irrigation; and the 

 agricultural experiment stations are hereby authorized and directed 

 to cooperate with the Secretarj^ of Agriculture in carrjang out said 

 investigations in such manner and to such extent as may be war- 

 ranted by a due i-egard to the varying conditions and needs of the 

 respective States and Territories, and as may be mutually agreed 

 upon." 



Direct supervision of these investigations has been intrusted, as 

 hitherto, to Prof. Elwood Mead, whose headquarters have been estab- 

 lished at Cheyenne, "Wyo. The Director of this Office has continued 

 to exercise general supervision of the investigations, and the office at 

 Washington, D. C, has done a considerable amount of work during 

 the past year in conducting the business which must necessarily be 

 performed in the Department, connected Avith the organization of the 

 force, the suj)ervision of expenditures, the jjurchaseof apparatus and 

 supplies, the preparation of bulletins and reports for publication, the 

 distribution of these publications, and correspondence. 



At the Cheyenne office much attention has been given to the organi- 

 zation of an expert and clerical force, which has been develoj)ed as 

 the growing needs of these investigations have required. As the work 

 undertaken in these investigations is different from anj^thing hitherto 

 attempted in this line, much difficulty has been experienced in get- 

 ting agents with suitable training and experience. In this, as in other 



