IRRIGATION INVESTIGATIONS. 45 



iriii>iited in these two States, und the crop j^rown thereon had an esti- 

 mated vahie of more than i^l•i,0(JO, ()()(), or uearh' $3(» an acre. In 

 other words, the vahie of the single crop is far greater tlian the total 

 vtiUio of this hind ])efore irri<ifation was established. 



The success of cranberry irrigation in Wisconsin and elsewiiere 

 l)romises equally important additions to the productive capacit^y of 

 lands in the North. Irrigation is destined to be a laroe factor in mar- 

 ket gardening and in the production of forage crops ever^'where 

 throughout the East. Northern Ital}' has a rainfall e(pial to that of 

 the Mississippi Valley, yet millions of dollars an^ being spent in the 

 construction of irrigation works, not to make agi'iculture possible but 

 to make it prbtitable, and there seems to be no reason why irrigation 

 can not be employed in man}' of the humid sections of the United 

 States with eijual benefit. 



PUMPING AND DRAINAGE INVESTIGATIONS. 



The rapid advance in the use of pumps in irrigation and the lessen- 

 ing cost of pumping, due to utilization of new forms of power, have 

 also opened up a wide field in which this Office can aid farmers in deter- 

 mining how best to utilize small water supplies and be a great factor 

 in the extension of irrigation in both the arid and humid sections of 

 the country. 



The large areas of land which were being swamped through leakage 

 from ditches and seepage from higher irrigated land led to the begin- 

 ning of drainage studies. These problems differed from those of 

 ordinary farm drainage and required special study. The inauguration 

 of this work, however, brought to light the importance of farm drain- 

 age in many sections of the East, and the demands upon this Office for 

 investigation of these problems have become so great that the work 

 now being done in humid regions exceeds that being done in irrigated 

 districts. During the past season definite projects, which involved an 

 outlay of about $1,400,000, were considered by the experts of this 

 Office. Considerable time was given to a studj^ of drainage conditions 

 in Iowa, where it is estimated that hick of drainage caused an injury 

 to the corn crop last year of more than )^,0()0,()OU. Here the relief of 

 the swamped areas involves not only the preparation of comprehensive 

 plans, but the framing of legislation which will enable the people of 

 relativelj' large districts to work together in constructing and maintain- 

 ing the needed works. 



• ECONOMIC STUDIES. 



The only new work in our studies of legal and social problems 

 inaugurated during last year was in conqiliance with the provision of 

 the last appropriation l)ill requiring this OtBce to study the laws affect- 

 ing irrigation and the rights of riparian proprietors. After consulting 



