DRAINAGE INVESTIGATIONS. 43 



IRRIGATION OF RICE. 



The investigation of irrigation problems" in the rice districts of 

 the vSoiith has been under the charge of Prof. AV. B. Gregory, of 

 Tulane University, New Orleans, for a number of years, who has 

 divided his time between this office and the university. Owing to 

 the increasing interest in rice growing and the many complex prob- 

 lems Avhich have arisen, it has been found necessary to place another 

 agent in the rice district who could devote his entire time to the 

 w^ork. C. (t. Haskell has been, given charge of this work with tem- 

 porary headquarters at Stuttgart, Ark. The ravages of the boll 

 weevil haA^e made the growing of cotton less profitable than formerly 

 and the farmers are turning to rice growing. This necessitates the 

 installation of pumping plants, the building of levees, etc., and the 

 cotton growers are usuallj' entirely unfamiliar with such things. 

 Prof. Gregory has recently prepared a circular ^ on the cost of install- 

 ing small pumping plants which is designed to meet the needs of 

 this class. 



IRRIGATION IN HUMID SECTIONS. 



Milo B. Williams is in charge of irrigation investigations in the 

 Eastern and Southern States, where irrigation is practiced as an 

 insurance in times of drought and for intensive farming of truck crops 

 and small fruits. In some parts of Florida during the winter 

 months the rainfall is frequently quite light and irrigation is prac- 

 ticed for the growing of truck and citrus crops. Considerable areas 

 are also irrigated in the artesian region of Alabama and Georgia 

 and to a limited extent in isolated sections in Maryland, New Jersey, 

 Pennsylvania, New York, and a number of other States. The soil 

 and climatic conditions in the East are so entirely different from 

 those of the arid region that western methods of irrigation can not 

 as a rule be followed. The principal methods employed at present 

 are the overhead spray system and subirrigation from pipes, and our 

 agent is devoting the greater part of his time to a study of these 

 systems. It is highly desirable to find cheaper methods of applying 

 water to the soil than those now in vogue, and it is believed that this 

 can be accomplished when conditions are fully understood. 



DRAINAGE INVESTIGATIONS. 



There has been no material change in the scope or general conduct 

 of the work pertaining to drainage investigations during the year, 

 but the field has widened as public interest in agricultural drainage 

 has increased. Investigations and surveys were made in twenty 



lU. S. Dept. Agr., Office Expt. Stas. Circ. 101. 



