B. P. I.— C66. 



AGRICULTURAL OBSERVATIONS ON THETRUCKEE- 

 CARSOX IRRIGATION PROIECT. 



INTRODUCTION". 



Tlie Tnickee-Cai-son Irrigation Project in western Nevada was 

 one of the first of the new regions to be opened for settlement under 

 the reohmiation act of 1902. Practically all of the public land for 

 which irrigation water is available has now been taken up by set- 

 tlers. Hie Bureau of I^hint Industry of the United States Depart- 

 nienl of Agriculture, in cooperation with the Nevada Agricultural 

 Experiment Station, has oj)erated an experiment farai on this project 

 since 1906.^ 



There appears to be considerable popular interest in the agri- 

 cultural conditions and possibilities of this project, and many letters 

 asking for information concerning the region are received at the 

 experiment farm. This circular has been prepared with a view to 

 answering these inquiries and also to give to the settlers already on 

 the project the results of the experiments and observations made 

 during the past two seasons. It will be noticed that much of the 

 material presented is fragmentary and incomplete. This is due to 

 the fact tluit the agriculture of the region is still new and that com- 

 paratively little definite knowledge as to the agricultural possibili- 

 ties and the best farming methods has as yet been accumulated. 



The Truckee-Carson Experiment Farm is situated 1 mile south of 

 Fallon, Nev. On this farm tests are being made of the adaptability 

 of various field, fruit, and garden crops, including some varieties 

 newly imported from foreign countries. Methods of reducing the 

 salt content of the alkali soil on portions of the experiment farm, so 

 as to malcc it more suitable for crop growth, are being worked out. 

 The agricultural problems of the project as a wdiole are being studied 

 In a limited way and cooperative work' is being conducted in two of 

 the older orchards in the pioject. 



A small library has been provided at the experiment farm, consist- 

 ing of a number of agricultural books and periodicals and some of 

 the bulletins from the United States Department of Agriculture 

 and from the State agricultural experiment stations. The farmers 

 on the project are invited to make use of these publications in ob- 

 taining infoi-mation on subjects in which they may be interested. 



1 For additional information on this subject, see Bulletin 157. Bureau of Plant In- 

 dustry, U. S. Dopt. of AKriculturp, entitled " The Truckee-Carson Experiment Farm," 

 Issued Aupust 11, 1909. 



[Cir. 78] o 



