4 AGEICULTUEAL, OBSERVATIONS ON TRUCKEE-CAESON PROJECT. 



They are also invited to notify the superintendent or to brino- speci- 

 mens to him of diseases or insect pests and to report other difliculties 

 they may be having in connection with growing their crops, so that 

 helj) ma}^ be given if possible. 



PHYSICAL FEATURES OF THE PROJECT. 



About 35,000 or 40,000 acres of land are now under cultivation 

 on the Truckee-Carson project, most of it lying near the town of 

 Fallon, Xev., which has a population of about 1,000. 



Most of the soil is a light sandy loam, but there are also large 

 areas of fertile black soil on the east and south sides of the project. 

 Both the sandy and black soils are good and produce abundant 

 crops, but there are also to be found in most parts of the j^roject 

 small, ii regular areas of hard, impervious soil, which are difficult 

 to work and do not usually produce satisfactory crops. 



UNDERGROUND AVATER. 



Portions of some of the farms and also a few larger areas in the 

 project have at present a soil too salty to grow crops. Salt has 

 accumulated mostly in those soils where the ground-water table 

 rises to within a short distance of the surface, establishing a capil- 

 lary connection and l)v evaporation leaving deposits of salt on the 

 surface. In those cases where the water table is xerj close to the 

 surface little or no advantage results from an attempt to wash out 

 the accumulated salt by flooding, the result being, instead, a still 

 higher rise of the ground water, which tends to increase the dif- 

 ficulty. To remedy these conditions deep ditches should be put 

 through, so as permanently to lower the water table. After this is 

 done heavy applications of water to the surface may percolate 

 throuffh the soil and carrv with it the excess of the soluble salts. 

 A comprehensive drainage system has been planned for the lower 

 lands of the project, and it only remains for this system to be com- 

 pleted and for farm drains to be constructed; it should then be 

 possible to keep the ground water below the limit of serious harm. 



WINDS. 



The wind is an important factor on a large part of the Truckee- 

 Carson project, where the soil is sandy and can be easily blown. 

 "Windstorms occur occasionally in the spring and are sometimes 

 severe enough to kijl new seedings of alfalfa. They are also in- 

 jurious to small garden staff that is just appearing above the ground. 

 The winds usually come from the west and, since the damage is due 

 chiefly to the blowing of the sand, young crops may be planted 

 quite safely on the east side of a field on which grain or alfalfa is 

 growing, or sandy fields may be protected by brush fences or hedges. 



[Cir. 78] 



