OFFICE OF EXPERIMENT STATIONS. 761 



WORK IN FISCAL YEAR 1911. 



It is proposed to continue the work along the same general lines as 

 were followed in 1910. Additional bulletins of the series on irriga- 

 tion in the several arid States and Territories will be published and 

 also additional bulletins of the practical series dealing with the 

 irrigation of the standard crops of the arid region. In connection 

 with the collection of information for these bulletins, views show- 

 ing the various operations connected with applying water to crops 

 and the implements used are being secured and lantern slides are 

 being made from these for use in popular lectures on methods of 

 irrigating to be delivered by members of the force during the winter 

 in the sections where settlement is most rapid and tlie need for the 

 spread of such information is greatest. It is believed that this 

 will be a very valuable supplement to the practical bulletins along 

 these lines, and will do much to promote better methods and help 

 the settlers to do their work to best advantage. 



The experiments in ditch linings for checking seepage losses will 

 be continued at Davis, Cal., while the tank experiments to determine 

 evaporation losses and the effectiveness of methods of checking these 

 losses, carried on at various points, will be continued. Field experi- 

 ments to determine the quantities of water required for irrigation will 

 be continued. As the demand for assistance to settlers decreases more 

 attention will be given to scientific studies which have for their pur- 

 pose a more exact knowledge of the quantities of water required for 

 crop production, the best methods of applying water to secure its 

 proper distribution in the soil and to prevent its loss by evaporation 

 or percolation. 



In the investigations of the use of power for irrigation the work 

 will be about equally divided between advising parties who are in- 

 stalling pumping plants and the studies necessary for the preparation 

 of a practical bulletin on engine pumping plants, to follow the bul- 

 letin of the same character on windmill pumping plants published 

 in 1910. 



The farms in the semiarid region will be operated during this sea- 

 son and should be continued during 1912, while the work of similar 

 character on the Pacific slope should also continue. 



In the humid region cooperative experiments with several farmers 

 in the Gulf States have been arranged, in which these farmers are 

 doing the work under the direction of the agent in charge. In the 

 trucking districts of Florida more such experiments are being car- 

 ried on. 



WORK IN 1912. 



The investigation of questions pertaining to irrigation which is 

 now being done should be not onlj'' continued, but extended in 1912. 

 The demand for practical information from settlers on lands pro- 

 vided with water rights is quite certain to continue and perhaps in- 

 crease, and so long as this is the case the right kind of information 

 should be supplied to the settlers through the medium of bulletins, 

 lectures, personal advice, and demonstration farms. The continua- 

 tion and eidargement of this practical work should not be allowed 

 to encroach upon other lines oi even greater importance, such as the 

 proper use of water, the prevention of waste, and the collection of 



