890 ANNUAL REPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



sizes of drainage ditches and drainage pumping plants, and the vahies 

 of coefficients used in computing ditch capacities. 



The field studies Avere made for a publication relating to assess- 

 ments for drainage improvements, and the application of legal pro- 

 visions to secure equitable distribution of the costs. 



Profiles have been plotted, showing the compacting and subsidence 

 of typical muck soils in F'lorida and southern Louisiana due to drain- 

 age and cultivation; this has an extremely important bearing upon 

 the cost of reclamation, since such subsidence increases the height that 

 the drainage water must be pumped or requires large ditches for the 

 decreased fall available. 



Investigations have been made of the value of special ditching 

 plows for installing tile drains, and of " vertical " drains to dis- 

 charge water into the subsoil. Some further experiments have been 

 made to determine the capacities of tile drains, as well as upon flow 

 through corrugated culvert pipe, and the loss of head due to silt wells 

 in tile lines. Manuscript for a farmers' bulletin on " Terracing Farm 

 Lands " has been prepared and submitted for publication. 



Tests upon clay tile wrapped with wire and laid in concrete, for 

 distributing mains in farm irrigation plants, have demonstrated that 

 such material will serve the purpose excellently, withstanding con- 

 siderable pressure and costing much less than iron or other suitable 

 material generally procurable. The division has developed an auto- 

 matic spray nozzle for overhead irrigation systems, and an automatic 

 A^alve for sewage irrigation plants, which will be tested at once under 

 field conditions ; it is believed that these will reduce greatly the attend- 

 , ance necessary to secure uniform distribution of the water. Plans have 

 been made for five farm irrigation systems in Southern States, and 

 for four small sewage irrigation plants. Inspections and recommen- 

 dations have been made regarding irrigation for several more farms. 

 Data upon results of irrigation at Neenah, Wis., and upon small irri- 

 gation plants in the Middle Atlantic States have been compiled. 



RURAL ENGINEERING. 



FARM DOMESTIC WATER SUPPLY AND SEWAGE DISPOSAL. 



Manuscript for a comprehensive bulletin entitled " Water Sys- 

 tems for Farm Homes," including 51 illustrations, was prepared in 

 November, 1917. Work was also begun on a bulletin of like scope, 

 dealing with the disposal of farm sewage. Field examinations and 

 oral advice have been given on a half-dozen rural water and sewer 

 projects. The essential features of several farm water and sewer- 

 age systems have been determined, and outline designs transmitted. 

 A combined storm-water and sanitary sewer for a portion of the 

 Arlington Experimental Farm has been designed. 



FARM STRUCTURES. 



Working drawings and bills of materials have been prepared for 

 free distribution for the following: Sweet-potato storage houses, 

 concrete root-storage house, general barn, feed barn, concrete farm 

 sterilizer, calf barn, small bull barn, combined corncrib and gran- 

 ary, small portable granary, and a small well house. 



