REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 145 



IRRIGATION INVESTIGATIONS. 



The Office of Experiment Stations has maintained its former lines 

 of irrigation investigations with such modifications as have been 

 necessary to best meet the changing conditions and the new prob- 

 lems. The work has been conducted chiefly along three lines : ( 1 ) In- 

 vestigations and experiments to ascertain better methods of apply- 

 ing water and of preventing wastes through seepage, evaporation, 

 and overapplication, to determine the effects of irrigation upon the 

 yield and quality of crops, and to obtain data as to power and pump' 

 ing; (2) the collection of data and publication of bulletins and 

 circulars on methods of applying water to different crops, the irri- 

 gation possibilities and conditions in different sections of the arid 

 West, and pumping; (3) the furnishing of prospective settlers 

 w^th information concerning different localities and advising new 

 and old settlers in irrigated sections in regard to the methods best 

 adapted to their individual needs and how best to use their water 

 supplies. This last line of work has occupied the greater part of 

 the time of the 10 agents of this office detailed to have charge of the 

 work in the various Western States and Territories. 



The investigations and experiments regarding seepage from canals, 

 evaporation from irrigated soils, and the most economical amount 

 of water to use on different crops in different localities have all been 

 continued and have had a noteworthy effect in reducing the losses 

 of water due to the wasteful methods too commonly practiced. The 

 demonstration farms at Davis, Cal. ; Gooding, Idaho ; Cheyenne and 

 Newcastle, Wyo., and Eads, Colo., have also exerted a great influ- 

 ence by giving irrigators of those sections actual demonstrations of 

 the best methods of applying water. 



DRAINAGE INVESTIGATIONS. 



Among the most important drainage investigations of the year 

 have been those pertaining to the reclamation of tidal marshes. The 

 growing population and the scarcity of good upland farms, par- 

 ticularly in the Atlantic Coast States, have caused search to be made 

 for any uncultivated lands that could be made profitable for agri- 

 culture. It is not surprising, in view of the richness of European 

 lands reclaimed from the sea, that attention early turned toward 

 the salt marshes. On account of the interest aroused in this work, 

 a thorough investigation has been made by this office. Four large 

 tracts of drained tidal marsh on the Delaware River have been 

 minutely studied, with the view of determining the kind of marsh 

 lands that might be profitably reclaimed, the special requirements of 

 the protective and drainage works, the causes of past failures, the 



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