BUREAU OF PLANT INDUSTRY. 151 



flour-sack, and cement-sack paper, but again the cost of the flax is 

 prohibitive. A tow machine which will produce a better grade of 

 tow containing a higher fiber content has been devised. Laboratory 

 tests on better grades of tow demonstrated that better paper could 

 be produced and that a less expensive process could be employed in 

 manufacturing it. 



Agricultural development of reclamation projects. — Approxi- 

 mately 50 per cent of the cropped area of the reclamation projects is 

 devoted to the production of forage crops and about 30 per cent to 

 the production of grain. Since these crops usually can not carry the 

 cost of transportation from the projects to the large consuming 

 centers, their profitable disposal and utilization necessitate the estab- 

 lishment of live-stock industries through which these crops can be 

 converted into more marketable commodities. On a few of the 

 projects acute problems of production affect all crops. On a larger 

 number of the projects production problems are encountered in con- 

 nection with crops necessary to supplement other crops which are 

 produced abundantly. 



During the year demonstration work in dairying has been con- 

 ducted on the Truckee-Carson, Huntley, Minidoka, Tieton, Shoshone, 

 Boise, and Uncompahgre projects. In this work the settlers have 

 been assisted in securing stock, improving local dairying herds 

 through breeding and cow testing, controlling diseases, planning and 

 constructing barns and silos, and in improving their methods of feed- 

 ing and marketing. 



Work in connection with the establishment of the swine industry 

 is in progress on the North Platte, Truckee-Carson, Huntley, Mini- 

 doka, Tieton, Shoshone, Boise, and Uncompahgre projects. The 

 settlers on these projects have been aided in solving the problems of 

 breeding, feeding, housing, and marketing their hogs, and in the 

 control of diseases, particularly hog cholera. 



The beef and sheep industries have received attention chiefly on 

 the Minidoka, Tieton, Boise, Shoshone, and Uncompahgre projects. 

 The two principal activities in this connection during the year have 

 related to cooperative action in the use of adjacent range lands and 

 in eradicating blackleg among beef cattle. 



On the Truckee-Carson project the poultry industry is proving 

 very useful in the utilization of waste grain. The industry has 

 made rapid growth during the past year. The principal activities 

 in connection with this industry have been directed toward establish- 

 ing a better understanding of market requirements and community 

 marketing and in interesting outside buyers in the local produce. As 

 a result of these activities, approximately 100,000 pounds of poultry 

 was marketed from the project during the months of November and 

 December, 1915. 



Orange oil. — A machine has been invented which successfully re- 

 moves the oil-bearing portion of the rind of waste and cull oranges 

 and other citrus fruits, thus making it possible to eliminate a large 

 part of the expensive hand labor which has heretofore rendered the 

 domestic production of sweet-orange oil commercially unprofitable. 

 This machine has been patented and dedicated to the public. There 

 has also been devised a simple, practical, and inexpensive method of 

 manufacturing sweet-orange oil from the rind of cull and waste 

 fruit removed by the machine mentioned. 



