REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE. 1.XV 



which the fruit interests are developing. It has been found that the 

 di lie rent varieties and types of fruit are best adapted to different soils, 

 and as the surve}" extends and these soils are being- outlined the basis 

 is presented for the most intelligent development of the fruit interests. 



The Harpers Ferry area will take in a considerable portion of the 

 valley, as well as of the plateau, and the results of the w^ork should show 

 the reason for the decline in agricultural value of the valley soils, and 

 should suggest means for reviving the agricultural interests of what 

 was once a prosperous community on what was considered the highest 

 type of agricultural land. 



The surve}' around Norfolk will be in the interest of the truck 

 growers. 



WASHINGTON. 



During the past fiscal year the Walla Walla area, covering about 

 150 square miles and including practically all of the irrigable lauds of 

 that locality, was surveyed under the direction of Mr. Holmes. The 

 work has just been finished and the results can not yet be reported. 



WISCONSIN. 



No work was done in the past fiscal year in this State, but Mr. Jay A, 

 Bonsteel was assigned on July 1 of the present fiscal year to the Janes- 

 ville area to survey" the soils around Janesville, Stoughton, and Edger- 

 ton. This survey is in the interest of the tobacco growers, and is 

 particularly to see if the Sumatra tobacco is likely to be adapted to 

 this section, and to be a basis for the improvement of the type of 

 tobacco at present grown. • 



It seems desirable to assign a party to this State for six months dur- 

 ing the next field season to make a survey, particularly of Eau Claire 

 County. 



WYOMING. 



No soil surveys have as yet been made in this State, but it is pro- 

 posed to assign a party for six months during the next field season to 

 survey the soils of the irrigable part of the Laramie sheet of the 

 Geological Survey. 



ESTIMATED COST OF PROPOSED SOIL SLTIVEY AVORK. 



During the fiscal year 1902 about $40,000 was spent on the soil sur- 

 vey with 10 survey parties. For the fiscal year 1903 an allotment of 

 $60,000 has been made for this work with 15 soil survey parties. For 

 the fiscal jeav 1904, for which estimates are being sul^mitted to Con- 

 gress, on the basis of the plans which have just been given for the 

 continuation and extension of the work in order to meet the most 

 urgent demands, an allotment of $120,000 would be necessary. This 

 is based upon a total estimate of 213 months of field w^ork contem- 

 AGR 1902 v 



