REPOKT OF THE SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE. LXXVII 



turers, and has opened up the pos.sibilit}' of an enormoush" profitable 

 industiy for the future. It would seem that this experiment alone 

 would fully justify the increase in the allotment that is asked, but when 

 it is stated that we expend annually $8,000,000 for filler tobacco which 

 the experts of the Department believe can be produced in this country, 

 it but adds to the justification of the request for the larger allotment 

 for this work. 



Drainage Investigations. 



During' the year an investigation was started as to the possibilit}^ 

 and practicability of reclaiming the soils in the arid regions which 

 have been injured by seepage water and the accumulation of alkali. 

 In cooperation with the Utah experiment station and Mr. C. D. Swann, 

 of Salt Lake City, who has donated land for the purpose and has paid 

 a considerable portion of the field expenses, a tract of 40 acres of 

 alkali land near Salt Lake City has been thoroughly underdrained with 

 tile. This work has been under the immediate supervision of the 

 Department experts, and the work of reclamation is to be under the 

 joint charge of the Department and the Utah exj^erimeut station. It 

 IS too early 3'et to speak of the results of this work. It is being watched 

 with the greatest interest bv the people of that locality, and it is 

 believed that if the investigation is a success ample capital will be 

 forthcoming to carry on extensive operations in the reclamation of 

 alkali tracts and the prevention of damage to irrigated lands from 

 seepage waters. This work is under the immediate charge of Mr. 

 W. H. Heileman. 



Arrangements are being made for the carrying on of similar work 

 at Fresno, Cal., and it is proposed to extend this work to a typical 

 area in Montana and possibly in Arizona, to demonstrate to the people 

 that these unfavorable conditions can be economically controlled. It 

 is estimated that land values in the immediate vicinit}- of Salt Lake 

 Cit}' will be increased at least $3,000,000, exclusive of the cost of 

 reclamation, if they can be reclaimed from the alkali with which they 

 are now impregnated, and it is believed that eouall}- great benefits 

 will result in other portions of the arid West. 



In furtherance of this work, Mr. Thomas H. Means, of the Bureau 

 of Soils, has accompanied Mr. Thomas H. Kearney, of the Bureau of 

 Plant Industr}^ on a trip to Algeria and Egypt to study the treatment 

 of alkali lands, the use of alkaline waters in irrigation, the methods 

 used in the reclamation from seepage water and alkali, and the crops 

 adapted to alkali soils. This investigation has not yet been com- 

 pleted, but sufiicient has been heard from the party to indicate that 

 conditions even more serious than those existing in the arid regions 

 of this countiy are under perfect control, and it is believed that the 

 information thus gathered will be of great benefit to the people of 

 Western America. 



