402 Bulletin 92 



With gasoline retailing at 35 cents, engine distillate at 23, and 

 kerosene at 233/2, these oils are too costly for pump irrigation. The 

 demand for gasoline will increase still further with the increase in 

 number of automobiles and motor trucks, but with the installation of 

 more plants for cracking lower grade distillates into gasoline, the 

 supply is likely to keep pace with the demand for some years. The 

 recent opening of government oil lands in California to lease, also, is 

 helping to increase the supply. 



Despite the frequent lurid accounts of newly discovered cheap fuel 

 substitutes, it can be stated that neither denatured alcohol nor any other 

 substitute can compete in price with mineral oil. 



Tors OR GAS OIL 



This is the fuel oil on which the present development of pump 

 irrigation, exclusive of a few localities in which electric power is avail- 

 able, has been founded. The consumption of gas oil in Arizona for 

 pump irrigation in 1920 has been approximately 1,300.000 gallons. 

 Had not a large part of this been contracted in advance, the cost to 

 Arizona farmers would have been over $200,000. 



The California gas oils of six years ago were of about 44° B. 

 gravity, but the quality has been forced down gradually to 38°. During 

 the war some Z7° oil was used, but it was found unsatisfactory in most 

 engines. 



In March, 1920. shipments of gas oil running between 35° and 36' 

 were received at Higley, Casa Grande, and Tucson, and samples were 

 forwarded to the Experiment Station for testing. These oils were 

 burned with the greatest difficulty, engines smoked badly and carbon- 

 ized rapidly. One experienced operator stated that five gallons of 

 gasoline were required to warm up a cold engine, though previously 

 with a good gas oil only a gill had been used. It was stated, also, 

 that three gallons were required to do the work of two gallons of good 

 gas oil. Owing to the vigorous protest, no more oil of so poor quality 

 was shipped at that time, but later in the summer several shipments of 

 unsatisfactory gas oil were received. Many farmers who obtained oil 

 from these shipments purchased gasoline also to mix with the gas oil. 



It is believed that the California supply of gas oil will be further 

 reduced by the extension of plants for cracking, and there is no indi- 

 cation that the price will be lower next season than it has been in 1920. 

 Furthermore, the quality of gas oil that is now being offered to inquir- 



