190 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD, 



Organization, work, and publications of Irrigation Investigations ( U. S. 

 Bciit. Agr., Ojjicc Expt. IStUfi. Vire. 87, pp. 12). — Data are given as to the per- 

 sonnel of, scope of the work nnder way by, and brief synopses of the publica- 

 tiojis relating to the Irrigation Investigations of this Office. 



Organization, work, and publications of Drainage Investigations ( U. S. 

 Dcpt. A (jr.. Office E.rpt. »S7«.s. Circ. 88, pp. 6"). — Data similar to the above are 

 given for the Drainage Investigations of tliis Office. 



The alluvial lands of the lower Mississippi Valley and their drainage, A. K. 

 Mor(;a.\ ( r. S. Dcpt. Aur.. Office Evpl. Htds. Rpt. 1!)0S, pp. -'lOl-J,!!', pl.<s. 2. fl<j'<. 

 2). — The author refers briefly to some of the classic instances of successful 

 drainage of alluvial lands, discusses the extent, formation, and characteristics 

 of the alluvial lands in the Mississippi Valley, and emphasizes particularly 

 the need of comprehensive and carefully organized drainage projects for the 

 reclamation of these areas. 



" It is a conservative statement that the key to the drainage of the southern 

 Mississippi Valley, both of the alluvial lands and of the coastal plain adja- 

 cent, is the i)r()per planning and construction of the main drainage outlets. . . . 



" In the States of the lower Mississippi Valley are 10,000,000 to 15,000,000 

 acres of land awaiting drainage. The investigations of recent years have estab- 

 lished the feasibility of this work, the state legislatures are providing for the 

 necessary legal procedure, and a great public interest is awakened in the pros- 

 pect for reclamation. The outlook is that during the next few years a vast 

 area of exceedingly fertile land will be added to our agricultural domain, 

 that malaria in the alluvial region will pass away, as it has passed in some 

 of the more northern States, where it was once prevalent, and that a pros- 

 perous rural people will occupy the entire alluvial lands of the lower Mississippi 

 Valley." 



A preliminary report on the St. Francis Valley drainage project in north- 

 eastern Arkansas, A. E. Morgan {V. *S'. Bcpi. A (jr.. Office E.rpt. Stas. Circ. S6, 

 pp. 31, fig. 1, maps 2). — This is a brief statement and discussion of a compre- 

 hensive i)lan for the reclamation of nearly 1,000,000 acres of wet and over- 

 flowed lands of the St. Francis Basin in northeastern Arkansas. The pro- 

 posed plan provides for the disposition of run-off waters from 4,000 square 

 miles of land in Missouri, aud 1,500 square miles in Arkansas; also for a detail 

 system of complete drainage, and for the possible requirements of navigation. 



The featui-e of the i)lan is the proposed system of wide floodways lined by 

 dikes or levees, to carry the excessive volumes of flood waters from Missouri 

 through the district, in place of the customary plan of improving the present 

 natural channels. It is estimated that the cost of construction of an adequate 

 system of floodways carrying storm run-off above ground level would not be 

 more than 10 per cent of the cost of improving the natural channels sufficiently 

 to accomplish the same purpose. The report concludes with an estimate of the 

 cost of the proposed reclamation, amounting to nearly $7,000,000, or about $8 

 per acre. 



Farm drainage, C. P. Norgord (Arlfiiixns Stu. Bui. 10.'/. pp. 281-31-'/, figs. 17). — 

 This bulletin discusses the benefits and methods of farm drainage in Arkansas, 

 describing both the tile and open ditch systems, and giving tables for the selec- 

 tion of the proper sizes of tile, spacing, and depth to be used. Brief popular 

 descriptions are given of the various systems of tile draining, with instruc- 

 tions on the use of leveling instruments, determining proper grades, digging 

 the ditches, laying the tiles, and refilling. 



By way of illustration, data are given as to the cost of reclaiming and thor- 

 oroughly tile draining about 20 acres of swampy laud rented by the station. 

 The cost averaged $19.53 per acre. 



