784 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. [Vol. 36 



Profile surveys in the Colorado River basin in Wyoming, Utah, Colorado, 

 and New Mexico (U. S. Gcol. Survey, Water-Svpply Paper 396 {1911), pp. 6, 

 pis. 43). — This report, prepared under the direction of W. H. Herron, contains 

 a plan and profile of Green River above Fontenelle, Wyo. ; Green River from 

 the Colorado state line to Horseshoe Bend. Utah ; Green, Duchesne, Uinta, and 

 White rivers in the vicinity of Ouray, Utah ; Green River from mouth to Gunni- 

 son Butte, Utah ; Grand River from Green River to Castle Creek, Utah ; Grand 

 River from Gra'nd Junction, Colo., to Castle Creek, Utah; Grand River from 

 Kremmling to Glenwood Springs, Colo. ; Gunnison River from Cimarron Creek 

 to Gunnison, Colo. ; and Gila River in the vicinity of Cliff and Redrock, N. Mex. 



Irrigation in Florida, F. W. Stanley (U. S. Dept. Agr. Bui. ^62 {1911), pp. 

 62, pis. 6, figs. 10). — This builetin deals with the history of irrigation in Florida, 

 and states that in 1915, 25,500 acres of truck crops and citrus groves were irri- 

 gated in Florida. 



The main conditions making irrigation necessary in Florida are said to be 

 the uneven distribution of the rainfall and the character of the soils. Soil 

 moisture determinations in citrus groves and trucking sections showed that after 

 the moisture content has fallen below 3 per cent the available supply is ex- 

 hausted. " It is apparent that cultivation in the open spaces has had a marked 

 effect upon the soil moisture." However it is shown " that both cultivated and 

 noncultivated gi'oves have depleted their available moisture supply from the 

 soil, which evidently can be supplied only by rain or irrigation. ... It ap- 

 pears that it would pay to cultivate the groves during the dry weather if all 

 possible moisture is to be conserved. . . . 



" Practically every part of the State is well supplied with water for irriga- 

 tion purposes in the form of lakes, streams, or wells. The rivers are little used 

 as an irrigation supply, either by means of diversion ditches or through the use 

 of pumping plants, but the lakes and wells are used extensively both for irriga- 

 tion purposes and for domestic supply." 



The important types of irrigation practiced in F'lorida are described as (1) 

 subirrigation, (2) overhead spray, (3) grove irrigation, which includes many 

 different systems, and (4) furrow irrigation, applicable both to truck crops and 

 to citrus groves. It is noted " that where there are uniform conditions of soil, 

 water supply, and cropping, similar methods have been followed. This is true 

 especially of the sections where flowing wells have been obtained. . . . What 

 appears to be most needed to encourage the construction and operation of irriga- 

 tion plants in Florida is a knowledge of cheaper installation for the higher 

 and sandier groves, with cheap and efficient methods of distribution. Such 

 methods are needed in many of the truck gardens and In many of the groves 

 that lie on the lower elevations." 



Tests of soil moisture content made to determine the best heads of water and 

 length of time to be allowed for furrow irrigation are also reported. Tests in 

 a grove in very dry sandy soil showed the rapid dovioiward trend of the water 

 when applied by the flood method. It is noted " that practically no water was 

 lost by percolation or seepage below the sixth foot until more than an hour 

 after the water had been turned off ; after that time there was some loss. Water 

 was run down a broad furrow at the rate of about 75 gal. per minute for 

 30 minutes." It is also shown " that water will disappear rapidly below the 

 sixth foot if run too long. The lateral distribution is very slight, hardly a foot 

 on either side from the edge of the furrow." Wl>en water was run only 15 

 minutes there was no waste of water below the third foot. Tests made with 

 different heads showed that the distance water will run down furrows is de- 

 pendent on the head provided there is some grade to the furrows. " Experi- 



