90 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



AGRICULTURAL ENGINEERING. 



Irrigation in Oklahoma, G. E. Morrow (0/./«/io>«fl Sta. Bui 18, 

 pj). IT), — Meteorological data are reported to show that the rainfall iu 

 the Territory is frequently not sufficient for the full development of 

 crops, the amounts in general decreasing from the east to the west. 

 In respect to distribution " Oklahoma is fairly but not entirely fortu- 

 nate. . . . We have no distinct wet and dry seasons. Generally the 

 principal rainfall occurs duriug the growing season. On the other 

 hand, droughts during critical periods of crop growth are not uncom- 

 mon. The total rainfall is sometimes largely made up of excessively 

 violent rains and of-very slight showers." 



The conditions are also favorable to rapid evaporation. This, 

 together with the fact that much of the soil of the Territory is fine 

 and closely packed, suggests that subsoilingto increase storage capac- 

 ity and frequent surface tillage to reduce evaporation would be very 

 beneficial. 



"If irrigation is to be i>racticed ou tlie majority of the farms iu Oklahoma, it 

 must he by the use of water drawn from wells, or from ponds iu which storm water 

 has been stored. The rivers and streams of the Territory do not have wide valleys 

 as a rule. It is not probable that much will be done, for some years at least, iu the 

 way of organizing companies for building canals and establishing large irrigation 

 systems. As yt^t little is known as to the existence of 'underflow waters,' even' in 

 the river valleys. Nothing is known, with certainty, as to the possibility of secur- 

 ing large supplies of water from artesian wells in this region. The water of some 

 of the rivers and smaller streams has so much saline matter that its use for irriga- 

 tion would be objectionable. 



"The most practicable i)ower for lifting the water, iu a vast majority of cases, is a 

 wiud wheel.'"' 



Methods to be followed and precautions to be observed in iutroduc- 

 ing the practice of irrigation into this region are given. 



Influence of the distribution of the load and the inclination of 

 the traces on the consumption of the strength of draft animals 



(Deut. landw. Fres.se, 23 {1896), Ko. 24, p. 208, Jigs. 5).— This is an 

 abstract from an exhaustive treatise by H. Eeinhardt on the subject, 

 as api^lied to 4-wheeled farm wagons. The author concludes that for 

 ease of draft on solid roads the load should be concentrated as much as 

 possible on the rear axle; for soft roads, fields, and where the formation 

 of ruts is possible, the load should be distributed equally over both 

 axles. An upward ijiclination of the traces is always to be recom- 

 mended, especially on bad roads and on soft fields. The degree of this 

 inclination must be decided by the height of the fore wheels, the height 

 of the draft animals, and the way in which they are hitched to tlie 

 wagon. 



As to the best place for the drawbolt, it must be at such a point on 

 the pole as to avoid side draft. If other considerations do not interfere 

 the whifletrees and drawbar should, in most cases, be ])laced under the 



