AGRICULTURAL ENGINEERING. 1^)5 



of this Office are explained; and the results obtained in studies relating t<> irrigation 

 laws and institutions and to the duty of water are liriefly summarized. The practical 

 bearing and intiuence of the work are also pointed out. 



Special attention is given to a discussion of losses by seepage and of drainage as a 

 necessary accompaniment of irrigation; the importance of developing inquiries along 

 other lines of agricultural engineering, including investigations relating to the pump- 

 ing of water for farm uses and to farm buildings and machinery; the water-right 

 problems of the arid region; and irrigation in the humid sections of the United 

 States and in the insular possessions. A list of 7 publications issued during the year 

 is appended. 



The drainage work has proceeded far enough to show that drainage in connection 

 with irrigation presents some very different problems from those encountered in 

 such work in humid regions and that to be effective different methods must l)e fol- 

 lowed; for example, the drains must be placed at a greater dejath. 



As regards irrigation in the humid portion of the United States, the report says: 



"There are few sections in the United States where at some time during the grow- 

 ing season a drought of greater or less severity is not experienced each year, and 

 where the application of water, if for a brief period only, would not secure largely 

 increased yields. It remains to be determined, however, whether this kind of irri- 

 gation will pay. The number of farmers who are establishing experimental irriga- 

 tion plants is already large, and the advice given by this Department during the last 

 season affected the expenditure of several hundred thousand dollars. ... In addi- 

 tion to this general assistance, systematic studies of the possibilities of irrigation in 

 the humid portions of the United States are now being carried on in Wisconsin, 

 Missouri, and New Jersey in cooperation with the State agricultural experiment 

 stations of those States. The results in 1901 were all in favor of irrigation because 

 the season was dry. The results in 1902 were less favorable because the season 

 was wet." 



Irrigation, C. H. Shixx {California Stu. Bui. 147, j}p. 65-71, fiys. 4)- — The amounts 

 of water used on a large number of fruits and other plants at the Southern California 

 substation are reported. The amount applied during the 18 months from Septem- 

 ber, 1897, to April, 1899, including 15.1 in. of rainfall, was on the average for all 

 crops a little over 25 in. Irrigation of oranges by means of deep and shallow fur- 

 rows was tested, with results decidedly favoring the use of deep furrows. (See also 

 E. S. K., 13, p. 952.) 



Irrig-ation, W. J. Allen {Agr. Gaz.Xeiv South Wale><, 14 {l90S),Xo. 6, pp. 53S-545, 

 Jigft. 8). — Practical information regarding the construction of water channels, the l?v- 

 eling of land, and the application of water to different crops is given. Some results 

 of the use of irrigation in different parts of New South Wales are also reported. 



The amount of water used in field irrigation, S. Fortier {Montana Sta. Rpt. 

 rjO^, pp. 113-116). — This is a l)rief summary of observations made in cooperation 

 with this Office and already published in detail in the bulletins of the Office. 



Pumping for irrigation from wells, J. J. Yernox and F. E. Lester {Xew Mexico 

 Sta. Bui. 45, pp. 67,figii. 36). — This bulletin records the results of experiments in 

 pumping water for irrigation at the station farm. "The conditions existing in the 

 Mesilla Valley, where the experiment station is located, are probably fairly typical of 

 those to be found throughout the greater part of the valley of the liio Grande. . . . 



"The various strata found throughout the valley consist of layers of soil, sand, and 

 gravel, of varying degrees of coarseness, with occasional layers of hardpan or clay. 

 Sand evidently forms the greater part of the strata in the valley and in many parts 

 extends to the surface, although usually covered by a layer of sediment and rich soil 

 varying in thicknes.s from a few inches to many feet. It seems to be generally true 

 that most of the valley is underlaid at a reasonable depth with gravel beds sufficiently 

 thick to procure from them by means of slotted strainers au ample water supply. In 

 the ^lesilla Valley a gravel bed is usually found at from 20 to 80 ft. in depth, although 



