AGRICULTURAL APPROPRIATION' nil.U H»24. 345 



is directed to the fart thut thi» most iiolahlf ndvaiircs which have 

 l»«'(>r» iiuulo in ajjrioiiltiire liave \hh>u throu(;h the ut*o of iiwohapiral 

 rfjuipiin'iit and thr suhst itut i«»ii (»f |)<»w«t. either atiiinal or riiethan- 

 ical. for mail liilxir. The prodiMtioii of the iij«)'!- ■ '•■ d ||fm been 

 iinrease<|, whih- his expenditure of niiiseuhir lahor h • deereuH4>4i. 



The improvement of hind through ilrainape in the humid reponn, 

 the re< lamnt ion of hmds in the arid areas, the <level<>f)ineiit «»f me- 

 <-haiii(al e<|uipnient for and apphcation to farm co?-!') "f- }iave u\\ 

 heen hnnifjht ahout tluouj;|j tne ap()h<'ation of ei ' pnnci- 



ph s There is a hirj:*' Hehl of prohh^ms having to do with theeflirirnt 

 and economical pnxhiction of fjirm crops, their storaj^e, (hstrihution, 

 and utih/ation. and tlu> handhn>; of the hmds themselves m hoth 

 the humid ami arid re«;ions whi<li involve the principles which may 

 be j^rouped generally under the designation " a};ricultural eiip- 

 neerin<;. Within the past decade tliisijroupof prohlemshasattra<ted 

 the <;eiu'ral rcco<;nilion due the important heann;: each luus upon the 

 jreneral advancement t)f airricultun*. The work of tliLs division in the 

 de|)artment lias not been expanded in keepin*; with its importanre. 

 The appropriations are beinij maintaine<l at a dead level, which will 

 not allow its expansion, and because of the increased cost of carryinjj 

 on work now as compared with the pre-war level it is impossible 

 to produce results consistent witli the needs of the times. Many 

 hi>;nly important researches are being carried on without ade(|uatc 

 personnel or facilities. 



Among the outstanding results which have been or are being 

 secured tlirough the activities which the bureau is carrving on. 

 eitlier through cooperation with the individual States or independ- 

 ently, the actual completion of roads is perhajis the most important. 

 Dunng the past fiscal year more than 10,000 miles of highways of all 

 tvpes were i)rought to completion. This does not mean that all of 

 tlie work on the 10,000 miles was done during the year, but that this 

 mileage was brought to actual completion during tlie year. 



The progress in highway researcn has been notable. Tlu' bureau 

 has carried on an important series of tests on the impact on road 

 surfaces, and other studies at .Vrlington, and a number of cooperative 

 research projects have been instituted with State highway tlepart- 

 ments. State educational institutions, and other agencies. The 

 bureau is cooperating with and supporting the National Research 

 Council, in establishing a national research proj^ram on highway 

 engineering and economic problems, which shall oe so coordinated 

 that attention shall be given the major j)roblems, but tliat duplica- 

 tion of effort shall be eliminated. The bureau is also cooperating 

 with the State highway departments through the American Asso- 

 ciation of State Highway Officials, in the work of deyeh)ping and 

 standardizing specifications, design, and practices for modern bridges 

 and highways. 



The attention of the connnittee is directed to the fact that in 

 highway transportation we have a tremendous new force in the 

 econ<»mic and social life of this Nation, which has not yet be<>«)me 

 stabilized, wiiose limits are not yet known, aiul whose ramifications 

 touch the whole fabric of our agricultural, industrial, antl social life. 

 The building, maintenance, and operation of our highways are an 

 integral part of liighway transportation and. in fact, become the 

 controlling element of the utilizati<ni of this f(»rin of transportation. 



