440 



FORESTRY AND IRRIGATION 



October 



and saltiness of the water in the sand of 

 the gorge with the depth penetrated. 

 The increase can be noted from toot to 

 foot. At a depth of 42 feet the water 

 contains about 1,200 parts per 100,000 

 of common salt not quite as strong as 

 sea water. 



Mr. Slichter examined the situation 

 below El Paso with reference to the 

 possibility of ground-water supply from 

 wells. The mesa east and north of the 

 city contains a very fine water-bearing 

 sand at a depth of about 180 feet. The 

 stratum is between 30 and 60 feet thick, 

 and the material is too fine for good 

 wells. At the southern boundary of 

 this mesa the river runs at the present 

 time about 40 feet higher than the top 

 of the above-mentioned water-bearing 

 sand. There is even" indication that at 

 the time the river cut the gorge above 

 the city to the depth of 86 feet it cut 

 into this deposit of sand and resorted 

 and redeposited the material, carrying 

 much of the finer material away. For 

 this reason good wells can be had along 

 the entire edge of the mesa wherever the 

 river has done its work, except in a few 

 instances where the river carried away 

 all the sand and left a local deposit of 

 clay and mud in its place. By running 

 levels it was determined that the water 

 plane slopes both from the mesa and 

 from the river toward the region where 

 water is being extensively pumped for 

 irrigation. The water plane is about 

 2 to 3 feet below the surface of present 

 running water in the river, indicating 

 that both the river and the mesa con- 

 tribute to the ground water taken from 

 the wells. The river probably does not 

 furnish much water to the sand on ac- 

 count of silt, except in times of flood, 

 when the scour is deep. 



This work, which is of the utmost in- 

 terest and importance to citizens of the 

 valley, will be carried forward as rapidly 

 as possible, and will include an exten- 

 sion of the work to Las Cruces, New 

 Mexico. 



Irrigation Judging from the wide- 



Congress, spread interest exhib- 



ited, the Twelfth Na- 

 tional Irrigation Congress, to be held at 



El Paso, Texas, November 15-18, prom- 

 ises to be the most successful yet con- 

 vened. Mr. A. W. Gifford, who is sec- 

 retary of the Southwestern Irrigation 

 Association, and who has been actively 

 working to secure full representation, 

 has j ust returned to El Paso from a trip 

 through California, undertaken with the 

 object of stimulating interest in the Con- 

 gress. He expresses great gratification 

 at the general enthusiasm manifested, 

 and states that hearty cooperation is 

 promised by some of the most influential 

 organizations and citizens of California. 

 Mr. C. B. Boothe, executive chairman 

 of the Congress, reports that Governor 

 Pardee, of California, will head a strong 

 delegation from that state. 



President Diaz, who has evidenced a 

 desire to attend the sessions of the Con- 

 gress, has been sent, by messenger, a 

 special invitation, signed by Senator 

 Clark, as president of the Congress. 



It is gratifying to observe the interest 

 shown in the Congress, as evidenced by 

 the hearty cooperation of those inter- 

 ested in irrigation throughout the West, 

 and numerous exhibits will be made by 

 fruit-growers and irrigators in general. 

 California, Utah, Washington, Texas, 

 and Nevada are to be represented by 

 large delegations, and all previous rec- 

 ords in attendance promise to be eclipsed. 



Absaroka The Absaroka Forest 



Forest Reserve. Reserve of Montana was 

 merged with the Teton 

 and the Yellowstone forest reserves by 

 proclamation of January 29, 1903, the 

 whole taking the name of the Yellow- 

 stone Forest Reserve. The forest con- 

 ditions in the Absaroka division of the 

 reserve have been studied by Mr. John 

 B. Leiberg, of the U. S. Geological 

 Survey, which organization recently 

 issued a bulletin on the subject. 



As an introduction to the main sub- 

 ject, Mr. Leiberg gives a general de- 

 scription of the topography, drainage 

 system, rock formations and soils, min- 

 ing areas and minerals, agricultural 

 lands, grazing lands, and lakes and 

 tarns found in the Absaroka division of 

 the reserve. 



The forest in the reserve is almost 



