THE IRRIGATION AGE. 



231 



Irrigation Congress at Portland, Oregon, and subse- 

 quently visited in company with officials of the Reclama- 

 tion Bureau, a number of government projects in 

 Nevada, Idaho, and elsewhere. 



The Agricultural Department of the Russian govern- 

 ment made a wise selection when it was decided to send 

 Mr. Sinelnikoff to this country. He is a student of an 

 investigating turn, an affable gentleman, and ready 

 and willing at all times to exchange knowledge and 

 conditions in his country for information concerning 

 similar development in America. All who have met 

 Mr. Sinelnikoff speak very highly of his ability and the 

 wonderful aptness which he has displayed in mastering 

 the English language, and grasping our local condi- 

 tions. 



In the communication referred to, Mr. Sinelni- 

 koff suggests the mutual study of agricultural conditions 

 in Russia and the United States, and states that he 

 believes it will be advantageous to both countries to 

 co-operate in the establishment of an understanding 

 between these two great nations of their natural wealth 

 and the needs of each which may possibly be supplied 

 one to the other, where local conditions preclude the 

 possibility of the need being supplied by home manu- 

 facture. 



Mr. Sinelnikoff speaks particularly of the general 

 use of American made reaping and mowing machines in 

 his country, and among other things he states: "It 

 may be said, in short, that the complicated Ameri- 

 can agricultural machinery has penetrated into those 

 regions of Asia where Russian civilization and culture 

 exist"; and again in reference to European Russia 

 he states, "We notice that during the latter j r ears 

 American cultivators and many other agricultural im- 

 plements of American manufacture, have found wide 

 adaptation on sugar beet plantations." He speaks 

 furthermore of the possible development of a large 

 trade in that country in the near future for gas, and 

 gasoline engines, and pumping machinery manufactured 

 in this country. 



He says, 'also, thart the American methods of 

 construction of irrigation works, and the various kinds 

 of co-operation may be successfully utilized in Russia. 

 In a personal letter received from Mr. Sinelnikoff, he 

 suggests a plan which may be of benefit to American 

 manufacturers, as well as people of Russia, in the 

 form of a bureau, one branch of which could be 

 located in Chicago, and another in Moscow, the pur- 

 pose of which would be to obtain and exchange iuforma- 

 tion regarding agricultural questions; and going 

 further, he says: "Each bureau might consist of two 

 sections one for experimental work and the other 

 for irrigation work in general, and the supply of 

 machinery for agricultural purposes. The lack of in- 

 formation with regard to the latter is greatly felt in 

 Russia, as American manufacturers have few agents 



in that country, and on account of the distance in- 

 quiries sent to America are frequently delayed and 

 through ignorance of the language such correspond- 

 ence is very difficult." Continuing Mr. Sinelnikoff 

 states that the bureau might be organized in Moscow 

 "in connection with the agricultural journals or agri- 

 cultural societies." He also thinkfe that American 

 manufacturers would probably be willing to defray the 

 financial expense of the organization, as it would 

 facilitate the sale of 1beir products in Russia, especially 

 on account of the dimunition of duty on American ma- 

 chinery. 



This move, it seems to us, would prove a timely 

 measure. Mr. Sinelnikoff states that he has recently 

 been asked both by Russian and American machinery 

 manufacturers, about mutual agricultural conditions, 

 but refrained from entering into the matter, as it 

 would assist only single cases, and would have no 

 influence upon the stability of relations, while such an 

 organization as that suggested above would be a per- 

 manent institution of ever increasing value. 



He thinks that "the opinions of the heads of the 

 different bureaus in Washington should be secured, 

 likewise those of all intrested in such a movement." 

 In conclusion Mr. Sinelnikoff says: "An organization 

 formed solely with the view of the sale of American 

 machinery would not meet with the same success as 

 one in connection with agricultural experimental work, 

 because many persons, as zemstvo agronomists, and 

 directors of agricultural stations who would be use- 

 ful in the introduction of American machinery in 

 Russia, would join more willingly an organization of 

 this character if it had in its program the exchange of 

 experiments. 



"Russian foresters would likewise be interested in 

 such an organization, as many American species of 

 timber grow successfully in the steppes of Southern 

 Russia." 



In conclusion would it not be well for some of 

 our manufacturers who are looking for trade in that 

 country to get in touch with Mr. Sinelnikoff, and 

 learn more fully his views? 



THE IRRIGATION AGE is of the opinion that an 

 opportunity is here offered for the extension of trade in 

 American goods in that country. We would suggest 

 that those interested correspond with Mr. Sinelnikoff 

 at his present address 1635 P Street, N. W., Wash- 

 ington, D. C. We are presenting in this issue a very 

 good likeness of this gentleman. 



Will pay for the IRRIGATION AGE 



$2.50 one year and the PRIMER OF 

 IRRIGATION, 



