468 



SCIENCE 



[N. S. Vol. XLIII. No. 1109 



increasing population needs the foodstuffs that 

 may be produced, abimdantly, on the irrigated 

 farms, and the " landless " men want the new 

 farms upon which to build independence for 

 themselves and their families. Diu-ing the 

 last quarter of a century, public and private 

 capital has been poured into the irrigation 

 enterprises of the Great West; vast tracts have 

 been opened for settlement; serious and diffi- 

 cult problems have arisen, which yet await 

 solution. Thousands of investors, great and 

 small, in all sections of the United States, are 

 holding irrigation securities which in many 

 eases are of doubtful value. 



As the importance of land reclamation by 

 irrigation became more fully realized, an 

 irrigation literature of great value was pro- 

 duced, which, however, concerned itself chiefly 

 with the construction of irrigation works, or 

 with the actual use of water on the land. Mr. 

 Teele, in the present volume, has had in mind 

 the needs of the great body of our citizens, 

 wherever they may live, who, because of their 

 interest in irrigation, desire a comprehensive 

 yet non-technical discussion of the meaning, 

 extent, purpose, problems and present status 

 of irrigation in the United States. The pres- 

 ent volume is devoted, therefore, to a " discus- 

 sion of the legal, economic and financial as- 

 pects " of irrigation. 



The author has accomplished his purpose 

 admirably. After a brief discussion of the 

 irrigated section, with respect to climate, 

 water supply and crops, the author takes up 

 the consideration of legislation relating to irri- 

 gation, irrigation investments and the organi- 

 zation and operation of irrigation enterprises. 

 This discussion, though brief, is exceedingly 

 clear and comprehensive, and the reader is 

 left with a vivid picture of the real irrigation 

 situation in our country. Elements of weak- 

 ness or strength are pointed out and wise sug- 

 gestions are frequently made for improvement. 

 To the seasoned student of irrigation, the last 

 chapter, on the present situation and future of 

 irrigation in the United States, is of greatest 

 interest, for it includes the author's well- 

 reasoned conclusions concerning the methods 

 of stabilizing the economics of irrigation. 



The book should be read and studied by na- 

 tional and state legislators, who have to do 

 with the making of irrigation laws; by the 

 projector of new irrigation enterprises; by the 

 iavestor; by the man on the irrigated farm, 

 and by all who are interested in the gigantic 

 movement to conquer all of our Great West 

 for the use of man. 



Mr. Teele is particularly well fitted to speak 

 with authority on irrigation subjects. Through 

 his editorial hands have passed practically 

 every irrigation publication issued by the U. S. 

 Department of Agriculture since 1899. He is 

 personally familiar with the irrigated section, 

 and is an enthusiastic believer in irrigation, 

 though he has never closed his eyes to its diffi- 

 culties. Irrigation in its present stage of 

 development needs honest friends. 



The survey in this volume is so brief that 

 we hope the author may some time find time 

 to enlarge upon his theme for the technical 

 student. Moreover, we shall not know the full 

 meaning of irrigation until its sociological 

 aspects are examined, and this volume only 

 hints at the conditions of hinnan life imder 

 the ditch. !N"evertheless, Mr. Teele's book is 

 a great contribution to irrigation advancement 

 in that it brings order out of a confusion of 

 knowledge, and points out the way by which 

 our present irrigation difficulties may be over- 

 come. John A. Widtsoe 



Utah Agricultubal College, 

 Logan, Utah 



SPECIAL ARTICLES 



ON THE PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY OF EMULSIONS 



AND ITS BEARING UPON PHYSIOLOGICAL 



AND PATHOLOGICAL PROBLEMS 



We have been engaged during the past few 

 months in a study of the conditions which de- 

 termine the making and the breaking of emul- 

 sions. In addition to verifying certain well- 

 known observations, this inquiry has brought 

 some new points of view which are of impor- 

 tance for the theory of the stability of emul- 

 sions, and for the solution of such technical 

 and biological problems as are embraced in 

 the making of butter, the preparation of thera- 



