178 



THIRD ANNUAL SESSIONS 



the ground was still frozen. A portion of the trench passed through 

 virgin prairie land and a portion through summer fallowed land. We 

 found that in the former land the ground was frozen but six to eight 

 inches deep, while in the latter it was frozen to a depth of over two feet. 

 The depth of freezing depends of course upon the moisture content of 

 the soil. Borings made with a soil auger tend to substantiate this 

 phenomenon. 



"As this office is carrying on irrigation investigations in connec- 

 tion with the dry farming experiments it will not be out of place for me 

 to mention just one experiment to show the value of a little water applied 

 at the right time. 



Auxiliary Irrigation. 



"In the fall of 1907, after a continued drouth and the ground was in 

 a very dry condition our Mr. Grordon planted two adjoining plots to 

 Turkey Red winter wheat at the same time under the same conditions, 

 with the exception that one was irrigated with about six inches of water 

 before plowing and preparing the seed bed, while the other received no 

 water whatsoever. The plots were rotated from field peas in 1907. In the 

 spring it was discovered that the plot which had not been irrigated was 

 devoid of all vegetation and was afterwards plowed to prevent the growth 

 of noxious weeds. The irrigated plot produced 33% bushels of wheat 

 per acre. 



"These data have never been made public before this, but within the 

 next few months we hope to have ready for distribution a bulletin an- 

 nouncing all the results of both the dry farmed and irrigation experi- 

 ments, together with a description of all methods used, amount of seed 

 sown per acre, et cetra. This pamphlet will be for free distribution and 

 can be obtained by writing the United States Department of Agriculture, 

 Washington, D. C." 



Adjourned to 7 : 45 p. m. 



