173 
ment of irrigation practice and a marked increase in the duty 
of water. 
Puddling was tried, but as a rule there was not sufficient clay 
in the soil to make this efficient. A natural silting up, with conse- 
quent improvement of water-holding capacity, of reservoirs and 
ditches carrying muddy water frequently occurs, but a large pro- 
portion of the irrigation water used, notably that obtained by 
pumping, is clear, and therefore no silting results. 
Of the large number of available raw materials promising well 
as ditch and reservoir lining, cement, clay, and crude petroleum 
were tested as ditch linings in the California experiments. The 
principal results of the test are given in brief in the following 
table : 
RESULTS OF TESTS OF VARIOUS DITCH LININGS. 
S2SI' c A « t "»;. 
Description of Hni,* E «^ y Savin,. 
Per cent. Cents. Cents. 
Cement concrete, 3 inches thick 7.17 86.6 8.30 7.50 
Cement-lime concrete, 3 inches thick.. 2.90 65.5 8.30 7.50 
Cement mortar 2.73 63.3 3.88 3.25-3.50 
Heavy oil, 3 2/3 gals, per square vard. 2.02 50.4 1.20 1.20 
Clay puddle, 3M> inches thick../. 1.78 47.8 3.90 1.20 
Heavy oil, 3 gafs. per square yard 1.50 38.0 1.00 1.00 
Heavy oil, 2 1/3 gals, per square yard. 1.37 27.3 .77 .77 
Thin oil, 2 1 /» gals, per square yard 1.08 7.3 1.00 .80 
Earth (no lining) 1.00 0.0 
The table shows wide variations in the efficiency and cost of 
the different lining materials. 
"While there is no doubt that cement concrete is the most effi- 
cient as regards seepage, it is also the most expensive, being more 
than six times the cost of the heavy oil lining (3 2/3 gallons per 
square yard), which saves 50.4 per cent, of the water which would 
seep were the ditch not lined. This saving with the concrete ditch 
is 86.6 per cent., or one and three-fourths times as large. Where 
water is very valuable there is no doubt but that the concrete is 
more permanent and economical. But where the water is not so 
scarce and a little waste will do no damage, the expense of lining 
the ditch with oil may be justified, while a more expensive lining 
would be impracticable." 
farmers' bulletin 326. 
Building up a Run-Down Cotton Plantation. By D. A. Brodie, 
Assistant Agriculturist, Bureau of Plant Industry. Pp. 24, 
figs. 9. 
This Bulletin contains an account of three years' work in 
changing a run-down cotton plantation of 385 acres, in Phillips 
County, Ark., into a profitable stock and hay farm. It emphasizes 
the value of leguminous crops, good seed, and good stock. 
