, 1898-12-21

cernlng the Irrigation Problem.
The following interesting article on
2 irrigation was taken from the report
of the director of the office of expert
menit stations just issued by Hon. A. C.
True:
In the appropriation act of this de-
partrnent for the current fiscal year,
10000 was appropriated by congress
for the purpose of collecting from ag-
ricultural colleges, agricultural expert
ment stations and other sources, in
Guiding the employment of practical
agents, valuable information and data
on the subject of irrigation and pub
fishing the same in bulletin form" By
order of the secretary, supervision of
h work on irrigation has been assign
ed to the director of this office. Prof.
Eiwood Mead, state engineer of Wyo-
ming, who has had a long inc success
full career as a student and administra-
tor of irrigation problems in the west,
has been selected as consulting expert
and chief assistant in planning and
carrying on the irrigation work which
this office has undertaken. Though the
appropriation did not become avail
able until July l, 1898, much prelimi-
nary work was done prior to that date
in making a general study of the prob
1aun- of ir-ritraftpn a O r-a1atnl 10 apri-
culture in our country, in collecting the
literature of irrigation, and in CORE
~spondence with experiment station Off
GERS, state engineers and other experts,
with a view to determining the field Of
work which the department should at
tempt to occupy and the matters which
first required our attention. In connec
tion with its other work, this Office has
for a number OF years been following
up the literature of experimental in
quiries in irrigation and has sought to
aid and encourage the experiment sta
lions in their efforts to carry on such
inquiries. Special studies along this
line have been made by MI. w. H. Beal,
of this office, who is thus in a position
to aid materially in the new work in
irrigation now undertaken by this
Office.
1t was decided that the best way in
which the office could get the advice
which it needed for the formulation of
plans of work along the most useful
lines was to call a conference in the fr-
rlgalted region of experiment station
officers and irrigation engineers who
have been most largely engaged in re-
cent. years in making experimental in
quiries in irrigation or in dealing with
the administrative and practical prob
lens involved in the use of water for
irrigation in tine west.
This conference was held at Denver.
July - and 10. 1898, and was attended
by the following persons: Elwood
Mead, state engineer. Cheyenne, Wyo.;
Il. W. Hilgard, director experiment sta
ton, Berkeley, CAL; o. v. P. Stout, civil
engineer, state university, Lincoln,
NED, IL. VI. Val thtei' hii6osOh
gineer. experiment station, Fort Col
Inns. Colo; l.. Foster, director expert
ment station. Logan. Utah; i. S. EN-
cry, director experiment station, Boze-
man, Mont; e. S. Nettleton, formerly
in charge Of irrigation investigations
conducted by this department, Denver,
Colo; j. e. Fields, state engineer, Den
YER, Colo; B. C. Buffum, agricultur'ist,
experiment station, Laramie, Wyo.; D..
Campbell, engineer, Denver, Colo; g..
L.. Swendsen, irrigation engineer, ex-
pertinent station. Logan, Utah. This
ONCE was represented by the director.
who presided, and Mr.. W. H. Beal.
During the two days session OF the
conference many Of the problems OF ir-
-igation were earnestly and freely dis
cussed and the needs OF the farmer for
information on irrigation subjects were
carefully considered.
The objects of the work which this
Office has undertaken regarding the
laws and institutions Of the irrigated
region are: "a To aid courts and ad-
ministrative officers In the adjudication
of claims respecting water rights; w
to bring OUT the defects in existing
laws and methods Of administration,
and to furnish impartial and adequate
information on which wiser and more
equitable legislation and court decisions
may be based. and (3) to assiet farmers
in the appropriation and use of water
for irrigation. The collection OF this
information requires much painstaking
search Through a widely scattered liter
allure and personal observations over a
brood. field. The preparation OF the ma
terial for publications calls for much
discrimination and an intimate &C
auaintance with the varied conditions
prevailing in the vast region where IT.
rigation is chiefly practiced. It will
be NO small task to make a clear pre-
~sentarion OF the facts and principles
involved In the legal and institutions
aspects Of the irrigation problems Oh
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