The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1901-12-13

influence on the land to which applied
This Is shown by the fact that one of
the samples taken carried thirty-four per
cent Of solnds, and the water of many
Of the streams examined carried two to
ten per cent Water supplies OF this
character furnish many perplexing ques-
tions to the managers of canals and make
II necessary as that plans for their stor-
age shall include some methods Of cluic-
Ing ont the silt as to have the dams rest
on n solid foundation
These examinations have been extended
to embrace the Hawaiian islands where
large Investments have. been made IN
pumping works to furnish water for the
growing sugar cane Studies are also
being made in Europe and Egypt OF the
laws and methods employed by the rrlga-
tors Of those countries Speaking of the
benefits to come from n study of cOun-
tries which have had "a long experience
In dealing with these questions Or True
says:
'erhe growing volume ana immense cost
Of litigation over water rights and the
certainty that these complications are
destined To continue unless the operation
of our irrigation codes is made simpler
and more effectivce. renders II increas-
ingly important that we avail ourselves
or the experience of older irrigated coun-
tries, The lessons of Southern Europe
ana Egypt ahould be made use of through
visits to these districts and the publi-
cation OF reports showing the methods
employed In the distribution of water. the
methods of its application, and the vol
ume required, tho kind Of contracts un-
der which water is furnished to users
and the nature of the ownership Of
streams and of canals which distribute
them. The beginning Of thehe studies has
been unavoidably delayed. but their ne
cessity and the value of the information
to those engaged In framing codes Of laws
or in enforcing those lows is believed in
more earnestly than when the same sub
1ect was referred to In the previous re-
port of this office -
BUREAU OF ENGINEERING.
one of the recommendations of this re-
port is that the irrigation investigations
be expanded into a bureau of rural ongi-
neering To include irrigation and other
branches Of agricultural engineering
which promise to be important factors in
the agricultural development of this CEN
tury. DR. True's reasons for this recon-
merdatlon are as follows:
In the past 1t has been deemed ex-
pedient to give this office general super
vision of certain special investigations
which We're TO be carried on largely in
connection with colleges and experiment
stations. While administrative reasons
MAY Justify this procedure in some cases,
| il is not in my Judgment desirable that
/ this practice should be followed TO an eX-
/ tent which would make the Office perma-
/ nently responsible for the conduct OF a
/ considerable variety of such investiga-
/ tions In view OF the fact that questions
relating TO the reorganization of this de-
4 partment are now being discussed, ! de-
I sire to raise the question whether the time
I has not already come for separating from
/ this office the important enterprise which
I has been organized within It as the irri-
/ cation Investigations, These investiga-
I tiOns are now well established and seem
/ likely to be a permanent part OF the
! business Of this department. In my judg-
| ment they for sufficient basis on which
I to create a new bureau correspondent %
I one of the great general divisions of ag-
ricuitural science, namely, rural engineer
] ing There are many problems connected
with the laying out Of farms and other
I rural estates, as well as parks, which this
I department would do well TO consider
J Among these are qpestions relating q
/ systems of drainage, water suuply and
! sewerage, terracing and other methods fos
preventing washing OF land, iandscappg
! etc. Moreover, problems relating 20 farm
buildings, implements. and machinery
should be studied by the department. in
! this country, relatively little atten-lon has
thus far been given TO agricultural engi-
neering and many OF It's branches have
hitherto been almost entirely neglected
by this department I can not, however
see any good reason for further delay m
taking up these important matters and
believe that an efficient bureau Of rural
engineering would accomplish results OF
great usefulness