Gilpin observer., 1902-12-18
Agricultural Department.

Agricultural Department.
The report of Secretary of Agricul-
ture Wilson states that by the request
of the secretary of the interior, the
Bureau of Forestry has become his Of
fetal adviser in matters of forest pol
covering over 60,000,000 acres.
Extensive studies were made of
commercial trees during the year, and
studies of the forest and it's Industrial
relations were made in Michigan, Ken
lucky, Ohio, Texas, New Mexico, Ari-.
zona, South Dakota, Wyoming, Mon
tana, California and Iowa. Among the
questions involved were the present
and future timber supply, forest fires,
relation of the forests to stream flow,
irrigation and grazing. The bureau
has discovered less injurious method
of turpentine orcharding than that
hitherto employed.
Cooperation with the Bureau of
Chemistry and in response to urgent
demands, the series of tests to deter
mine the strength of the principal
merchantable timbers-discontinu in
1S96-have been taken up.
In tree planting the bureau has
sought to enlist the interest of the
private land owner. Up to the close
of the last fiscal year 262 applications
for assistance had been received,
nearly 100000 acres examined, and 224
plans made. Not only does example
set by each plantation affect the
neighborhood. but in many cases it
has led to a public agitation of the
question of tree planting, and exten-
sive planting on other land has fire.
quently followed.
An Investigation was begun during
the year as to the possibility of re-
claiming soils in the arid regions in
jured by seepage water and the accu-
mutation of alkali. Important work on
this Cine is being carried out on a
tract of forty acres near Salt Lake
City. Arrangements are being made
to carry on similar work at Fresno.
California. and it is proposed to ex-
tend it to the tropical area in Mon
tana and possibly in Arizona, to DEM
onstrate that these unfavorable con-
ditions can be controlled. Land locat-
ed in the immediate vicinity of Salt
Lake City, he believes, can be in
creased in value by at least $4,000 ,000,,
exclusive of the cost of reclamation,
should it prove successful.
The distribution and use Of western
rivers requires legislation on the irri-
CATION industry. which, in turn, rem
ders it necessary that there should be
a better understanding of the subject
than now exists. The department is
securing information as to the guam
tity of water used, where it is used,
how much water is required in the
matter of crops, how it can be distrib-
uted with the least loss, and applied
to the best advantage. Much has been
done to educate farmers and ditch
managers as to the direction in which
Improvement in the method of prac-
tice must come. They have made
plans. have shown the need Of better
work in constructing and maintaining
canals. and have shown that the loss
Of water through leakage in transit Is
far greater than is generally sup
posed The large problems which the
complete use of western rivers is des-
tined to create and the measure Of
public control which recent legislation
renders inevitable, give added inter-
est to the departments studies OF the
legal and economic phases of irriga-
ton.
Through the courtesy OF govern
itative of the department was enabled
to become fully acquainted with the
administration of laws governing the
use OF the Nile. Allowing for differ
ences in conditions. the lesson Of one
Of the Oldest irrigated countries In the
world can not fall to be OF interest and
value to one of the youngest. A num-
Der of the arid states cooperate with
the department In these studies of So
Geological and legal problems.
The most noticeable work under.
taken by the office Of road inquiries
has been in the building Of obiect-les-
son and experimental roads. Cooper
alton in this work has been had with
national good roads associations, man.
ufacturers of road building machinery,
and the railroad corporations. In
most cases the building OF these roads
has been accompanied by important
meetings. where the subject OF good
roads has been ably handled by prom.
inent public men and the experts Of
the department. The road material
laboratory is operated in collaboration
with the Bureau OF Chemistry, and the
chief OF that bureau reports the labor
atory as now equipped for the testing
Of road materials OF every description.
as well as cement and concrete for
drains and buildings. A large mum.
ber Of samples were received from all
parts Of the country. including our IL.
land possessions, showing the value
practical road builders attach to these
tests. It IL only by such tests that we
can predict which material will give
the best results under q given trafac.