Arizona republican., 1905-07-17

Pecos valley in New Mexico the bu- reau recommended that the amount of alfalfa grown should be increased and the growing of field crops and soils be substituted by a grazing industry This has been done most successfully The bureau is now attempting to per suade planters in the south Atlantic states to try growing cotton on the clay soils of the region, in rIace Of devOting their attention exclusively to raising cotton on the more easily worked but less productive sandy soils.
 As an instance of the effect of the bureaus work on the market price on land in various localities, a case in Connecticut is cited by Milton Whit ney. chief of the bureau Mir Whit ney's men is cited by Milton Whitney, chief of the bureau. MT Whitney's men declared that the soils of the Connecticut valley were peculiarly adapted to the growing of a superior wrapper tobacco, and the value of those hands increased three fold. The trucking soils of the Atlantic seaboard through the investigations of the bur eau. have increased from a nominal value of $5 an acre to more than S20O an acre. while rice lands in Louisi- ana fomerly held at S5 now bring $50 an acre. Florida soils. adapted tC the growing of pineapples, have risen in value from practically nothing to more than $500 an acre. On the other hand, the bureau. through its survey of the soils. in a number of cases has disproved the statements of compar- ies opening up large tracts as to the value of the land to be opened for set tlement and has saved prospective settlers from being swindled out of their money.
 In it's investigations of tobacco lands the bureau of soils has discovered re- gions in Texas and Alabama where tobacco nearly as fine as that raised in Cuba for filler purposes may be grown. and has made valuable discov- cries as to the best methods of cur ing tobacco. It has also rendered not able service in the problem of reclaim ing alkali land, ard this work con stitutes one of the most valuable and interesting experiments which have been carried our.
 In the United States government building at the Lewis and Clark fair there is 9 model which shows in a clear and interesting way how land at present worthless on account of the aikali salts which it contains may be made extremely valuable by the re- I2oval of these salts, which, in many eases, were brought in by over-irri- g2ting the land. The plan adopted as most practical is one whereby a drainage system, preferably by means nf tile drains. is used The aIkaIi area 5s flooded by irrigation methods. and then drained so that the alkaH salts are washed out of the land. For the purpose Of demonstrating the ef- tciency of this method, the bureau of soils is understanding and flooding tracts of land near Salt Lake City, Utah; North Yakima, Wash: Fresno. Cal; Tempe, Ariz., and Billings, Mont At Salt Lake City and Fresno the ex- DeT1aents have already proved so sue cessiul that good crops were grown on the formerly worthless lands during the season of 1904.
 The model in the United States gov elnment fUildIng shows by means of actual running water just how the Drainage yIan is worked out, and t is one 0f the highly interesting things V hich Cncle sam has to show visito.s at the coast fair. The United States government buildings and displays at the fair rel resent an expenditure of $S29.90u.