Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-04-02
WHAT THE GOVERNMENT Is DOING


formation, in regard to the higher re-
gions is the most important, and that,
except along the transcontinental rail-
ways and at few isolated mining
in winter makes necessary the snow
survey plan. In the warmer period
of the year many mining and lumber
plants are in operation, and the wealth
er bureau has little difficulty in secur-
ing relatively full data for rainfall
through cooperative observers.
The bureau recognizes the great Inn
portance of the snow estimate work.
but because Of limited funds has not
been able to cover the big field ade-
quately. Only few parties are in the
field this spring. and these are work
Ing in regions that have been studied
for several years past in order that
continuity may be preserved and COM
parative records obtained. Areas that
have been accurately surveyed by the
geological survey are selected for
snow study. II possible. and If not the
region is first surveyed by the weather
bureaus agents while it's surface is
uncovered. Tall rods with feet and
inches marked on them are set up.
Just before the spring thaws set in
and before there is any likelihood OF
additional SHOWS the weather special
lists visit the staked areas
The reading of the snow stakes is
not the only necessary step to be TAX
en-. however. Snow varies greatly in
density. so that a given volume as it
lies may contain much more or less
water than an equal volume the pre-
ceding year. A similar variation may
be found in different portions of a
vertical section representing the ac-
cumulations from different storms The
observers therefore collect cores OF
the snow cover at different places and
determine the densities. From these
data estimates are made of the fall in
water. If possible, a check is made by
observation during the following sum
mer of the run-off from the area
studied.
One of the principal snow studies be-
ing made by the bureau Is on the wa
tershed of the Salt river, Arizona,
above the Roosevelt dam, the chief
feature of one of the most important
of the federal reclamation projects.
1t is believed that after further snow
survey work has been carried on it
will be possible to regulate the height
of the reservoir for food protection in
spring by a knowledge Of the depth
and density of the snowfall.
In addition to making the snow sur
veys the weather bureau collects in
formation in regard to snowfall from
number of permanent stations. The
records of these show that the heavi-
est known fall of snow in the United
States is at Summit. Cal, where the
Southern Pacific railroad crosses the
Slerras Records have been kept here
since 1870. and in four seasons during
this period falls of more than fifty
foot depth have occurred. During two
winters the fall has been apnroxi-
mately sixty-five feet deep, and the
least fall-much less than for any other
year-was thirteen feet Houses in
the region are practically buried every
winter and must be constructed with
exceptionally steep slanting roofs to
prevent their being crushed under the
tremendous weight of the accumulated
20 6,1y
A proposed novel CO. operation with
nature IN manufacturing enterprise,
whereby the great VOL
A Volcanic cano of Kilauea of the
r.1 Island of Hawaii would
be made to serve IS gil
gantic foundry for casting sewer pipe
and bricks, is arousing interest among
officials of the United States Depart
ment of Commerce. This interest is not
only in the scheme as general COM
mercial feature affecting production
and freight movements in territory
comprising the United States Every
effort is being made by the territorial
government to foster other industries
than the dominant ones of sugar pro-
duction AM pineapple canning in order
to solve pressing economic problems,
and suggestion has been made by the
governor of the islands that Congress
authorize the federal Department of
Commerce to cooperate in the work.
The possibilities of casting sewer
pipe from the molten lava of the vol
cano have been studied by retired
pipe manufacturer from the United
States who recently visited the islands,
tai ~
the procedure by which buckets of ex-
ceedingly refractory material on an
endless chain would bring the molten
lava from the bed of the crater to its
Buckets capable of resisting 1000 de-
grees Fahrenheit easily can be pro-
vided, it is declared, while the tenn
perature of the lava has been found
from scientific observations to be about
1900 degrees. At such high degree
of heat the lava, it is believed. would
remain liquid during the short time
necessary to transport it to the molds.
Though the plan is SO out of the Or
binary that it sounds almost visionary
to the layman, it is explained to the
Commerce Department by it's agents in
Hawaii that kilauea presents one of
the best opportunities known anywhere
in the world for industrial utilization
of the earth's natural heat, since the
lake of molten material is accessible
and relatively quiescent. and workshops
may therefore be erected and manu-
featuring operatio carried on close
to the rim of the crater.
An indication Of what the Agricultural
Department is accomplishing through
. it's juvenile clubs
Scientific toward making boys
of the rural districts
rig Raising. into competent animal
husbandmen is given by informa-
ton collected by department agents
in regard to specific case in
Georgia. After joining the department s
| ham and bacon project three young
brothers bought a blooded pig each. and,
breaking away from the methods Of hog
raising practiced in their neighborhood
and adopting the plans Of the department
experts. secured gains in weight at just
half the cost per pound at which in
creases were secured by neighboring
adult farmers Of many years experience.
Low cost in weight gains was secured
by the boys by making cooked kitchen
waste large item In the hogs rations
peas and corn into which the animals
were turned in the fall.
The boys carried the project through
to completion. doing their own slaughter
ing. They then ground the appropriate
portions OF the carcasses into sausage,
manufactured lard and souse and sold
portions in fresh cuts. Their average
profits were approximately $27 on each
pig-proflts that are often not secured
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