attempted to encourage states to foste tion of lands, the act being subsequ Act.

The Secretary's power was enhan 1898 (30 Stat. L., 330, 335), which dollars for "the purpose of collectin agricultural experiment stations, and employment of practical agents, valua the subject of irrigation, and publishir The administration of this law devolve ment Stations. Further duties were r 1, 1899 (30 Stat. L., 947, 953), whic reports upon the laws relating to irri tion water, and suggestions as to bette of irrigation waters than was then farming. It specifically directed the ex ate with the Secretary of Agriculture gations "in such a manner and to such by a due regard to the varying conditi tive states and territories as may be these functions was added that of re removal of seepage and surplus wate use of different kinds of power and a drainage" by the act of April 23, 199

To formulate plans for the administration of the act of 1898, the Office of Experiment Stations called a conference of experiment station officers and irrigation engineers at Denver. Here it was decided to confine the early endeavors of the Office to two general lines of work: "(1) The collection and publication of information regarding the laws and institutions of the irrigated region in their relation to agriculture, and (2) the publication of available information regarding the use of irrigation waters in agriculture, as determined by actual experience of farmers and experimental investigations, and the encouragement of further investigations in this line by the experiment stations."

Regarding the first category of activities the Office planned: "(1) To aid courts and administrative officers in the adjudication of claims respecting water rights; (2) 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 assist farmers in the acquirement of water rights and to protect their interests in the appropriation and use of water for irrigation."

To proceed with these activities it was immediately necessary to increase the staff. The state engineer of Wyoming, Professor Elwood Mead, was appointed to direct the investigation. A headquarters of irrigation work was established at Cheyenne, and an expert and a clerical force for this center was developed to correspond with the growing needs of the Office. It was suggested that college students fit themselves for irrigation investigations under the Office, and the Office endeavored to utilize the services of station officers in many of the states, particularly in the West. Later arrangements were made for coöperation not only with the agricultural colleges but with state engineer offices also, in the attempt to coördinate widely separated investigations. Later another branch office was established at Berkeley, California; resident agents were located in various arid states; and drainage engineers were detailed to selected localities. State experiment sub-stations were utilized for demonstration work for the observation of farmers. A complete organization for technical research in irrigation and drainage was thus evolved, and a subsidiary system of extension workers to communicate the practical results of the research to the farmers not only through correspondence and bulletins, but also through personal advice, lectures, and farm demonstrations.

laws to limit the amount of water prevention of evaporation and of s These investigations, however, wer stations beyond the Mississippi; the are subject to drought were also act the stations of Connecticut, New Je

The methods of rice irrigation a Atlantic seaboard were likewise giv particular reference to the diverse pumping water.

In connection with irrigation, rur a major field of study for the Of offered regarding the laying out of irrigation and drainage, the constru the uses of farm machinery, includ labor-saving devices. In these ma extensively with agricultural colleges ments of Iowa State College and th pioneer experiments in the principle fited both the farmers and the manuf

Frequently, local irrigators would special irrigation investigations of pa earliest studies of this kind was condu

s and depletion of the reservoirs. dies were made with a view to ning.

s and the drainage investigations hey were differentiated into two ient field forces and wide coöpnd university officers. Resident rious parts of the arid region to farmers. Drainage engineers in nvestigations. Both bodies supthe development of the public

lar activities of both the Irrigaeased after the reorganization gation included the investigation k experiments, pumping tests, e. Many text-books on irrigation were based almost entirely upon Office of Experiment Stations. rainage engineers included the es, the drainage of peat and turf s, the phenomena of the run-off

Liese LWU Sections increased l Volu

areas of lands were opened up for was given information pertaining to and crops grown in certain areas; the the methods of preparing land for in supplies, and of applying it to crops. entirely through correspondence and through personal advice to the farmer In 1915 the Secretary of Agricultur Investigation Section and the Draina be transferred to the Office, now Bur their work is continued."

Agricultural Engineering Investiga pertaining to irrigation and drainag other fields until 1902, when the Dir report a separate field of agricultura the fact that both the Department o experiment stations had neglected th Department had not been able to ans for instruction in this subject. He dec ing demand for efficient labor-savi

For further history of irrigation and dr rural engineering work see Institute for Go of Public Roads (1923).