nounced better than the Mexican, and quoted at a much higher price per ton. Judging from the samples of Florida sisal received by the Department during the past year, I am satisfied that as far as the mere question of ability to grow the plant is concerned, sisal may be cultivated as successfully in Florida as in the Bahamas, and as good a fiber can be produced. As to the cost of production, not as much can be said at present, for the attempt has not yet been made to produce fiber in marketable quantity. The removal of the duty of $15 per ton will now make it harder to compete with the foreign fiber, though the nearness to market, and the use of improved machines in preparing the fiber may help the matter a little. When the new industry has made further progress, it might be well to consider the expediency of affording to it encouragement in the form of a bounty, for a term of two or three years. I should state that the Bahaman Government has placed a bounty on the production in the British West Indies.

Several companies and individuals are actively interested in the new enterprise and plantations are being established. One near Jupiter, of about 60 acres, has been established for two or three years, and is doing well, leaves large enough for fiber having already been produced. There are several machines of American invention for cleaning the fiber which give promise of success, and altogether the outlook seems hopeful. In the limits of the present report it will be impossible to go into detail regarding the results of my investigations, which are not fully completed, and the information collected must await later publication.

RAMIE.

Regarding the agricultural phases of the ramie industry there is little in the way of progress to report at the present time, although there seems to be a widespread interest in the subject. Practically the culture is at a standstill, both here and in Europe, the knotty problem of economical decortication of the stalks when grown not having received satisfactory solution. In my special report on ramie, published in the spring, the machine question, as far as European investigations are concerned, was fully discussed. Regarding American machines or processes there is nothing to be said at the present time, as the Department has been unable to make any tests showing capacity for a day's work. Without considering the question of the amount of fiber that may be produced in a given time, there are several American machines which effect the decortication successfully and leave the fiber straight. Whether they will come up to the record of foreign machines, or do better or not so well, when the trials are finally made, remains for the future to determine. What was stated in the ramie bulletin published in the early part of the year must be reiterated at the present time:

To those who know nothing of the story it may be briefly stated that the invention of machinery and processes for the extraction and cleaning (degumming) of ramie fiber in the last thirty years in the various countries where experiments are going on might foot up a hundred or more could the entire catalogue be enumerated. In spite of the vast inventive effort, ramie, up to the present time, has not been grown in any country (excepting China and Japan) save in a limited way, because no machine or process for decortication thus far has been presented that has filled all the requirements demanded of a thoroughly practical decorticator.

It should be stated that while little of importance has been done in the past year which would give evidence of progress in culture, there are indications that some considerable areas will be planted the coming season. The interest is greatest in the States of Louisiana, Texas, and California. Should a practical decorticator be presented during the coming season, or should any of those now under experiment fulfill the requirements of the economically successful machine, ramie culture is in favorable condition, I think, for early establishment of the industry.

In the field of manufacture considerable progress has been made, especially in New England, and while the industry at this time has hardly more than passed the stage of experiment, from what I have seen in the course of my official investigations, and from examination of samples of yarn and fabrics produced, the first named by the ton, I have good reason to believe that American ramie manufactures will soon be on the market. The Department has been able to secure the beautiful exhibit of Mr. Charles Toppan, illustrating the progress of this manufacture in New England from Chinese fiber cleaned by his process, and which was displayed at the recent Mechanics Fair held in Boston. In this collection are shown fine and coarse yarns, dress goods, piece goods, blankets, carpets, upholstery fringes, duck or sail cloth, hammocks, fish nets, etc., in addition to a series of samples exhibiting every stage of manufacture. Some beautiful samples of fine spun yarns, produced on silk machinery, have also been received from Mr. S. S. Boyce, of New York, also from Chinese fiber, which illustrate the possibilities of manufacture in this direction. With a practical machine for cleaning the fiber from the stalks, the success of the industry will be assured.

OTHER FIBERS.

I regret that the results of my investigations regarding the use of okra fiber and the fiber of the cotton stalk as substitutes for jute in the manufacture of cotton bagging have been unsatisfactory and disappointing. The okra plant was cultivated for fiber in several localities this season, one field of 100 acres having been reported in Texas. As to results, I have nothing practical to report in the utilization of this fiber in manufacture, and up to the end of the year was not able to secure specimens even of the fiber, save in two instances, and from small experimental lots. Dr. C. F. Panknin, of Charles ton, South Carolina, who planted a small area in okra, gives the results of his carefully conducted experiments as follows: A half acre of stalks was produced, one half of which when decorticated by his process, yielded at the rate of 180 pounds of fiber to the acre, the expense being in the neighborhood of $75. Regarding the cotton-stalk fiber industry, the Department has been unable to learn anything definite, further than the fact that small quantities of the fiber were prepared experimentally, last spring, from which about half a dozen yards of bagging were made, at a jute bagging factory in New Jersey. Considering the expense attending the harvesting of so branching and bulky a crop as both okra and cotton, where the stalks are coarse and woody, I do not see how the fiber can be obtained at a price to compete with fibers in present use, and therefore have serious doubts as to the success of either enterprise. The attempt to utilize the bast of the cotton stalk is no new thing, as experiments were made with the fiber years ago, and without success.

Out of the score of other bast fibers indigenous to, or that can be grown in the United States, there are several which may be regarded as promising jute substitutes, though careful experiments will be necessary to demonstrate the point of practical utility. These will also be treated in a special bulletin.

Several fine specimens of leaf fibers from tropical plants, including banana, have been received, and a few seeds of the manila hemp of commerce were imported during the summer and distributed in Florida and Southern California. In the latter State New Zealand flax is already growing, from which a good sample of fiber has been prepared.

During the year there has been a large correspondence in relation to fibers and fiber industries, and over five hundred samples of fibers have been received, these having been sent by farmers for identification and for information in regard to utility as well as by manufacturers or those interested in special processes or machinery. On the whole the interest in fibers seems to be increasing, and it is hoped that much good will result from the work of the Department in this direction.

Respectfully submitted.

CHAS. RICHARDS DODGE, Special Agent in Charge of Fiber Investigations.

Hon. J. M. RUSK,

Secretary.

REPORT OF THE SPECIAL AGENT IN CHARGE OF THE ARTESIAN AND UNDERFLOW INVESTIGATIONS AND OF THE IRRIGATION INQUIRY.

SIR: I have the honor to present herewith a report of the operations of the office conducted by me, under your appointment and direction, since the 15th of last April, when the artesian wells investigation first began, in accordance with the terms of a provision of an urgent deficiency act passed and approved April 4, 1890. On the 30th of September succeeding, by a provision of the general deficiency bill, the continuance to completion of that investigation was provided for, and to it was added also an examination of the sources and location of underflow waters found or to be located between the foothills of the Rocky Mountains and the ninety-seventh meridian of west longitude. The location and character of the artesian basins and wells were limited by the same boundaries. An inquiry into the cultivation of the soil by means of irrigation was by the act of September 30 also ordered and authorized.

WORK OF THE INVESTIGATION.

The necessity of completing these three extended investigations within seven months has kept the special agent, the engineer, and the geologist selected by the Secretary to carry out the same, with their small corps of field and office experts, exceedingly busy. One valuable series of reports, accompanied by maps, diagrams, and illustrations, is now ready for distribution.. This is the report of the artesian wells investigation begun on the 16th of April and terminated as to its field work on the 1st of July, and as to the preparation of the reports thereof about six weeks later. The mere physical labor required to complete this arduous amount of work can hardly be realized. But although the limited time allowed by Congress for its accomplishment was insufficient for the attainment of entirely satisfactory results, it was utilized to the utmost extent by every one engaged. Over 70,000 miles in all were traveled during a period of ten weeks by the fifteen persons who formed the field staff. In the office organized by the Department 10,000 circulars and about 3,000 letters were written, mailed, and forwarded, answers being received to the extent of at least 50 per cent. Maps and diagrams were prepared, the work being in a field of observation almost unknown to the professional men engaged or to the scientific world itself. In the main, also, the staff required had, with the exception of the chief engineer and chief geologist, the field geologists and

two or three of the field agents, to be educated into the special requirements of the work performed. They have all done well and are deserving of commendation.

The two other inquiries ordered by Congress and which are now in progress have had the opportunity, so far as field work is concerned, since the 30th of September, of less than six weeks of weather in which out-of-door observations, engineering and geological, could be performed. It is impossible at this date to anticipate the reports on progress work which are to be made through you to Congress, but so much is known as to warrant the statement that these recent field labors will in their results prove to be of as great value as those of the midsummer investigations.

Two other reports, one a progress report on irrigation, the other a special series of papers on underflow and subterranean water, called for in June last by the United States Senate, are now in course of rapid preparation.

EXPERT AND FIELD STAFF.

The staff of the Artesian Wells Investigation was arranged into the statistical, engineering, and geological divisions. Besides the special agent in charge and his immediate force, it consisted in the field of the following gentlemen: Supervising Engineer Edwin S. Nettleton, of Colorado; Prof. Robert Hay, of Kansas, whose division geologists were the following: Prof. Garry E. Culver, State University, Vermillion, North Dakota; Prof. G. E. Bailey, State School of Mines, Rapid City, South Dakota; Prof. Lewis E. Hicks, State University, Lincoln, Nebraska; Prof. P. H. Van Diest, C. E., Denver, Colorado; and State Geologist E. T. Dumble, of Texas. The field agents were J. W. Gregory, Garden City, Kansas, who is known as the earliest advocate of the underflow theory as a source of irrigation supply; T. S. Underhill, North Dakota; Prof. S. G. Updyke, State Agricultural College, South Dakota; State Engineer F. F. B. Coffin, of the same State; Prof. Lewis G. Carpenter, who fills the chair of irrigation engineering in the Colorado State Agricultural College, had charge of eastern Colorado and New Mexico; and Frank E. Roesler, western Texas, with Mr. Horace Beach, special expert, comprised the field staff.

THE REGION EAST OF THE FOOTHILLS.

The area covered by the artesian wells investigation of the past summer and by the one now in progress embraces nearly 700,000 square miles of territory, of which 658,000 are found east of the onehundredth meridian. This, in the central portion of the plains, passes along the foothills to the point where the Rio Grande enters Texas. From the northeast corner of Wyoming the foothills of the Rockies make a sweeping trend to the northwest, leaving east thereof nearly or quite two fifths of Montana. This area covers the States of North and South Dakota, over one half of Nebraska, Kansas, and Texas, all of Oklahoma, with the Public Land Strip, and about one third, east of the mountains, of Wyoming, Colorado, and New Mexico. The population of this region is now estimated at about 1,250,000 persons. The amount and value of the chief grain crops produced may be stated fairly as follows: In corn 185,000,000, in wheat 125,000,000, and in oats about 75,000,000 bushels. The average cash