STATEMENT REGARDING PASSENGER-CARRYING AUTOMOBILES The Bureau of Public Roads is now operating 345 automobiles. At the present rate of operation it is necessary to replace cars on an average of about every 31⁄2 years, or at the rate of 75 to 80 replacements per year. During the past fiscal year (1935) an average of 272 automobiles were operated a total of approximately 4,781,497 miles, or an average of about 17,579 miles per car. The total operating cost averaged slightly less than 4 cents per mile. This cost includes an estimated depreciation charge which, for most of the cars, is 11⁄2 cents per mile. Our experience indicates that generally it is most economical to replace cars of the type we are now operating after from 55,000 to 65,000 miles of service. If funds are not available to replace cars when the economic life has been reached, the old cars must be continued in use, with consequent high operating and maintenance costs, or authority granted for the use of personal cars, either of which will result in largely increased transportation costs. The Bureau maintains a complete cost record on each ́automobile operated, and replacements are made only when the records indicate that such action is justified by the resulting lower operating costs and will mean an actual saving in expenditures in the long run. It is estimated that 75 replacements will be required during the fiscal year 1937, at a cost of about $45,000. Mr. CANNON. Under "Forest roads and trails", on page 503, there is some new language relative to the proration of money among the States. Have you any explanation to make of that change? Mr. MACDONALD. The Forest Service is going to take care of that. That testimony will be given by Mr. Norcross, of the Forest Service. Mr. BUCKBEE. Do you find that you get cooperation from the State of Illinois in all directions with your Department? Mr. MACDONALD. Yes; very fine cooperation. They have a very active department. TUESDAY, JANUARY 21, 1936. BUREAU OF AGRICULTURAL ENGINEERING STATEMENT OF H. S. McGRORY, CHIEF Mr. CANNON. We will take up the estimates for support of the Bureau of Agricultural Engineering. Mr. McCrory, do you care to make a preliminary statement? Mr. MCCRORY. I think I have a very good statement in the record. GENERAL ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES Mr. CANNON. Your first item is for general administrative expenses, as follows: For necessary expenses for general administrative purposes, including the salary of Chief of Bureau and other personal services in the District of Columbia, $37,600. Your current appropriation for this purpose is $36,600, and you are estimating the same amount for 1937. Mr. MCCRORY. Yes, sir. This appropriation covers the general supervisory work of the Bureau and the accounting, recording, and administrative correspondence work in the Washington office. AGRICULTURAL ENGINEERING INVESTIGATIONS Mr. CANNON. Your next item is for agricultural engineering investigations, as follows: Agricultural engineering: For investigations, experiments, and demonstrations involving the application of engineering principles to agriculture, independently or in cooperation with Federal, State, county, or other public agencies or with farm bureaus, organizations, or individuals; for investigating and reporting upon the utilization of water in farm irrigation and the best methods to apply in practice; the different kinds of power and appliances; the flow of water in ditches, pipes, and other conduits; the duty, apportionment, and measurement of irrigation water; the customs, regulations, and laws affecting irrigation; snow surveys and forecasts of irrigation water supplies, and the drainage of farms and of swamps and other wet lands which may be made available for agricultural purposes; for preparing plans for the removal of surplus water by drainage; for developing equipment for farm irrigation and drainage; for investigating and reporting upon farm domestic water supply and drainage disposal, upon the design and construction of farm buildings and their appurtenances and of buildings for processing and storing farm products; upon farm power and mechanical farm equipment; upon the engineering problems relating to the processing, transportation, and storage of perishable and other agricultural products; and upon the engineering problems involved in adapting physical characteristics of farm land to the use of modern farm machinery; for investigations of cotton ginning under the act approved April 19, 1930 (U. S. C., Supp. VII, title 7, secs. 424, 425); for giving expert advice and assistance in agricultural engineering; for collating, reporting, and illustrating the results of investigations and preparing, publishing, and distributing bulletins, plans, and reports; and for other necessary expenses, including travel, rent, repairs, and not to exceed $5,000 for construction of buildings, $414,669. Mr. MCCRORY. The following statement is presented in explanation of the estimate: (1) An increase of $10,000 in the project “Farm mechanical equipment.”—This increase is needed for cotton-production machinery investigations. Research methods and conceptions of the fundamental physical properties of soils as developed by investigations already carried on under this project have for the first time revealed the relationship existing between soil tillage, weed control, and the design of farm implements. The basis for improved design of plows and other soil-tillage equipment has already been laid by laboratory work under this project, and field experimentation has shown that the application of results can increase the efficiency of the farmer to a marked extent. For example, a comparative study of 37 methods of seedbed preparation on Greenville fine, sandy loam shows a variation in income due to tillage practices from a loss of $9.20 to a profit of $7.77 per acre. The method giving the highest profit as compared to conventional methods would mean a net increase of over a million dollars in farm income if carried out on the 168,000 acres of this particular soil in Alabama. The benefit of this and other findings of equal practical importance, if adequately supported, can be extended to the entire Cotton Belt. (2) An increase of $19,000 in the project "Machinery for processing farm products-Cotton ginning."-Cotton-ginning investigations have developed to a point where additional assistance is greatly needed if full advantage is to be taken of the facilities available at Stoneville, Miss. These investigations have proved very useful to the ginners, as is evidenced by the strong support the work has received from ginners' organizations, manufacturers of ginning machinery, and cotton planters. There is urgent need for at lease two more well-trained men in connection with the engineering phase of the work, and it is desirable also to have more young men in training in this highly specialized work. There is also constant need to replace equipment and keep it abreast of the most modern practices. Funds for this work would have been so limited in recent years that this has not been practicable. Original plans for the laboratory contemplated that there would be required for its operation and upkeep about $75,000 per annum. The present allotment is $36,000. The work has reached a stage where increased support is necessary. Other phases of the cotton program were given considerable increases for 1936, and if this aspect of the investigation is to be kept abreast of the work of the rest of the Department on cotton an increase in this fund is essential. WORK DONE UNDER THIS APPROPRIATION General. The work under this appropriation consists chiefly of research on the engineering problems of agriculture. These problems are included in the fields of farm irrigation, farm drainage, farm machinery and farm power, farm buildings, cotton ginning, development of farm lands to make possible their most economical and effective utilization, and rural electrification. On request, the Bureau also renders engineering service to other bureaus of the Department with respect to the facilities and equipment required in their work. Advice and assistance.-This item covers such informational activities as preparation of Farmers' Bulletins and leaflets, preparation and sending out of plans and drawings relating to farm structures, handling of subject-matter correspondence with the public, preparation of motion pictures, and such other activities as are involved in making available to the public information to be applied direct. The project does not include bulletins presenting results of research, as such bulletins are charged against the particular research projects involved. Farm irrigation.-The greatest problem facing irrigation farmers generally throughout all the Western States is the growing scarcity of irrigation water, which has been brought about through more complete settlement, by the introduction of late maturing crops such as sugar beets, corn, and fruits, which require more irrigation water than early crops, and by the increasing use of water for purposes other than agricultural. To meet this need it is proposed to attack the problem from all possible angles, the first being the economical utilization of water in crop production. This involves the determination of the optimum amount of irrigation needed for different field crops and fruits and of the best method and time of application of water to secure the best results under different crop, soil, and climatic conditions. The second point of attack is the possibility of decreasing losses of water between the source of supply and the point of application. This involves studies of methods of decreasing losses due to evaporation, seepage, and the growth of aquatic plants in canals and ditches. Included also in this phase is the design and invention of apparatus for accurately measuring the quantity of water delivered to the farmer and the development of means of securing the economical conveyance of irrigation water. Another point of attack is the increase of the supply of irrigation water by the development of pumps and equipment for utilizing underground waters, the storage underground of spring flood waters for later use by means of pumps, and the development of diversion dams and desilting works which will make it possible to turn flood waters, which would otherwise be lost, directly into irrigation canals. The final point of attack is through possible reductions in the cost to the farmer of irrigation water. Studies now under way cover methods of controlling silt deposits in reservoirs and canals, the design of apparatus for the removal of gravel and sand from canals, and the development of cheaper methods of organizing and administering irrigation districts. This project includes cooperative snow surveys for the purpose of forecasting irrigation water supplies. Farm drainage.—The major problem in farm drainage consists of the development of better methods and materials for the drainage of lands now in cultivation, with particular reference to the drainage of different soil types, the drainage requirements of different crops, and the development of alkali-resistant drain tile. Basic hydraulic information is being developed which when applied to the design of drainage ditches, tile drains, and pumping plants will result in greater efficiency and reduced costs. At this time many drainage districts are bankrupt, and studies are being carried on for the purposes of determining the causes of failure and developing plans for rehabilitating them, physically and financially. Farm mechanical equipment.-This project covers the research work done by the Bureau in connection with the use of power and machinery on the farm. It includes projects having for their objects the development of better methods and machines for the production and harvesting of the staple crops grown throughout the country, special emphasis being placed upon studies of the use of equipment in the production of corn, cotton, and sugar beets. These studies have been under way for several years, during which time a number of mechanical devices have been developed which are much more efficient than the machines theretofore used. Combinations of planting and cultivating methods with particular types of machines have been developed. In cotton production the indications are that the costs can be materially reduced by choosing the right combination of methods and machinery. The work with sugar beets has resulted in the development of a type of machine for thinning beets which promises to be so successful in reducing the amount of hand labor required as to make it unnecessary to annually import large numbers of laborers from foreign countries for beet production. A special study is being made of machinery for distributing fertilizer for different plants and under different soil and climatic conditions. This project is carried on in cooperation with the Bureau of Plant Industry and 13 State experiment stations. Some experimental machines have been constructed which promise to give excellent results in increased crop production due to the proper placing and distribution of fertilizer. Special attention is being given to the development of mechanical means for the control of insect pests, including the corn borer, pink bollworm, and the Japanese beetle. This work is carried on in cooperation with the Bureau of Entomology and Plant Quarantine and has already resulted in the development of machines and implements, or attachments to the same, which have been very effective in destroying these insect pests. Various types of equipment have been designed for applying insecticides for the control of harmful or injurious insects, and various types of spraying equipment have been studied in connection with this work. A study which is becoming of increased importance has to do with the artificial drying of crops, principally forage and grain. An experimental full-sized drier has been constructed for securing data as to the optimum methods and amount of drying forage. It is expected that the operation of this and similar driers will result in the development of more efficient and cheaper methods of artificial drying. This project is being carried on in cooperation with the Bureaus of Animal Industry, Dairy Industry, and Plant Industry. Farm buildings and related investigations.-This project includes investigations designed to develop better and more efficient methods of building farm structures of all kinds. Recent surveys have indicated farm houses in general are much below desirable standards. One-sixth of all farm houses should be replaced by new buildings, and the cost of modernizing the remaining five-sixths will run into billlons of dollars. The housing program has three main objectives: To develop improved types and methods of construction; to develop standard for guidance in locating the several buildings of the farmstead; and to develop more satisfactory service equipment for farm homes. New materials and equipment for all kinds of farm buildings are continually being made available, and their usefulness for farm buildings has to be determined. At present tests are being made on treated cotton materials for roofing and of a number of waterproofing materials for possible use on rammed earth walls. This project also includes investigations of the equipment required for various purposes in buildings such as mechanical refrigeration, ventilation, heating, and the storage and transportation of farm products. Machinery for processing farm products-Cotton ginning.-Work under this project consists of experimental laboratory studies designed to improve the equipment and methods employed in ginning cotton. Under special appropriation heretofore made by Congress, a cotton-ginning laboratory has been built at Stoneville, Miss., and experimental ginning is in progress. Preliminary investigations have indicated certain parts of the process that apparently should be studied first, and these are now being investigated. To secure the benefits that can reasonably be expected from this project it will be necessary to continue the work over a period of years. The project is in cooperation with the Bureau of Agricultural Economics. The cotton drier which was developed has been placed in production by several manufacturers. It is proving to be both efficient and economical. Farm operating efficiency investigations. This project has for its object the improvement of the operating efficiency of farms. It is evident that the size and shape of the fields, their condition as regards wet spots, steep hillsides, stumps and stones, and the kind and amount of crops raised should be considered in determining the type and size of farm machinery which should be used. It is necessary that any individual farm be treated as a unit with all of the interlocking elements of the farm business in proper proportion the one to the other. In order to secure such a balanced farming program this project is being carried on in cooperation with farm-management authorities. The investigations have involved the making of complete surveys of a number of farms which are typical of a section or State. A complete farm program is then prepared, and the benefits which will be received by the farmer are determined after the improvements are made. To illustrate the necessity for this project, preliminary surveys have shown that on 18 farms in northern Minnesota, containing a total of 181 fields, the average size of field was 4 acres; on 10 farms in one county in North Carolina there were 218 fields having an average size of 2.03 acres. It is obvious that modern equipment cannot be used and low-cost methods of production employed under these conditions. It has been found that by comparatively inexpensive rearrangement the average size of fields on the farms studied could be more than doubled. This project is considered to have great possibilities from the standpoint of effective utilization of land now under cultivation. Mr. CANNON. Your current appropriation under this head is $385,669, and for 1937 you are estimating $414,669. It appears that you are asking an increase of $10,000 for farm mechanical equipment and an increase of $19,000 for machinery for processing farm products-cotton ginning. Mr. MCCRORY. Yes, sir; that is the cotton-ginning investigation. Mr. CANNON. Both of these items are for the purchase of machinery. The machinery you have is obsolete? FARM TILLAGE MACHINERY LABORATORY Mr. MCCRORY. The $10,000 for farm mechanical equipment work is necessary on account of the farm tillage machine laboratory which was built at Auburn, Ala., with P. W. A. funds. That laboratory is quite an interesting plant. LABORATORY Mr. CANNON. What emergency fund have you had in the last 2 years? Mr. MCCRORY. We had $110,000 to build the laboratory. Mr. MCCRORY. The laboratory was not ready for operation until the present fiscal year. We have $12,389, or a little more, for that. COTTON-GINNING INVESTIGATIONS I have a statement here in regard to the cotton-ginning work. (The statement referred to is as follows:) The cotton-ginning investigations of the Bureau w ich are carried on in cooperation with the Bureau of Agricultural Economics, are making definite contributions toward improving the ginning of American cottons. Through many tests, experiments, and investigations, the fundamental laws and basic principles governing the process of ginning are being discovered and the mechanical operation of the equipment improved. As a definite resuit of these studies which are centralized in the cotton ginning laboratory at Stoneville, Miss., and the fiber laboratories at both Stoneville and Washington, D. C., many thousands of bales are annually being dried by a simple and effective process, on which a public patent has been obtained, and the resulting quality of the lint improved from 60 cents to as high as $5 per bale. Noteworthy improvements in ginning have resulted from the publication of the results of investigations of ginning with tight- and loose-seed rolls which have demonstrated the advantages of ginning with a loose roll. An investigation to determine the possibility of reducing the power required in operating cotton gins by the use of fans better adapted to the work to be done and by more careful design and installation of fans and piping, has been started. To properly complete it will require comprehensive studies of various types of |