Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-06-09

water is necessary to them Their roots
develop and their seeds sprout In the wa
yer. Cranberries are grown on reclaimed
De Hooded periodically.
What Are swamp Lands.
Inc work Of the swamp land division Of
the interior Department Is to determine
what are swamp lands and what are not
inose iahos decided TO be such are patent
Cd TO the states. Lands overlooked 10 such
an extent as to be unfit for cuItiya ton
without the employment OF ARTIFICIAL means
are swamp lands in law. The unit OF area
Is forty acres. II the greater part OF the
forty acres is OVERLOOKED they are swamp
lands, and vice versa The government re-
fused to extend the swamp grants to Kan
sas and other new states. As a conpensa-
tion- however, Congress has given 10 these
ststes Sv,oV acres each, for agricultural
COLLEGES. public institutions. etc. The state
appoints an agent to select suitable tracts,
and patents are granted IL nobody's rights
are interfered with. In the public land
states individuals desiring TO obtain pos
session OF swamp lands must now acquire
them under the homestead law. Proprie-
torship OF saline springs was granted by
the government to several states. the ex-
pectation being that they would be valua-
bic for salt production They have not
proved SO. however. and the newer states
have not ashed for similar grants.
swamp soils form part Of a collection
which the Department of Agriculture has
recently been making to illustrate the vari-
Gus soil formations of the agricultural re-
gfons OF the United States. The collection
comprises more than LOCO samples. includ-
ing early truck lands. the principal tobacco
areas. rice lands. the soil that produces sea
island cotton and the wheat and corn lands
OF the west. There are specimens also from
me arid belt. The lands of the so-cailed
Great American Desert are as rich as any
IN the United States. only requiring water
to make them fruitful
The object Of making the collection Is to
determine the conditions which adapt GER
taln soils 10 the production OF particular
crops. For example. why il Il that early
vegetables can be grown to such advantage
"a hght sandy soils, maturing four TO six
weeks earlier than in heavier lands? The
reason for this is simply that the soil is very
porous and dry. The gardener In his green
house rpens his Towering plants quickly by
Withholding moisture from them. yeeeta-
oles are ripened in the same way. A few
years sgo the truck lands running along
the shore OF the Chesapeake 10 Norfolk
We're worth only about 81 an acre: now that
thelr vaiue Tor this purpose has been ascer-
acre.
what fs Good Soil.
Ideas respecting soils have been reyolu-
tionized within the last few years II IN
now believed that the productiveness Of .
soil depends mainly not on the plant food
1t contains. but on its texture, by which
moisture and heat are regulated. The quail
ity Of tobacco 10 largely influenced by the
texture OF the soil in which Il IL grown
The bright tobacco OF North Carolina which
brings such q fancy price. In confined to
soils that are very light and sandy. These
lands. before tobacco was introduced. were
considered 30 poor as to have no value
worth mentioning. The bright tobacco 10
used for cigarettes mostly.
Water and heat are Of chief importance in
the development and ripentng OF crops. The
chief function OF manure IL not to furnish
Plant food. but to change the texture OF the
soil and enable Il to retain moisture. A
small amount OF organic matter put on Q
patch OF earth will make Il almost imper-
vicus to water. On the other hand, lime APP
piled TO a thick clay soil viii cause water
to how through II more rapidly. Stable ma
nure contains very little plant food. yet 10
acts so wen as a retainer Of water as to
greatly assist In the production OF crops. The
giving out of a soil means that a change In
its texture has taken place.
The collection referred to includes some
samples OF volcanic ash from Kansas,
grains OF which under the microscope are
Teen 20 contain small drops OF water and
! air bubbles. How many thousands OF years
must have elapsed since the extinct vol
canoes Of Kansas were active, There are
specimens of alkali- soil from Colorado,
formed where there is not sufficient rainfall
| to wash out the alkalis which are contin-
grafton Of mineral matters. Other samples
are from the so-called 'gumbo" lands OF
New Mexico and Kansas. which are too
stif TO be good for anything: also from the
adobe lands OF New Mexico. which are very
fertile In that region houses are made OF
! adobe. The best tobacco lands Of Maryland
| are diatcmaceous earth. 80 light that 10
Will float in water.
The purpose Of this Investigation OF rofl
| Is TO find out conditions OF peculiar value,
and TO mark out other lands OF similar
properties. For example. the bright tobacco
| of North Carolina is grown on soil that 10
| similar to the pine barrens of southern
Maryland. The Inference is that the zine
oarrens, which now are idle and deemed
worthless. might be utilized TO produce to-
bacco. Many tracts adapted for the pro-
duction or early vegetables are now I'M
used; they will he pointed out. All such In
formation VIII be plotted on maps which
VIII be issued by the department from time
10 time for the benefit OF farmers. Thus peo-
Sle Wal oe taught where to buy land fos
RENE BACHE.