Omaha daily bee., 1906-11-11
Land Hunters Tackle Swamp

The total area Of swamp land I'm the United
States is almost equal to the combined area
Of Ohio, Indiana and Illinois. 1t is over
60,OO0,0OO acres in extent and lies east OF Ne
braska. These are the calculations OF the
Department OF Agriculture. Reclamation Of
swamp land and converting the dismal fever
breeding morasses into firm, clean farm
lands is no less important a project In the
eyes Of the agricultural experts than maxi
ing the dry desert lands blossom by irri-
cation. In the eastern states there is a tre-
mendous area Of swamp lands wholly with
out value for productive purposes under
present conditions and an actual menace
to health. Florida and Louisiana have the
biggest slices, but in Michigan there is 1900
square miles Of swamp land, in Illinois $500
square miles, New Jersey 900 and in the
state Of New York $500 square miles which
could be cultivated If the superabundant
water were drained of.
In the last two years the ONCE Of ex-
pertinent stations has been engaged in maxi
ing a survey and plans for the drainage Of
the lands Of North Dakota on the west side
of the Red river. This work has been COM
pleted, and shows the location, size and cost
OF bitches necessary 70 drain an area 162
miles long, fifteen miles wide and COM
prising 1855. 200 acres The carrying out of
this great Improvement would more than
double the productiveness Of what is known
everywhere as one OF the greatest wheat
belts IN the United States. II will require
more than 100000 to complete this work.
This Is a small cost an acre, but IL Is an
Immense sum for the farmers Of that coun-
try to raise and expend. In order to hasten
the completion Of this Improvement Senator
Hansbrough has introduced a bill providing
for the setting aside Of 81 100000 by the gen.
eral government to pay the cost of this con-
struction the sum to be repaid by the farm
ers after the work is DONE This bill, which
provides for the carrying out of the plans
prepared by the oflce Of experiment sta
tions has passed the senate and been Ia
vorably reported in the house.
In cooperation with a number of state
drainage districts, the ONCE is making a
survey to determine the best means OF re-
claiming the Kankakee marsh in Indiana,
and Kidding promptly the surrounding lands
Of their surplus water This project affects
300 900 acres Of fertile farming land.
One of the largest areas Of land to be re-
claimed by drainage is the Everglades Of
Florida In many respects It Is one of the
most important. The climate Of the south
ern part OF Florida is superior TO that Of
California for tho growth OF semi-tropical
fruits. Grapefruit grown in this district ID
superior to that Of the West indies, and
oranges here are far less subject to danger
from frosts than In the northern part Of the
state. Experiments have also shown that
large areas Of this land, II drained, will be
valuable for growing sugar cane It has
an area Of about 100000 acres. Governor
Broward of Florida in his campaign for
election made the reclamation Of these
lands leading issue, and since his cleo
ton he has been vigorously at work gather
ing information and installing machinery
for the carrying out of this work.
Enough has already been stated to show
what an important contribution to the ma
tional wealth of this country must result
from the drainage OF its swamp lands. It lie
a matter of sufficient Importance to give
national interest to the question as to how
this work may be best accomplished.-New
York Tribune.