The sun. (Jacksonville, Fla.) 1905-1908, 1906-04-07
Fifth Page


before the drainage, was SIS. Land which was drained
by the main bitches described held at from $S
to $40 an acre.
The striking peculiarities Of this region with
respect to its drainage problems are as follows:
First--The drainage from the large body of outly-
inc land passes directly to the sunken lands contrib
ung largely to their overlowed condition and to the
consequent expense of providing drainage channels
Second-The fall which the discharge bitches
have does not exceed ONE FOOT PER MILE, and
the bitches, after following course OF about fteen
miles, have outlet except the level bottom lands
of the st. Francis river and its tributaries
Third--The entire tract is underlaid by sand,
which, while making its artificial drainage less diff
cult, may result in the depletion of the fertility OF
the land unless this feature is considered in its sub
sequent cultivation. 49,
You have doubtless read OF and possibly nave
visited the famous corn belt of Illinois. was
brought up in that State and for many years prac'
ticed my profession in draining large areas OF that
land whose fertility has made It famous. Much OF
this LAND WAS ORIGINALLY DESIGNATED
AS SWAMP LAND BY THE GOVERNMENT SUR.
VEYORS, yet it occupies of the table lands OF
the State Originally there were scarcely any
streams and the whole arca was interspersed Win
ponds and marshes varying from few acres to ZEN
THOUSAND ACRES in extent, while other portions
Of the area which were trfe higher invited settlers
who began breaking the prairies and farming tne
land 1t was soon ascertaned that 1t was suitable
for cultivation only during dry seasons. When u
cycc of wet wears occurred the drainage was 30 poor
that hut fraction of crop could be raised, and
have known of many instances in which land owners
have deserted their farms sold them at an exceed
ingly low price because they were not able to sup
port themselves comfortably
During the last twenty-five years their improve.
mcnt by drainage has been going on, which consisted
of the construction OF large artificial drainage bitches
and later of under drainage by means OF te no that
now there are portions OF the state when mTe es'
tircly covered by DRAINAGE ORGANIZATIONS,
ana scarcely u farm is found In which the expense
for drainage has not eQualed from $40 to S26 per
acre. know of one watershed which ~ at the heau
of the VcrmilliOn river, consisting OF liO square
miles for which the outlet ditch IL now being greaty
enlarged because of its inadequate capacity rs dem
onstrated by the rainfall OF the last few years inc
specifications of this ditch call for an excavation
20 feet wide on the bottom and from I'D TO IL ieot
The lands that have been improved by all OF
this work are the black lands containing II large
percentage of salt, underlaid with clay commonly
known as Joint clay, which responds to drainage with
remarkable readiness Every square 100. Vi 'a' s
land is productive and the entire portion OF tnc
State is divided into farms varying from ~ TO loo
acres each, upon which are commodious buildings
and other substantial improvements The land can
not be purchased for less than $ioO an acre sons
Of IL frequently selling for $3.50 an acre 1t would
not now BE- suspected that any OF TINS lana was was
FORMERLY UNPRODUCTIVE BECAUSE OF ITS
SWAMPY CONDITION. This is not an example OF
the reclamation of swamp land in the sense that the
term is usually employed, yet possibly It represents
more cost and larger investment In artificial Dram
age than would be required on many OF the lands
which are mt present ABSOLUTELY WORTHLESS
BECAUSE OF LACK OF DRAINAGE, IL IL seen
That their intrinsic value rests upon the fact that
they are fertile and when improved make farms
which will produce all Of the varied crops TO which
the climate and soil adapted
The work have far described has come uhder
nv own observation and might add other examples
of n similar nature / have always been Interested
in reading the various detached accounts OF the
drainage OF the Fenlands OF England, which 70 my
mind are the most interesting and important LANDS
reclaimed bv drainage Of which have any account
They ' comprise about 100000 Of lands border.
ing the coast, through which rivers pass carrying
the drainage of the higher lands to the sea. ABOUT
100000 acres Of this are below the level OF the
tide the drainage of which must be gathered by large
channels and raised by pumps over protecting dykes
into the sea- These pumping devices were formerly 4
operated by windmls similar 70 those %seo m mU
operated by steam power. The lands IN many IN
stances have settled from to IA feet below thelr