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


the purpose. The average rainfall is only Is inches
most of it occurring during the winter The lands
which provided with irrigation are rented for VII
and $l2 acre. the leading crops being beans and
potatoes. A considerable portion of this land is OF
PEATY NATURE enriched by silt deposited by
former overows of the river In some instances the
turf when dry has been burned, such land being
found excellent for growing alfalfa.
sToCKMEN INTERESTED.
Rough and Ready Island, Immediately adjoining
Roberts Island but little farther down the stream
contains 100 which is used largely for darby
farming. This is irrigated in the same manner rs
before described the larger portion OF it being used
for hay and grazing; the balance for forage crops and
vegetables. This land being upon little lower level
than Roberts Island, requires drainage by pumping
plant being maintained for that purpose The
drainage water which accumulates from irrigation
and rainfall is gathered by system of open drains
which lead to the pumping plant, which consists OF
two l2-inch centrifugal pumps operated by steam
power from ten to sixty days during the season:
The soil of this land is similar to that before
described and when dry will burn quite readily The
levees have been constructed by dredges which have
cleaned the channels of the streams and deposited
the waste on the banks for levees, thus making them
about 20 or rs feet higher than the land protected
The variation in the tide is about 3 IL feet, thus
making it possible to irrigate the land with fresh
water from the river at any time desired All trans
portation is done by BOATS OF VARIOUS SIZES,
which ply upon the streams continually, there being
two large steamers which make daily trips to San
Francisco.
The fact should not be overlooked that all of
these lands described have not been RECLAIMED
WITHOUT REPEATED DESTRUCTION of banks
and most dscouraging losses to the owners OF the
lands and promoters of the work. 1t should be also
understood that while the land is of truf or peat
nature it is filled with river SILT to which element
may be attributed its wonderful and lasting fertility
We may now pass to lands of an entirely different
character, which are at present in the process of
reclamation in the SOUTHEASTERN PORTION OF
MISSOURI The famous sunken lands OF that part
of the State are at the head of the ST. Francis river
upon which stream the drainage of the country Is de-
pendent for an outlet. The basin is characterized
by u sudden drop of 20 feet or more below the lands
bordering it the east and west between which the
surface is nearly level and il covered with growth
of valuable hardwood timber which has been acquired
by lumber companies who arc at present engaged in
removing and marketing the timber The soil is
rich ALLUVIAL MOLD from to feet deep, UN'
DERLAID with RIVER SAND. As fast as the mer'
charitable timber is removed, tho mnd is sold for
farming purposes.
Drainage work was begun several years ago to
fit this land for production and at present it is
STATED THAT THREE HUNDRED MILES of
DREDGED bitches have been constructed, TWO
HUNDRED AND FIFTY are in process of construc'
ton, and THO HUNDRED MILES more ARE PRO.
JECTED. The plan followed is to construct parallel
bitches on north and south lines, about mile apart
extending them southwark in the direction of the
slope of the land to point where the water will be
discharged upon the lower levels there being at pres
ent no outlet channel adequate to carry the drainage
from this large watershed These bitches in general
are 20 feet wide at the top and feet deep 1T being
the plan to excavae them until the sand is reached.
After the construction of these bitches it has been
noticed that the drainage of the LAND is AT
FECTED FOR ONEHALF MILE UPON BOTH
SIDES. This work is done under the provisions OF
the STATE DRAINAGE LAW by dividing the area
into tracts varying from $4,000 to 10000 acres, upon
which the COST OF THE CONSTRUCTION OF
THE bitches is ASSESSED. In several Of these
organizations of which | have the description and
figures find that the cost per acre has varied from
$3.50 to 1926 per acre. Those who are engaged in
this work are greatly encouraged by the abundant
production on lands which now under cultiva'
ton.
| should not fail to allude to experiment by
one of the owners Of land which had been drained
who counteracted the effect OF drOuth which seriously
affected that portion Of the country in 1902. II IL
understood that lands with sand bottom less able
TO Withstand drOuth than those with clay bottom.