The Robesonian. [volume] (Lumberton, N.C.) 1870-current, 1908-04-06
RECLA ALTON OF SWAMP
LAND.
An Exhaustive Discussion ON the
subj. ct By Representative Gsd-
rHr1~

win.
WsshiF & IN Correspondence. at, OF The Uh,l-
lotte ,ser er.
Rep' esentative Goodwin made
one daF last week very cam
prehensive speech i'll the House
upon The Reclamation of the
Swamp Lands of No'tn Caro- !
lima His speech is an ex-
haustive discussion on the sub
ject. the reclamation of the
swamp lands, he said, is the
antitheois of the irrigation of
arid lands; and the COVE rnment
having succeeded with the irri-
CATION in the Western States,
the farmers Of the Easteu
States are demanding drainag,
legislation. He calls attention
to the fact that the S4cretar,
of the department of Agricul
ture,in his last report, says that
farm drainage is Il question of
national interest and import
ance. The area of swamp
lands in North Carolina isgiven
at 5000 square miles, and the
portions that have been re-
claimed have greater powers
of production and endurance
than the rich lands of Illinois.
Among other things he said
"The swamp lands of North
Carolina are nearly as great in
area as the little kingdom OF
Sa1ony, which hasnearly 5,0O0,.
600 people. The swamps of
this State, if drained, could ca
silly sustain larger population
than the entire State has at
Epresent.
i They would be capable oi
Igrowing a vast variety of prod.
ucts. The rice produced in my
; district is superior to any
other grown in the United
States. Its superiority is sc
we'll known and so generally
conceded that the planters il
South Carolina and Georgi;
have fer generations been buy
ing it for seed.
'It is not generally known
but it is a fact that looked at in
one way, North Carolina is the
second cotton producing State
in the Union. Of course the
majority of the cotton-growing
States produce more cottor
than North Carolina, but this
State produces more on eacf
acre than any ether, excep'
! Oklahoma, and the productive
ness is rapidly increasing
Years ago North Carolina wa
p far down the list, not only il
number of bales grown, but al
50 in product an acre; but sh
r. has been moving forward 81
: rapidly that in the latter respe'
= she is now next to the tor
! North Carolina is one of tt
@ three States that produce NOR
than half a bale ofcotton to tt
acre, These lands, besides prC
- ducing an yield of tt
common variety, would be SUI
liable for the sea island cote
which is worth about twice
mach as upland cotton
- pound.
,,tE SPLENDID TRUCKING BELT
Mt "But the chief value of +
Sc drained lands in my State, a
u.s. especially in nv district, wor
be as the maFketgarden for t
ed large cities of the North Atlt
or tie seaboaFd. The produc
he if moved byexpress,could le5
a the nearest market towns
I'D sunset and be ready for
nd breakfast table in Washingt
viii or Baltimore the next morni
up and could reach Philadelp
,ad and New York by noon.
the fringe of country down the
l lantic coast is peculiarly ada
'rk- ed to trucking, not only
Ugh cause of its fertility of soil,
nan also because of its climate,
reu Uo, its proximity to the great r.
5. ! kets. In this fart of the &C
ack ty isothermal lines do not
Fill east and west, but north'
hll- and southwest. Eastern NJ
dn Carolina Is warmer than