The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1909-02-09
DkAIuAbt III
SWAMP LANDS
Representative Godwin's
Work Therefor
BY THOMAS j. PENCE.

in which many of the people of the
Wilmington district are vi.aIly lntec-
eSted, ana on enterting Congress two
years ago Representative Goodwin
Ommen work Z~ealOuSlY for
swamp drainage.
He M o-,..- a bill last year III
the Houae q representatives prOvid-
Ing fo: ezalaina ions and surveys Of
the swamp lands of his district and the
report a. tie effect of SWAMP drainage
on agriculture and health. He also
spoke in Congress on the reclamation
of swamp lands. and his view was en-
subject He has secured an appro-
Pr ea @@"# cor an obiert lesson
project ii his district and the drainage
Oh II ASH uItural Department
here has started the work at Chad
bourn, Columbus county. North Caro-
lima. The report of G. CT. Elliott,
Chief of Drainage Investigations, upon
this subject is as follows:
S. H. McCrory, drainage engineer.
assisted by J. Y. Phillips, as level man.
is assigned to the project. It is esti-
mated that the field work viii re-
quire three weeks time under favora-
bic weather conditions. The project
Will be known as the ChadbOurn
project, Columbus county, n. c., and
will be entered pom the Its as No
T3. A sum of $500 is appropriated
for the survey and completed report.
During the year 1908 letters We're
received from numerous constituents
of Congressman Godwin's. of the
sixth di9trilt of North Carolina. ask
ing that this Office give attention to
needed drainage Investigations at til"
several points named by the cores
pondentS. After considering the rom
ditions described in the several letters,
it was decided that the first eXamina-
ton should be made at C~hadbourl.
Columbus county. n. C. tt was re
ported by Congressman Goodwin and
particularly by J. A. Brown. of Chad
bOurn. n c.. that the land at this
point was mainly occupied by people
from the west and Northwest who
had been attracted by the representa-
tons of the Sunny South Colony,
which purchased a tract Of land and
in 1897 surveyed plotted, and placed
it upon the market. This land proved
TO be excellent for the production of
strawberries, and ChadboErn has since
that time become one Of the largest
strawberry shipping plants in the
State.
General Conditions.
An examination of his tract shows
that such portions of the land as are
sufficiently drained are fertile and pro
ductive. that tn people
northern states and have introduced
various innovations in the cultivation
of the land. but that some part o.
almost every strawberry farm is SUD
ject to injury from lack OF drainage
and that though they have construct
ed bitches and. in a measure, greatly
improved portions of the land. they
are not able to perfect this WORK unti'
"A general system Of improved Outlet5
has been constructed. The town is
located uron q table land at the head
Of small streams. a part OF winch
flow easterly into the WaccamaW
River, and a part westerly into the
lumber River. The branches as theI
are locally called are quite thlckly
covered with small timber and appa-
rcntly have fairly good fall, but OWNS
to lack of hannel and Instructions IN
the naturai depressions which should
carry the water they are inadequate
drainage channels.
Strawberry growing has been quite
profitable from the fire.. though dur
ing the last three years the crops OF
many Of the farmers have been cur
tailed by reason of the wet seasons.
which caused the crop from q portion
Of their lands to be small or entirely
destroyed. Under ordinary conditions
of season and market the lands net
their owners about $500 an acre.
Large quantities of fertilizer are used
and the lands are cultivated carefully.
Owing to the water tables Of the soil
being SO near the surface they are
not, in many instances, able to grow
deep. roofing crops like cotton, corn
or forage plants. The strawberry
having shallow roots produces a crop
with greater certainty than those be-
fore named. The rotation If crops in
his section is regarded as necessary
in keeping up the fcrtil ~ of the
land. ard for the convenience which
attends the production Of q variety of
crops. IT is believed that the area
of cultivated lane can not be extend
ed farther until the main drainage
Gtro -
the construction of deep farm drains
upon the level table lands. Many Of
the leading citizens represent that as
soon as a plan Of drainage has been
made they will organize themselves
nder the provisions of the State
drainage law which it is expected will