The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-09-25

N, ID. C., SU NDAY, SEFTEM
ing the streams. making them straight
at their sharp bends. and providing a
channel OF sufficient depth 10 carry OFF
all the water. the volume OF which we
estimate in dry and wet seasons by sur
veys of the creek or river BASIN"
Ordinarily" I asked. what does the
drainage OF a swamp cost?''
Cost of Reclamation.
We'll let US take a flooded area OF
wild weeds and grass as an illustration"
Mr.. Elliott answered Were the owners
of the land 10 combine they could have
their large bitches dug with steam
dredges al a cost of 81 an acre. The pri-
vate drains necessary 10 each farm would
cost IS additional Clearing the land or
preparing II for cultivation, could be
done for s.. We now have a stretch OF
tillable land. where before there was a
useless reach OF grass and dead water,
which would be worth it's original price
plus ST an acre for the Improvements
and at least $50 an acre as reasonable
net profit TO the owner, based on selling
price. II the land were worth s. an
acre when It was wet, it would be worth
si2 an acre when dry and ready Tor the
plow. harrow. and seeder.
There are s., Sc, 900 acres OF permanent
swamps In the United States II the
value of the land could be increased 81
an acre by drainage, almost s2.OO0 200, coo
would be added to the visible wealth Of
the country. Moreover. the land would
produce crops valued at $l5S,000,O00 an
nually. To the permanent swamps we
should also add the benefits derived from
draining the wet grazing lands and the
periodically overfiowed and swamp lands,
which exceed 100000 acres. located In
thirty-five States. Furthermore, we estl-
mate that there are 50,000,OO0 acres OF
occupied farm lands that are too wet
for economical cultivation. Were they
drained there would be an increase OF %
per cent in their productivity In a wet
field. you understand. the roots of corn,
wheat, oats. and other crops spread out
just beneath the surface, whereas in a
drained field they easily penetrate into
the soft earth. getting plenty OF nourish-
ment and standing upright in all ordinary
storms"
"wn the Everglades OF Florida ever
be reclaimed"
Work to that end is now being done.
the State having bought dredges for the
| digging OF large bitches. II is proposed
to drain a region fifty miles long and
forty miles wide"
rs IL true, / asked. that the land was
bought from the State at about 81 an
acre: that the State is cutting bitches
with the money so obtained and that
the land is now selling al from $24 10 so
an acre?'
Il have nothing further to add with
respect to the EvergladessRf Florida. d"
Mr.. Elliott answered
rs anything being done with the Dis
NAL Swamp"
Dismal swamp Outlook.
Some work is under way around the
edges and considerable good land has
| been brought under cultivation. The in
terror of the swamp. imagine, will show
peat or muck structure when drained
In some large swamps there is a rock
bottom beneath the muck. ranging from
one foot &c siyeen feet from the surface
When il is near the surface, tho land
even il dry, is Of limited value agricul-
turalIy."
The drainage Of swamps." I said.
causes the decrease Of certain diseases. %
Yes; OF malarial diseases, especially.
While l was a boy We had ague In Iii
nois and Indiana every autumn. II was
believed then that stagnsnt water gave
OF poisonous gases. The theory was
strengthened when. after the slOughs and
| swamps had been drained. ague and ma
/ larial fever ceased their regular and
dreaded visitatiOns. Medical men say
that mosquitoes are the only agents by
which the germ OF malaria is spread
among human beings-that a MOSQUITO
biting some one having malaria carries
the microbe 10 some one else. However.
l think the disease is also spread in other
ways
Nevertheless. we do know that swamps
and malaria so together. The census OF
1870 put the number of deaths during the
preceding year in Indiana. Illinois. and
Iowa from malaria at 5215 per cent of
the total mortality The figures were
amazing. but were doubtless correct. In
the following twenty years great areas
were drained In the States mentioned.
and the census of 1890 gave the number
OF deaths from malarial diseases as be-
ing but Sc in 1909. Little. If any. drain
age work was done between Cairo. Ill.
and the Gulf Of Mexico during that pe-
riod. The census returns OF 1870, giving
the deaths from malaria in that partie-
uiar part Of the country as SOS per ]. 900
IN the total mortality. were reduced 10
only SIS per 1000 by the census OF 1880 -
rs use being made of any Of the veg
citation growing in swamps?"
The grasses are fed TO cattle. are EN-
ployed in packing goods by manufactur-
ers and wholesale merchants, and are
woven into mating for floors and even
into window curtains"
'''How is the rainfall conserved on hill
side farms?"
Conservation of Rainfall.
by making terraces or shelves, one
above the other, and then by blowing
around the hills, instead of up and down
Farming of that sort is rather laborious.
but II is limited almost entirely to the
South. where the transforms are some
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