The Bemidji daily pioneer., 1910-02-18
GE0RGE iRALPA's ADDRESS.

George A. Ralph, state drainage
engineer, gave very comprehensive and
intensely interesting address on THE
Reclamation of Minnesota Swamp Lands. !"
The state is well supplied with natural
water courses and surface slopes are
generally very favorable for cheap and
effective DRAINAGE.
Mr.. Ralph then gave the fall, in feet, of
the most important streams of the state,
and stated that surface sloping 6. 8 and
even 10 feet to the mile is not uncommon
on wet land areas. and that. in its most
natural condition, more than one-fifth of
the state was too wet for agricultural pur-
poses. ..r."
These wet lands are fast being reclaimed
by intelligent drainage. Mr.. Ralph told
of the large reservoirs at the head waters
of the Mississippi river, stating they were
created for the purpose of controlling flood
waters and regulating the flow of the
Mississippi river. .- H.
Minnesota. though generally known as a
prairie state. contains, in it's original state,
extensive forests of very valuable timber
and for fifty years the manufacturing of
lumber has been one of the principal
industries" said Mr.. Ralph.
Mr.. Ralph told of the average annual
rainfall for several years past and stated
that the greatest portion of rainfall came
in the month of June. -
Analysis and soil tests made by the
Department of Agriculture, Washington,
D. c., place Minnesota soils in the first
rank. A statement showing the compara-
tive value of samples of the best soils
selected from forty-five different localities,
covering nearly every state in the union.
gives Minnesota soils higher percentage
of plant food than that of any other local.
ity.
Millions of acres of wet land have
been reclaimed by the construction of
drainage bitches; as result, the swamp
land area of the state is diminishing at
the present time at the rate of nearly a
million acres annually. One large drain
age project in the northwestern part of
the state, now being worked out, will
reclaim 100000 acres; another 10000
acres; and another in the northeastern
part of the state nearly 100000 acres. In
fact, drainage work is being carried on
wherever wet land is found. This
reclaimed land is the most productive of
the state, and in time will command the
highest prices. -
Statistics of drainage work carried on
under county management in the several
counties of the state show that approx
mately 5000 miles of drainage bitches
have been constructed in the several coun-
ties through this channel. These bitches
drain and reclaim about 100000 acres
of wet land and $s,000,00o has been
expended in carrying out the work.
Every county in the state with the
exception Of Cass, Fillmore, Houston,
Rock, Pipestone, Mower, Mahnomen, St.
Louis, Koochiching, Lake and Cook is
engaged in reclaiming their wet land
areas.
Prof. Thomas Shaw, one of the most
eminent agriculturists in America, says
that northern Minnesota possesses advant-,
ages as stock raising country unequaled
elsewhere in the world,
In the summer of 1905 l collected
samples of the swamp soil from different
localities in the northern part of the state
and had the same analysed by the Depart
ment of Bureau of Soils at Washington, D
c. The results of these analyses showed
a quick, responsive soil with a high con-
tent of all the elements necessary for sue