St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1910-11-19
SWAMP LAND FARMS
Work of Reclamation Has Been
Going Steadily On.
Total Of 10000 Square MiIes-About
100000 Acres of Wet Land in
Different Sections of Country
Already Surveyed.

The irrigation projects in the United
States for the reclamation of arid
lands have been so large in concep
ton and so magnificent in engineering
features that they have overshadowed
the reclamation of swamp lands, which
requires only the prosaic labor OF
digging bitches. But work on the
wet lands has been going on stead
lily, not only by the diggers, but the
scientific preparatory work of the geo
logical survey has been very extern
sive, and, considering the cost in
VOWED, much larger in prospective re
turns than is possible from arid
lands
A total area of 100000 square miles
about 100000 acres-of wet lands
In different sections Of the country has
already been surveyed and mapped by
the geological survey and it is esti
mated that of this area fully 10000,
| 600 acres Of the most fertile of farm
ing land will be available for cultiva
ton.
The comprehensive plans of the gov
eminent engineers include making the
main bitches large enough to afford
navigation for small vessels, thus pro
viding the cheapest possible means OF
transportation of the products of the
reclaimed land to market points.
The cost of doing the work Is esti
mater at from two to ten dollars pei
acre-as compared with the cost Of
retaining arid land at from s12 tt
$50 per acre; and the natural fertil
ity Of the swamp lands, with their
enormous Accommodations of humus, is
UNNECESSARILY greater than that of the
arid lands.
The largest extent of wet lands In
the United States Is in those states
bordering on the Gulf of Mexico. Flor
Ida having the greatest area-abou'
100000 acres-and Louisiana fol
lowing with 100000 acres, Missis
sippi with 5,750,0OO acres, and Arkan
sas with 5,250,OOO acres. Another
large swamp area lies about the Grea
Lakes. Michigan, having 100000
acres, Wisconsin, 100000 acres
Minnesota, 100000 acres, and NORTH
Dakota, 100000 acres.
A third large area lies along the
Atlantic coast of North Carolina
South Carolina and Georgia, each O
these states having upward of 5000,
900 acres of wet land. The state o.
Maine has an equal area of reclaim
able swamp land.
| While the government has not We
taken the active part in the re
clamation of wet lands that 1t has il
the arid lands of the northwest, much
work has been done by the states ant
by individual enterprise. In Mime
sofa, alone, since 1900 more thar
$40 miles of drainage bitches have
been dug by the state. at cost o
s585,000
Large wet areas have been reclaim
ed in California, Florida, Louisiana
North Carolina, South Carolina ant
Wisconsin In the Gulf states move
men has been started to secure gen
eral swamp reclamation law simila
to the irrigation law which is work
Ing so successfully in the northwest
1t is proposed that the government
shall dig the main bitches, or chan
nels, to be navigable for small yes
sells, and that the branch channel
and minor bitches be done by recla
nation companies which would quick
ly take up the work in accardanc
with the recommendations Of the gov
eminent engineers. The relativel.
small cost to the national treasury a
which very large area of most val
liable agricultural land can be mad
available seems to assure the accept
ance of this plan by congress.