The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1910-01-19
s0UTN's GREAT FUTURE.
Advises Reclamation Work-Stresses
Importance Of Drainage and Irri-
sasion ~ Wealth. Producing Fac.
tors I'm Agriculture.

Charlotte. N. c., Jan. 11.-"Men
OF North Carolina. do you realize
what wonderful state you have?"
exclaimed DIR. Seaman A. Knapp In
addressing gathering Of farmers
here today. This address was In con-
nection with his lecture tour through
the Southeastern States. which he ID
conducting In conjunction with the
efforts made by the Southern railroad
90 attract settlers along its lines. DIR.
Knapp. whose work In the Depart
ment OF Agriculture has attracted
wide attention. then unfolded a. plan
for the development Of agriculture In
North Carolina. that seemed almost
like story from the Arabian Nights.
Both drainage and irrigation were
prominent themes of the speaker.
The total area Of the State. he said.
was s1.1ss.000 acres. while the culti-
waited area was only 5,76s.s54 acres.
The number of acres requiring drain
age was 2.7ls.1s0. or nearly one-half
OF the total area cultivated at the
present time.
Let us take q little inventory Of
our estate" suggested the scientist.
"over one-half II timber. but mostly
poor timber. A great deal Of the best
timber has been selected and cold
fcr . trlning amount. One-fourth of
the land II improved. one-sixth is
cultivated. That IL. one-sixth Of the
entire area must pay the taxes on
( the nvs-sixths and support your en-
tire population"
Although North Carolina has an
unusually good rainfall and mainly
evenly distributed. at the same time
there are seasons of the year. he said,
when certain crops would do a great
deal better II there was q little more
rain.
For that reason. irrigation would
b extremely valuable In the Old
North State. \ He advised following
the plan adopted by some OF the
Western states by which the main
cost OF drainage works would be as
sssssd to the adjacent lands, because
such lands reap the immediate bene-
nc These lands. he said. once prop
perly drained would be worth from
~ TO 400 an acre. They would be
excellent for rice and for truck farm
ing purposes.
y apprehend Also" added the doc
tor, 'thut IN North Carolina tae maxi
fns OF the reservoirs In the noun
taips, the willowing OF the small
szsaa.s to prevent silt. and the dam.
ming Of the rivers. where necessary,
20 secure waterfall. could create suf-
ncisnt power for all the purposes Of
tho state-heatins. lighting. trans
portation and manufactures. That IL
. strong statement. but think it IL
correct"
Or. Knapp declared that in the
'wSetsrn region Of the State II the
reservoirs were made and the steep
hfllsides reforested. remarkable re-
sion for the growth Of fruit would
be created.
A variety Of crops relating to gen.
eraI farming could be raised.
practically" he said, ''you are
using about .ne-sixth Of your State
and you are getting about one-third
Of the crop out Of the one-slxth. or
only one-eighteenth Of the crop you
ought to get. and you are trying to
get rich by using one-eighteenth Of
your resources"
Summing up the character Of work
to be done for the development Of
the state. DIR. Kapp continued:
Thus equipped North Carolina
would become one of the greatest
producing States and one Of the
greatest manufacturing States Of the
Union. II would be possible. under
such conditions. to produce $1,000
100000 worth of products upon the
farms and $1,000. 900. 900 from fac
tories In single year and support
population Of 10000, 900 people,"