Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-09-30
Lousiaua's Possibilities,


Gle Sans domain are fully aware of
some Of the wonders that are APP
pearing in other sections of the coun-
try. The news dispatches tell us sue
cinctly of some of the big things that
are taking place in some, to us. re-
mote section, but which in reality is
is the effete East For instance, away
down in Louisiana, a wonderful work
is being done, and millions of acres
of valuable land are being reclaimed.
Northern capitalists and investors
have become interested and have
brought practical methods to bear in
the great work. AS a result great
impetus has been given in the last
year or two to reclamation work in
decade the greater portion of d vast
alluvial delta, of the Creole state, will
be brought under cultivation. APP
proximately, the undeveloped lands OF
the state embrace 12OOO,0Oo acres. Of
this acreage there are about 100000
acres to be reclaimed and that means
that this acreage will have to be
drained by artificial means, While the
other 100000 acres probably can be
made tit for cultivation by ditching.
The land referred to as "reclaiEed'
bears the same relation to marsh
country that the arid lands of the West
bear to the rainless belt. In Louisi-
ana, the problem is of getting and
keeping the water off the land while
in the West it is a problem of carry
ing the water to the land. The allu-
vial lands, while marshy, and even
sWampy, to great extent, are the
higher lands made by the deposits
from the river. The diluvial lands are
the lower lands. and are still more or
less under the deluge of water. 1t is
therefore certain that the alluvial
marshes will be the first to be re-
claimed. H-
There is probably no question that
these lands are the richest, from an
agricultural point of view, in North
America. For centuries, the old Mis-
sissippi river has been depositing silt
and plant growth and decay has
caused a plant food not excelled any
where in the world. 1t is doubtful if
it can be equaled. 1t is stated on high
authority, says an article in d st.
valu"less has been reclaimed at fig
ures ranging from $40 to $50 an acre
and it's value has Immediately jumped
to 500 an acre.
A soil expert considering the re-
clamation work in Louisiana, has fig
urcd that such lands contain enough
plant food to produce 1000 crops of
corn without the use of a pound of fer
tiliZer. Another expert figures that on
scientific farming will result in an
nual corn crops OF 100 bushels per acre.
I'm view of all these things, it is
small wonder that great corn producers
of Indiana and Illinois have become
enthusiastic over the prospects of the
South. In the New Orleans environ
mcnt, the reclaimed lands will be
turned into truck gardens. home and
town sites. Competent engineers are
practical lines. Landscape engineers
will have their say before q plough is
stuck into the ground: before Il
fence or roadway is built Provision
for transportation will be made in adj
vance Of settlement, and not after
ward. as has been the case elsewhere.
Today, of course. much Of this land
is uninhabitable. The number of peo-
pie living on 1000, 900 acres lying with
in d fifty-mile radius of New Orleans
is only few thousand. Not q town
of Importance is to be found in that
area. A greater portion of the land
is uncultivated, but the reclamation
of more than 100000 acres will have
been completed within a few months.
Thus we find food for thought in an
other phase of the worlds progress,
in which events are moving so rapidly
that it is utterly impossible for the
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