The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-01-12
LIKE STORY FROM
ARABIAN NIGHTS"
Wonderful Possibilities for De-
velopment OF
State.
IN NORTH CAROLINA
Both Drainage and Irrigation
Urged by Speak

Charlotte, N. c., January li.-"Men !
of North Carolina. do YOU realize what
a wonderful state you iiavc?'s exclainl-
ed Dr. Seaman a. Knapp. In addressing
a gathering OF farmers here to-day.
This address was In connection with
eastern States. which he Is %coDduct-
Ing In conjunction with the efforts
made by the Southern Railroad to at
tract settlers along It's lines. Or.
or Agriculture has attracted wide at
tention, then unfolded a plan fQr the
development Of agriculture in North
Carolina that seemed almost Ike q
story from the arabian Nights"
Both drainage and irrigation were
total area Of the state. he said. was
53l.i93,0o0 acres. while the cultivated
area was only 5,76a.954 acres. The
number OF acres requiring drainage
tho total area cultivated at the pres
ent time.
Let US take a little inventory Of
y estate suggested ths seient h,'
mostly poor timber. A great deal
OF the best timber has been
selected and sold for a trinine amount.
One-fourth OF the land Is improved.
One.sixth is cultivated-that is, one
sixth of the entire area must pay the
taxes on the hve-siXth and support
your entire population"
Great Need of Irrigation.
Although North Carolina has an un-
usually good rainfall and mainly even
ly 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 be
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 assessed to the ada
the immediate benefit. These lands.
he said. once properly drained would
be worth from $50 to 800 an acre.
They would be excellent for rice and
for truck farming purposss.
tor. that in North Carolina the max
ing of the reservoirs in the mountains.
the willowing OF the small streams to
prevent silt and the daming of the
rivers where necessary to secure wa
for all the PURPOSES OF h State
heating. lighting. transportation and
manufactures. That is a strong state
ment. but ! think 1t is correct"
Western region of the State, If the
reservoirs were made and the steep
htllsldes reforested. a remarkable re-
sion for the growth of fruit would he
created. a variety OF crops TelaIlNS
to general farming could be raised.
Practically" he said you are using
about one-sixth of your State. and
you are getting about one-third OF the
crop out of the one-sixth. or only ope-
eighteenth of the crop you ought to
get, and you are trying to get rich by
using one-eighteenth of your re-
sources"
Summing up the character of work
to be done for the development of the
State. DIR. Knapp continued:
Thus equipped North Carolina would
become one of the greatest producing
States and one of the. greatest manu-
featuring States of the Union. 1T
would be possible under such condi-
tions TO produce 100000, 900 worth
of products uron the farms and ST.
GOO, 00o,0o0 from factories in a single
year and support a population Of TO-
900. 900 people"