The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1911-10-07
RICHEST IN THE WORLD.
Noted Engineer Says Louisiana's
Wonderful AIIuvial Lands Have
the Greatest Supporting Capacity
of Any Equal Area Occupied by
the White Rice.
(New Orleans Item.)

| largest single body of natural alluvlal
lands in the world, the richest body
| of agricultural lands in the world,
and has the greatest supporting ca
pacity of any equal area occupied by
| the white race, is the statement
made by John E. Kruse, the noted
engineer, who, familiar with the
lands of all parts of America and the
most of Europe, is now engaged in
several immense reclamation projects
| in this same alluvial section.
'"There are but three great aliuvlal
deposits, or rather, great coastal
marsh areas, known in the world,
said Mr.. Kruse, 'sand that of south
Louisiana is the greatest. The other
two are those including Holland and
Belgium as one, and the second is
the east coast of England, directly
across the North sea from Holland
and known in England as the fens,
or marshes. The combined area OF
these two districts is about 7l2o
square miles, while that of Louisiana
is approximately % per cent greater
than both of these together-the
area b1.nS about four and one-Eaf
million acres.
l
'.The reclamation of swamp lands,
said Mr.. Kruse, "Was begun, through
necessity, in the first centuries OF
the Christian era, and the work has
never ceased, up to the present. Inc
first work was done in Holland, ,WneFe
the high lands We're extremely poor
and the people were forced to the
use of the low rich sections to gam
subsistence, The first step was the
shutting cut of the sea. Then came.
the taking off of surplus water, for
which purpose the old-fashloned
wind mills were used Thus do We
get the strong associations that We
have of windmills with the old Dutch
country
"At present the draining OF the
lowlands in Holland is under the su-
peryision Of the government, the
swamp lands being government fahds
which after reclamation are sold 60
l the people. There is, perhaps, 10
S. area of. land III Ia 6 WcrlGz 50 intensely
D. "a c,1lti vatetl as Holland hese lallds
have a value of from 1anu 70 S3oat sole91
per aeIe ana the Population OF the
reclaimed areas is a. present 945 le
!, the square mile. Holland is one OF
the richest if not the richest country
y in the world according to population
For centuries 1t has been famed fol
: its truck gardens, its field crops
and its fruit, its cattle are famed
throughout the world. Despite tht
fact that the reclaimed portions O
Holland are below the level of tht
. sea it is noted for being one OF the
- most healthful countries in th'
world.
- "The alluvial sections on the eas
~ coast of England are OF much smalie
area. containing only about auo,oo
=, = acres. 1t Is said that she work Q
- reclaiming these fens was begun D
. thc Romans some time during the se
= ond or third century OF the ChffS'
i. ian era There still remain neari
!. $50 miles of dikes along the we
land river and the North sea tina
{, were constructed during this eafl
- period.
~ - "The area reclaimed in Englan
llt -. embraced a goodly part OF what ar
lae now known as Lincolnshire, Hunting
90 donailire, ,Cambridgeshife and Noriol
=: the richest portions of England Ia
III III Holland these sections are famed Il
: their productions Of great crops
Fe wheat and other grains, fine fruit
no Vegetables and truck crops ana u
finest of sheep and cattle, Ill
% 20 Holland, too, it is noted Tor !
~ splendid health and climatic cont
tions,
iii Louisiana Greatest in World.
1ot "Right here in Louisiana, thoug
lit. is the greatest OF the alluVlal Sc
it's, tions of the world. Known as Z
ain lower delta of the Mississippi, tn
ity section ha. an area of about 4,oo
re. 600 acres, practically all of which
I'd, capable Of most perfect reciamatlt
and the highest state OF culslVatie
sIn many respects the wet pfalfl
of Louisiana are much easier 70
claim than are those of Hoiiaf
ion owing TO the fact that they are We
ing little if any, lower than sea lev
the The immense dikas used In Hollai
the the average of which are 50 feet
OF heis.,,f are absolutely unnecessa
lity here we do not have the peat pc
and "a contend with as did Holland, a
am. the area cf the al1uvitI sections
llk- 81 large that in many cases the
ma cIanation districts are many MI
from the sea, so that e..en the TIC
the do not reach them.
uch "The geology of the louisa
red marshes is much like that. Of
lers fens of England A vast alluvial
out noslt is brought down from the Or;
This age basin of the Mississippi
ted, built up from the rock floor OF
'nse Gulf of Mexico. In some places
depositgaeaches a depth of 5000 f f
de- though lpthe average is about !
dis feet. Ehis deposit is made up
ered the very finest particles OF $
lo:e brought down by the river, the ne
ton est sediments having been precipl
Is ed i'll the upper courses.
l aoes Rec i4nation Work IS Old
lah l,i,sh ..The FIST work toward the fec1 !
alton Of the real marsh lands OIL I
lgontinued on page eight