The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1911-12-22
WOULD RECLAIM SWAMPS

Governor CrOthers has given out an
other installment of the message which
he will submit to the Legislature at its
forthcoming sesaion.
Included in this section are comments
and recommendations on drainage and
irrigation, the State Banking Depart
ment, the State Tax Commissioner,
the State Auditor and the State care
Of insane.
The Governor believes the State
should take up the question of reclaim
ing swamp land and that this work
should be placed in charge of the Mary
land Agricultural College. In order to
have such work fully developed the
Governor will urge the appointment of
hydraulic engineer. On this subject
the Governors message says:
maryland has $4,000 acres of
swamp and marsh lands capable of
being reclaimed; 124, 351 acres of fresh
water swamps and 2O4, 426 acres of
saltwater marshes, and in the central
and western parts of the State about
{, 44O acres, all of which are under fresh
water. It is estimated that with the
smaller swamp areas on the farms this
total would be raised to 5000 acres.
''Much of this land is quite rich be-
cause of the overflow from adjacent
soils, and would be, if perfectly drained,
most productive. 1t is believed, be-
cause of the high prices for which
these lands would sell, about 500, 600
ego could be added to the taxable basis
of the State, together with the wonder
full increase in the products of the soil.
Out of consideration of these facts and
the additional fact of the growth of
agriculture in our State and elsewhere,
the increasing demand for land and the
consequent high prices for the same,
the State should start some movement
looking to the reclamation by drainage
of these large and unproductive acres.
'sOut of the land thus reclaimed you
will have the most fertile and produc-
tive farms of the State, and in but a
few years the increase in products of
the land would pay the expenses of the
drainage. This is one of the most i'm
portant subjects that can engage your
earnest thought and attention.
"Fhe subject of irrigation for the
purpose of watering crops has not here
tofore occasioned much thought or at
tention, because up to within the last
few years the regular rainfall has been
sufficient, but the droughts that have
occurred in the last three or four years
and the great loss and injury to crops
resulting thereform are we'll calculated
to impress you that this may soon be-
come very important question.
ION the Eastern Shore of this State
it has been suggested that it would be
entirely feasible to construct dams at
the heads of many of the streams in
that section and to make reservoirs
for the distribution of water over the
extensive lowlands of this portion of
the State, which would result in Won
derfully increasing the productiveness
of these lands on the crops now raised
as well as others not grown at present.
"There might be employed and
stationed at the Agricultural College a
hydraulic or drainage engineer to look
into and investigate the conditions in
our State, and am of the opinion that
if any provisions were made by you for
this work it should be carried on under
the control of the Maryland Agricultural
College,"
In discussing the State Banking De-
partment the Governor points out that
since it's establishment two years ago
two institutions have been found in
solvent and closed by the Bank Com
missioner, and three have gone into
voluntary liquidation. Eight institu-
lions have been incorporated, making a
total of 1856 institutions in the State
coming under the supervision of the
department. The department has
saved about $4,000 out of the appropri
alton for its maintenance. In the
future it will, through its fees, be-
coming self-sustaining.
The State Tax Commissioner de-
dartment is commended for its care
and diligence in the performance of it's
duties.