Evening journal., 1914-05-11
MONDAY MAY Il. 1914.
nrLAMAREs MAsTE LAND.


~ the United states there are sOOOOOOO acres of
unproductlve swamp lands that. by the appli-
cation OF intelligence and money could be reclaimed
and made permanently productive and profitable In
other words an acreage equal to the combined acre
ages OF Maine. Ohio Indiana and Illinois. There also
are i5OOOOOOO acres OF arabic lands which because
Of inadequate drainage do not produce more than
four-nghs the crops they would be capable Of pro-
ducing we're they properly drained Nor Is that all
II estimated by experts that added to the stupendous
economic loss represented by the figures cited above,
the-e is an annual waste of Si65OOO0OO due to death,
disability and loss of earning power raceabe directly
70 such undrained and poorly-draned areas.
In an estimated area of 79,OO5O23 acres Of unre-
claimed swamp and overnowed lands in the United
States that is recamabe for agricultural and grazing
purposes our little state Of Delaware has 127,20O
acres as against s. O6l for Rhode Island, 1900
or New Hampshire 2O5OO for Washington 5000 each
.or Vermont and West Virginia 10000 for Connecticut
H5O0 Oklahoma, $1,000 for Massachusetts,, l5652O
Tor Maine and 10000 for Maryland
That assuredy is not good showing for State as
small and as old as Delaware. and progressive as
It has been in other matters There has been in Del
aw.re until very recently. publicly ydrected and
systematic effort looking to the reclamation and cul-
hyaton Of that large of waste land which reduces
30 materially the productivity and wealth of our
sta
Il the l27,2oo acres alluded to wer, reclaimed and
hrms Those farms. II properly cultivated and man
iged would support $3.50 families. or, with average
D four persons to family, 1870 persons. The in
crease in the agricultural wealth Of our State would
aep,nd upon the energy and the intelligence applied
20 the use OF the land.
We have now a State Drainage Commission. It
should receive proper support not only from the
public but also from the state treasury. Thus far it
has not had from either the support that deserves
when the benefits which should result from its work
are taken into consideration.
That Il pays well to drain and reclaim low land has
been proved in many States. notceaby in Texas. Mis-
souri, and Illinois. Those States have gone about the
ask in comprehensive scientific and determined
way Indiana also has done good work. Statistics
obtained from official show that in Texas an
average of $25 has been added the value OF each
Of swamp land in the entire State by reclama-
ton work and demonstration of what such land be
made to produce as result of reclamation work.
Within twenty years Missouri by drainage and re-
clamation, has added s9O,OOO,OOO to the assessabe
value Of her property The redemption of waste land
IN Illinois will add s1OO,OOOOOO to the assessable
value there's In less than 100 years Indiana has rc-
claimed 100000 OF swamp land and increased
her assessment by SOS 100000 through such recama-
ton. That State still has much waste land TO re-
claim, but realizing the great annual loss suffered
result OF its present condition, il is going about the
work in a business-like way.
And that is what Delaware must do If il is to con-
vert its 127200 acres Of unproductive and disease
breeding lowlands into lth-produeing FARMS II
will call for the highest type of public and private
cooperation and that only can be brought about
through campaign of education that will convinc,
those within its that it pays spend money t
make unproductiye land productive