The farmer and mechanic., 1915-04-20

the North Sea bv a strip Of land five
miles wide, one-third of which was
fertile land and the balance of which
was composed Of sand dunes SparSeIy
covered with scrubby trees. OppO-
site the north end about one mile dis
tant to the west, is the City of Haar-
lem and one the east four miles dis
tant is Amsterdam. the capltal ana
metropolis Of the kingdom. In 1881
this district, which afterwards became
a large lake was an inAa bited district
in which there were four lakes ana
three villages. In 1891 one or the VII
lagos was inundated and destroyed,
and in 1647 the other two disappeared,
and the four lakes became one, which
was given the name of Haarlem Lake.
shah not recount the disasters and
storms which finally induced the gov
ernment to undertake to reclaim what
their violence has destroyed. That is
a matter Of history. In 1885 the par
lament Of that country decided that
the lake should be drained and ap
propriated three and one-third million
dollars for that purpose. The work
of reclaiming and giving back to the
citizens Of Holland the lands which
the violence Of the sea had wrested
from them is an interesting and tragic
story but time fOrbids the narrative.
Sufficient to say that it took fifteen
years to complete the work.
The drainage of Harlem Lake was
Justly regarded as great achievement
| in engineering. No drainage under
| taking Of equal magnitude had been
worked out which would serve as
guide or precedent, and there was ever
| about the work that uncertainty which
attends the inauguration Of new and
| untried methods. Upon a medallion
! struck off by the government to COM
memOrate this great work is found
this inscriptions:
"Haarlem Lake after having for
centuries assailed the surrounding
fields to enlarge itself by their de-
struction conquered at last by force
OF machinery has returned to Holland
its 444,28O acres Of invaded land"
Much Labor Involved.
| We who are acquainted with mod
ern equipment for excavating drain
age canal must draw somewhat on the
imagination to appreciate the labor
involved in draining Harlem Lake
The tools were the shovel and the
wheel-barrow, but they were welded
and pushed by the heartiest and most
indefatigable laborers. 1t is recorded
that as many as two thousand of them
were at one time engaged upon the
work. Not only does the construction
Of this vast Improvement command
, our admiration but it's faithful and
y painstaking maintenance for more
a than half century is equally deserv
: ing of praise. Now after more thar
- fifty years Of existence as a reclaimed
district the land9resents a charming
+ view, and a pleasing illustration O
: agricultural thrift About $4,000 peo
. pie make their homes within it
+ boundary in near view of the spire
= OF the metropolis Of the kingdom
q CommodiOus farm buildings in whic]
e all the farm products are safel
!, housed stand along the public road
q while two towns in the interior do
- thriving business. Harlem Lake i
= one Of the best drained district in tn
- Netherlands and for that reason it
% largely devoted to cultivated crop
- which are conceded to require NOR
q thorough drainage than pastures an
meadows for which Holland is famou:
ia Grains and root crops flourish luxu
+ riantly, only about one-quarter Of it
~ land being in meadow. Land value
as there have f1uctuated greatly. Whe
:. first reclaimed the entire lake be
,e brought an average of $50 per acr
IN The record shows that in 1881 tn
Of value for these farm lands ran up
"a as high as $500 per acre. Today tn
ID fair average value Of the territory
ID cash sale is $500 an acre.
10 Where Opportunities Are Great.
We ment that the opportunities for rear
1 ing benefits from the reclamation
ir wet lands in North Carolina and Vii
sn ginia are far greater than those foun
Il in Holland. Our more fertile LAND
is' and salabriouS climate, our machin,
n and methods for making the cultiv;
an ton Of the land less labOrious, ar
p our many agencies which make hon
rs. on the farm more attractive to cult
wv waited people all place us in advan'
is Of the rural people of the Europes
ry country as far as opportunities f
nd development are concerned. Rich
nd human interest as is the history of Il
nd HARLEM drainage, it is not to this e
ed gantic work that I shall look tonig
ga. for the thoughts with which to enga
[a- your attention on a subject vital
IN concerning the welfare of your gre
,as State. Like its near neighbor al
Lpe very dear sister North Carolina, vi
lr- ginia has a large extent of coast