The Cordova daily times., 1916-11-17
BIc AREA SWAMP LANDS BEING
 CULTIVATED

United States of which 5000 O0C acres can be reclaimed for agricul ture, is reported by the committed on statistics and standards of the Chamber of Commerce of the United States. According to this committee of which A. w. Douglas, of St Louis is the chairman. the vast area of land which could bo made available is about 72 per cent Of the entire acre age of our present corn crop and twice the average acreage planted to cotton
 Although the work of reclamation of swamp lands of any moment is an enterprise of recent times, it grows in volume and importance each year. The committee traces step by step the his tory of the retaining of swamps in this country, and it lays stress upon the part played by the mosquito which for years held undisputed sway - so frequently carrying the deadly germs of malaria and yellow fever.
 How Uncle Sam Cornered the Mos
 quito.
 Had not the hospital corps of the United States army so definitely deter mined the status of the mosquito and thus caused the menacing swamp land to be drained, the National Chamber committee declares it is question whether the building Of the Panama canal would have been possible. The tragic failure of the French to dig the waterway is attributed to the ex- istencC of mC~Quitoes
 "In the early nineties of the last century it was demonstrated beyond question that the cause of malaria was transmitted by a species of mos quito and that there was no other possible method of infection" the committee continues "All that was necessary to prevent malaria was to avoid being bitten by this mosquito. Army medical officers stationed in Cuba, after the Spanish h-kmerican war. undertook a series of similar expert menrs III regard to yellow fever. It was the silent, unobtrusive herOism that gave it's life in order that hu- manity might live, for some of the of ficers and soldiers died from yellow fever as a result of these experiments It was demonstrated that the bite of another genus of the mosquito family was the sole source of infection of yellow fever. Since the fear of this pestilence has vanished from mems minds in all civilized countries. for protective measures were immediately found which are both simple and ef- fective."
 Worthless Land Jumps to $50 an Acre
 and Up.
 The cost of drainage as determined by the committee varies according to conditions and localities. In Missouri it ranges from $3 to $7 per acre, and to this must be added the cost of clearing the land when timbered. which varies from SIP to $25 per acre The timber on swamp lands consists of poplar, oak, pine, spruce, cypress and gum, and is often very valuable and repays the cost of clearing many times over. This is especially true of the cypress swamps of Louisiana.
 The only value of the land when a swamp is it's potential value for re- clamatiOn, otherwise if is a serious liability as a breeder of fever. Once cleared the price ranges from $50 per acre upwards The soil is generally of unusual fertility. since most of the land is an alluyial deposit from some neighboring river Besides. it is usual ly very rich in humus, because of cen turies of decayng vegetable matter As it has naturally an abundance of moisture it possesses all the requi- sites of abounding yields.
 Modern Drainage Methods.
 The work of swamp reclamation, as explained by the National Chamber committee, is practically all done by private enterprises, sometimes by in dividuals, sometimes by chartered companies, but more often by coop eratiye organizations in the form of what are known as drainage districts. The districts are formed usually by the majority sometimes tw0-thirds, of the persons who own the lands to be drained and who signify their desire. according to certain legal methods, that such lands he drained. If a peti- tion be approved then all action from that time is according to certain defi- nite and carefully prescribed legal procedure and under the care and su- pervision of state authorities. Every possible precaution is exercised to mako it 2 strictly business proposi, ton, free from speculation and explot, sation for personal gain.
 Taxes are levied upon the land to nav the initial expenses, and after .bo+ drainara hOnds as they are