Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1916-05-23
ENGINEERING INSTRUCTION IN
AGRICULTURAL COLLEGES.


ENGINEERING INSTRUCTION IN
AGRICULTURAL COLLEGES.
Water is essential to all forms of
life In its absence the desert prevails;
u its presence the oasis appears with
a oewilderIng variety and luxuriance of
vegetation. Many OF the most ancient
and formidable races OF the world pros
pered because Of their ability and skill
IS drainage and irrigation engineers.
When the art they possessed was lost,
the desert and the swamp again came
into their own. their bossted civilization
soon became decadent, and in many in
stances, whole nations appeared TO have
been eventually destroyed. Vast areas
Of the earth now uninhabitable could be
made wonderfully productive through
the agency OF water. Much of the land
row cultivated with success and profit
in America was once more or less
swampy IN nature and covered by dense
forests. and was then the abode OF In
dams. mosquitoes and malaria the
drainage or semi-drsinage OF these lands
has made possible their reclamation and
tie growth of magnificent crops which
nave enabled US TO aid materially IN
feeding and clothing the world.
At the present time the United States
is possessed OF two classes OF soil, which
IL properly utilized would enable her TO
double and treble her population and
Vet raise everything necessary for the
development and maintenance OF the
highest and most advanced type OF civili-
zation- These are the great areas OF
land lying far 10 the westward and now
cIassed as desert because OF the lack OF
moisture due TO = failure TO utilize for
irrigating purposes the water which is
- nT the
year. In practically every state in the
union there are thousands Of acres of
land more or less swampy in nature
which could be drained. and because OF
its natural fertility would be capable
OF growing for an almost indefinite
period Of time under wise management
maximum crops at a minimum cost. In
Georgia. for instance the Okefenokee
swamp covers an area roughly estimated
81 100000 acres The soil varies from
ten to fifteen feet in depth and is pri-
marily OF vegetable origin. This one
swamp If reclaimed and protected from
fire. the soil sweetened with lime and
supplied with the necessary phosphoric
acid and potash in suitable rations would
probably yield 60 to 100 bushels Of corn
per acde. Through the drainage OF hits
territory II would undoubtedly be pos
siole TO increase the corn crop Of GeOr-
STA by twenty-five million bushels an
nually. and thereby strengthen and make
possible the development and mainten-
snce in George OF a more varied type Of
agriculture than we now practice.
These suggestions have been made 10
indicate the worldwide Importance OF
water and the necessity Of conserving
il and applying il TO certain tracts of
land while removing il from Others. II
is not overstating the case to say that
the measure OF prosperity Of our pres
ent and future civilization will be meas
ured largely by our ability to control
the water which falls annually over the
United States in the form OF rain and
snow. Water. after all. determines large
y the amount. character and variety of
the food supply available for the MAIN
tenance OF the population OF a given
country. II determines. therefore. the
number Of people which can be support
ed per square mile. which in turn exerts
a determining Influence on the charac-
ter OF the industries which can be sue
cessfully established. This influences
the commerce of the country and nat
urally affects both exports and imports
Thus. water is seen 10 exercise and in
direct control over international rela-
tions. and on social and economic dues-
tons and trade conditions in general
Soil drainage may be defined as the
removal OF surplus water from the soil
oy either natural or artificial means.
The result OF this practice is that a soil
which is drained is usually moist but
rot saturat ted with water. thereby pre-
venting the normal expansion of the
roots OF plants Through which they
must OF necessity gather and store the
food essential for their growth and ie-
velopment- The Importance of drain
sge IS efrecting crop production is not
generally understood; therefore. all
students in our agricultural colleges
should be 50 Informed relative TO this
subject that when they go out to farm
FOR themselves or act in the capacity OF
teachers or investigators. they will be
able to instruct those with whom they
come in contact in an intelligent man
uer-
Some OF the bereHts which flow from
the drainage n wet lands are as fol