Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1918-05-07
WISE Advice From AppL1Bg

Urging the Importance Of retaining Appling
county's thousands of of fertile swamp lands
the Bailey News-Banner declares
when convert these waste lands and
by proper drainage make them habitable,
then will they produce wealth and become
really beautiful instead of the unsightly spots
they have been permitted to remain; and then
it will be an easy matter to advertise Applings
infinite resources and wonderful possibilities
and attractions
There are scores of other, Georgia counties of
which these observations might appropriately be
made The State has some three million acres Of
periodically overlooked and permanent swamp land,
and upwards of three and a half million acres Of
wet grazing land. Add to this the periodic swamp
land and the tidal marsh land, and have total
of approximately seven million nine hundred
thousand acres in need OF drainage
The cost of retaining this latent empire would
be well-nigh negligible compared with the conse-
quent gains in land values, In productveness and
the health of the adjacent communities. Swamp
lands which are now practically valueless can be
converted by drainage into farm sites worth at least
from fifty to a hundred dollars an acre. 1t is con-
servatively reckoned that Georgia's swamp and
overflow lands, If drained, could produce annually
two hundred and twenty-five million bushels of
corn, and other foodstuffs in proportion. As for
sanitation and healthfuness, the benefits of swamp
reclamation too great to be calculated.
Malaria with its heavy toll on efficiency and life
can be eradicated by drainage.
This reconstrucive and truly creative work goes
steadily forward in Georgia. but not rapidly it
should. Since the enactment of the present drain
age law. making it convenient for counties
groups of counties issue bonds for welconsidered
reclamation enterprises, about forty drainage dis
tricts have been formed definitely planned their
average size ranging from some fourteen hundred
acres in the Piedmont area to a little less
than twenty-five hundred acres in the Coastal
Plain This comprises total of fourteen thou
sand one hundred and eighteen acres, of which
more than five thousand now in cultivation In
its valuable and highly interesting report on the
subject the State Geological Survey estimates the
average drainage cost per at twenty-six dol
Jars and iftysix cents in the Piedmont section and
at three dollars and ninety-three cents in the
Coastal Plain the smaller average cost of the lat,
ter being explained by the larger size OF the dis
tricts. When it is reflected that a large portion
of this land was virtually worthless if not indeed
menace to health and barrier to progress the cost
of draining it appears inconsiderable
In pressing the Importance of drainage in Ap-
ping county, the Bailey News-Banner is doing a
service which newspapers throughout the State
would do we'll to undertake in behalf of their re-
spective communities. Once fairly explained and
initiated, movement of this nature is certain to
appeal to land owners, if they have any perception
of their real interests, and is certain to win public
favor and support.