St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1920-09-11
F. H. Adams Tells of Ad..
vantages Recognized by
Better Farmers.
BIGGEST THING THAT
CAME TO COMMUNITY
Usual Amount of Skepti
cism By Those Who
Had Never Seen.
GROWERS ASSOCIATION,

Long Beach, Miss, Aug. II.
Mr.. W. E. Morris, Covington, La.
Dear Sir:-Our good friend, Mr..
J. A. Bandi, of New Orleans, tells
me that some Of your folks are con-
tempalting some drainage work, and
suggests that perhaps some of our
experience might interest you.
l suppose that every farm ng COM
munity, in its early periods of de-
yelopment, passes through certain
stages where the farmers do not
know what to do, in matters of crop
apportionment, fertilizer, marketing,
drainage, roads and schools. Ques-
tions of policy are intimately con-
meeting with finance.
1t takes time for farming COM
munity to find itself. During tue
early years. especially, money comes
hard, farmers are cautious, not dac-
ing TO make mistakes. II members
of a community have had perhaps
their first good season, they are
careful how any hard earned money
is invested. And if they have never
had good season it takes a grea.
deal OF faith for them to invest
thousands of dollars in what is to
them an untried project.
But so far as l know, in every
state and in every community, the
best lands are hardest to get, and 10
make available. This seems true
with perhaps most things in life.
The best is always difficult The
- 1%r o1x +J,N
best lands, and our richest soils are
our lcwlands, many times are swamp
or overflow lands. And much ex-
penditure of labor and money is neI-
essaIy to bring this fertility into use.
In some sections it costs more than
others to establish a dra mage sys-
tenn. In a fiat country it is some-
times necessary to travel quite dis
tance to get suitable outelt. Draia-
age is of course only possible where
there is certain amount of fall
down grade. There are few places
where this cannot be found.
So, it is believed, the very best
soils are usually located In those
countries where drainage is neces-
sary And drainage of a large ter
ritory is only possible in a co-opera-
tive way. After a preliminary sur
vey a district is formed and distric.
or township bonds are issued. Most
states now have enabling laws, bas-
ed on experience of thirty or fortv
years of states or communities that
are older in these matters. The best
experience and advice is sought AMI
laws framed accordingly. For N
stance, the state of Ind ANA has beeh
doing this work at least forty years,
in large way. Likewise Ohio and
Illinois. Northern Mississippi is do
ing it. Our Mississippi laws are
framed based on the experience e
older communities and are ve:y
good.
Here near Long Beach We are
constructing a small drainage system
of about thirteen miles. Our farm
land about here is fat, maximu1
Of thirty-one feet and a minimum "f
about sixteen feet above tide water.
After a preliminary survey we
created, under the law, a Drainage
District, and after a more careful
survey the yardage was estimated,
and the probable cost. We adver-
tised simultaneously for bids on the
work, and on the bonds, using 'e
course different media for such ad
vertising. The work was let to tie
lowest bidder, and the bonds sold 10
the h ;ghest bidder. Owing to tram"
portation conditions there was som2
delay in arrival of machinery, but
in due time everything was ready,
the right of way cleared, the dredge
boat and the house boat in position,
and today the work is more than
half completed.
We had the usual amount f
skepticism with the folks that hal
never seen such work done-most
of our farmers had not. One would
be surprised at the lack of informa-
tion encountered. "Water would
not run uphill" mo machine Oh
earth will cut through those big
gum stumps." Water will come
down too fast, everybody will be
swamTed." "The live stock will IA
in and be drowned" The last few
days we have actually had petition
presented to the board, in which
farmer represents that his VALU-
ABLE swamp pasture land will &c
ruined and wholly worthless, as it
will be impossible because of the
expense to build continuous bridge
o-oUoooo-o~ooO0-o~o~o~o~o o~o~ooo~o0oSoo~o-ooeo-o
time
Number of new eases under care
first OF month, rs; new cases, 13;
re-admitted cases, 2; total numbe'
of cases during month, Al; number
of cases remaining at end of mont.,
33; rumber of visits. 73; infant well
fare visits, II; prenatal visits, D;
tuberculosis visits, 26; home visits to
school childre, 26; Office treatment,
2; attendance at clinics, 2; other
visits 13. Total visits 155.
Respectfully submitted,
JANELLA LANSING,
st. Tammany Parish Public Health