Evening star., 1947-01-05

conservation needs of each acre and
will have pretty good idea OF how
to carry on and complete the job of
conserving his agricultural resources.
An example of how all of this
local work fits together can be seen
in the part of the Potomac which
lies above Harpers Ferry, the juno
ton point for the Potomac and
Shenandoah Rivers. This 5000, COO
acre segment is the critical erosion
area and represents about so per
cent of the basin down to the
District line.
More Pastures Favored.
OF this area, 2,408, 500 acres have
been cleared and $500 500 acres
remain forested. OF the cleared
land, at least per cent should be
put back in forests and an appreci-
able acreage Of the present cul-
tivated land should be used as pas
ture. On the other hand, some
Of the area now in forests could be
cleared and used for cropland. But,
in any event. only about 1000, 900
acres of land now cleared should
be cultivated, compared to 1,400,-
GOO acres now under cultivation.
All but per cent of this cultivated
acreage will need soil conserving
practices to hold the soil on the
land and maintain its productivity
This contemplated readjustment
in the use of land in the Potomac
Basin is based on the lands capabil-
ity. Only about 100000 acres OF
the cleared land fan in the first
three classes of land suitable for
cultivation; whereas the rest is
mostly too sloping, is highly vul-
nerable to erosion, is too thin over
rock. or otherwise is capable of
being used safely only for grass or
tree production. A small amount
of land is not even suited for grow
ing good grass or trees, but is
useful for wildlife and recreational
purpose.
The current flood control pro-
gram is concentrating on waterflow
retardation and soil-erosion pre-
vention in three flood source areas.
These are the North Branch of the
Potomac River watershed above
Cumberland, Md: the balance of
the Potomac River area above Han
cock, Md, and the Shenandoah
River watershed above Strasburg
and Front Royal, Va. The program
consists Of a combination of meas
ures applied to crop, pasture and
forest lands in such a manner as to
store more of the rainfall in the
reservoirs OF the soil and to manage
the flow of excess rainfall, thereby
reducing floods and sedimentation.
Technical Advice Given.
Watershed improvement and con-
servation of the agricultural re-
sources Of any area are not simple
matters. They demand technical as
sistance. This assistance is being
supplied in such manner that the
farmer can analyze the situation on
his own farm, and have the help
of the technician in working out
his own conservation farm plan
and applying it to his land.
AS part OF these complete con-
servation farm plans, these Poto-
mac basin farmers already have
done considerable work. AS of
June 30 they had established more
than $4,000 acres of contour plant
ing and more than $4,000 acres of
strip cropping. Almost $4,000 acres
of pasture had received conserva-
ton treatment. They had built ap-
proximately 233 miles of terraces
and runoff diversions and drained
almost 5000 acres.
They had constructed 200 farm
ponds, planted at least 1000 acres
to trees and completed programs of
woodland improvement on almost
10000 acres. More than $4,000 acres
had been added to crop rotation
plans and almost 5000 acres are now