466 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY 



two kinds — the swamp lands that may be reclaimed by drainage and 

 the arid lands that may be reclaimed by irrigation. The United States 

 Geological Survey estimates that75,000.,000 acres can be made valuable 

 for agriculture by draining swamps. This is the equivalent of one 

 sixth of all the land now under cultivation in the United States. This 

 land would be much more fertile and much more productive than the 

 most of the land that is now being cultivated. The reclamation of arid 

 lands is just in its infancy. The first federal act to provide for govern- 

 ment assistance for this purpose was passed in 1902. 



Projects are now under construction or have been completed that 

 will reclaim one and a half million acres and others are under consid- 

 eration that will reclaim three and one half million. To what extent 

 this work of reclamation will be carried in the future can scarcely be 

 estimated, but doubtless many millions of acres can be and will be added 

 to our cultivable lands in the future. 



The period of low prices for farm products and extensive methods 

 of farming is rapidly passing. The large grain and live-stock farms 

 of the eastern states are giving way to the smaller dairy, fruit, vegetable 

 or poultry farm. The large wheat farms of the northwest are being 

 divided into moderate-sized farms for mixed farming. The ranges of 

 the west and southwest are being broken up into stock farms and the 

 movement everywhere is toward more intensive methods of farming. 



The problem that now confronts the American farmer is to reor- 

 ganize his method of farming so as to adapt it to the present condi- 

 tions. The increased prices for farm products will increase their pro- 

 duction and insure a supply sufficient for all needs for the future. 



