1178 New York State Agricui^tukal Society 



Our next address, by Elmer O. Fippiu, Itliac:u X. Y., Professor 

 of Soil Technology, ]^ew York State College of Agriculture, 

 while perhaps diverting a little from this cooperative topic 

 hut certainly essential in the matter of the development 

 of the agricultural resources of this state, is on drainage. 

 It seems to be true that we have no particular laws 

 upon drainage in the State of Xew York. They are to-day prac- 

 tically resting on the connnon law. An attempt was made several 

 years ago to pass a law — or one was passed and declared uncon- 

 stitutional. Professor Pippin's address this afternoon will set 

 forth the needs of the State of isew York as to drainage, and will 

 embody some susffestions as to laws which will make it easier and 

 more practical for us to carry on this work of building nj? our 

 lands. 



NEEDED CHANGES IN THE DRAINAGE LAWS OF NEW YORK STATE 



Elmek O. Fippix 



I am glad to say that our drainage laws and provisions for 

 drainage are not in quite as bad a condition as the chairman might 

 have led you to believe; in fact, they are in l)etter shape than I 

 thought they were when I began to look up the matter for this 

 particular purpose. It seems to me advisable in order that we may 

 have a correct point of view on these things, that I review some- 

 what carefully the relation of drainage to the public. 



In the drainage of wet or swamp lands, as in the utilization 

 of any other natural resource, both the individual and the com- 

 munity are benefited. The extent of land too wet for satisfactory 

 agricultural use, and the increasing demand for farm land, has 

 sharply turned public thought in the direction of such areas and 

 has raised anew the question of how far the state may encourage 

 or aid such iuiprovemeut aud its reason for so doing. 



Occasion for public recognition of land drainarje. The drain- 

 age of wet land benefits the individual l>y enabling him to in- 

 crease the use of such areas for more intensive purposes. It en- 

 ables him to increase crop returns, and it enables him by reason 

 of the increased yields aud reduced cost of operations to reduce 

 the cost of production and materially increase profits, with the 

 attendant well-being of the farmer and his fannly. 



