vill LANDS OF THE ARID REGION OF THE UNITED STATES. 
tofore been made available only to a limited extent by a system of levees, 
and the lake swamp lands found about the headwaters of the Mississippi 
and the region of the upper Great Lakes. All of these lands require 
either drainage or protection from overflow, and the engineering problems 
involved are of diverse nature. These lands are to be redeemed from 
excessive humidity, while the former are to be redeemed from excessive 
aridity. When the excessively humid lands are redeemed, their fertility is 
almost inexhaustible, and the agricultural capacity of the United States 
will eventually be largely increased by the rescue of these lands from their 
present valueless condition. In like manner, on the other hand, the arid 
lands, so far as they can be redeemed by irrigation, will perennially yield 
bountiful crops, as the means for their redemption involves their constant 
fertilization. 
To a great extent, the redemption of all these lands will require exten- 
sive and comprehensive plans, for the execution of which aggregated capi- 
tal or coéperative labor will be necessary. Here, individual farmers, being 
poor men, cannot undertake the task. For its accomplishment a wise 
prevision, embodied in carefully considered legislation, is necessary. It was 
my purpose not only to consider the character of the lands themselves, but 
also the engineering problems involved in their redemption, and further to 
make suggestions for the legislative action necessary to inaugurate the 
enterprises by which these lands may eventually be rescued from their 
present .worthless state. When I addressed myself to the broader task as 
indicated above, I found that my facts in relation to some of the classes of 
lands mentioned, especially the coast swamps of the Gulf and some of the 
flood plain lands of the southern rivers, were too meager for anything more 
than general statements. There seemed to be no immediate necessity for 
the discussion of these subjects; but to the Arid Region of the west thou- 
sands of persons are annually repairing, and the questions relating to the 
c=) 
utilization of these lands are of present importance. Under these considera- 
tions I have decided to publish that portion of the volume relating to the 
arid lands, and to postpone to some future time that part relating to the 
excessively humid lands. 
In the preparation of the contemplated volume I desired to give a 
