FACTORS OF AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION 141 



known, much of the land of that country was formerly either 

 under water or subject to severe inundations, and has had to 

 be reclaimed by the building of dikes, the digging of numerous 

 canals and ditches, and the construction of powerful pumping 

 establishments. One of the most interesting examples is that 

 of the draining of Haarlem Lake. This was a body of water 

 covering approximately 42,000 acres, at an average depth of a 

 little over 13 feet. In 1839 the necessary legislation was com- 

 plered and the work of reclamation begun. Inasmuch as con- 

 siderable traffic had been carried on over this body of water, 

 it was thought necessary to provide for it in some other way. 

 Accordingly a canal 38 miles long, 9 feet deep, and from 115 

 to 130 feet wide was built entirely around the lake. Besides 

 providing for the traffic, this canal also aided in the drainage, 

 the water being pumped from the lake into it. The canal was 

 high enough above sea level to permit the water to be carried 

 off by gravitation, though the bottom of the lake was not. In- 

 asmuch as the bottom of the lake was itself below the level 

 of the sea, it was necessary to build great pumping plants to 

 lift as much as 1,000,000,000 tons of water out of it. Three 

 engines were specially constructed, each one capable of dis- 

 charging 1,000,000 tons in 2 5 1 hours. Pumping commenced 

 in 1848 and the lake was dry in 1852. 



The sale of land began at once, and ultimately it was all sold 

 at a total price of $3,760,000, leaving a loss of about $1,250,- 

 ooo between the cost of drainage and the original selling price 

 of the land. But the loss is not so great as it seems. In the 

 first place the land has since increased in value. Though this 

 increase goes to private owners rather than to the state, yet 

 these owners are themselves at least a part of the state ; and, 

 besides, their taxpaying power has increased and the state bene- 

 fits in that way. Again, the presence of this lake had formerly 

 proved a menace on more than one occasion to both the cities of 



