No. 4.] DRAINAGE PROJECTS. Ill 



have gone to work on the drainage proposition, and we know 

 that in this State we have found a large area that could be 

 drained. We think it could be drained to advantage, but as 

 to getting the law to just fit the case, we have not yet gotten 

 what we wanted, and we would like to get more light from 

 him. I think the proposition that we have 180,000 acres of 

 tidewater land that could be benefited by this drainage and 

 brought into either agricultural or industrial use is quite an 

 argument in favor of perfecting a law and going ahead and 

 doing this work. I would like to hear questions from any one. 

 You have got an opportunity now to question a man who 

 seems to be thoroughly well posted on this line of work. 



Question. I would like to ask how long it takes to fit a 

 salt marsh for agricultural purposes, 



Mr. McCrory. It is a little hard to give you a definite 

 answer to that question; it depends largely on the kind of 

 drainage they have when they start the reclamation. With 

 good drainage, I think the average marsh should be brought 

 up to a full producing capacity in three to four years, possibly 

 sooner, if there wasn't too much salt. It takes some time to 

 get that land in good mechanical condition; that is almost as 

 difficult as anything else. 



The Chairman. About how many acres have been taken 

 advantage of in one drainage district? What is the largest area 

 in any drainage district? 



Mr. McCrory. The Little River Drainage District in south- 

 eastern Missouri has an area of about 500,000 acres; that will 

 be completed in two or three years' time. There are other 

 large districts. The Bolivar Drainage District in Bolivar 

 County, Mississippi, has 100,000 acres, and the Cyprus River 

 Drainage District, in Arkansas, has 300,000 acres, and that is 

 now under construction. Drainage districts vary in size; they 

 may comprise 200 acres or may run up to 100,000 or more. 

 In some States the drainage organization is a permanent organ- 

 ization. They find it necessary to maintain their drainage 

 structures and the law provides for a body that continues 

 itself, and each year the commissioner of the district decides 

 what maintenance work is necessary, after the drains are con- 

 structed, to keep their drains in good order. In that way 



