SPECIAL FARM TOPICS 271 



of the land, with no other treatment than subsequent irrigation and 

 cropping. In other instances, more complete underdrainage and 

 special irrigation with cultivation for two or more years has been 

 found necessary. (Mont. Ag. -Col. B. 76; F. B. 371; Wyo. Ex. Sta. 

 B. 61; Kept. Off. Ex. Sta. 1910.) 



Objects of Reclamation. Reclamation has another purpose 

 than rendering more fertile the soil that is already under cultiva- 

 tion. In nearly every State are large tracts of land known as marsh 

 or swamplands, and of lands subject to overflow to an extent that 

 renders cultivation unprofitable if not altogether impossible. In 

 the single State of Wisconsin alone it is reported that there are 

 7,000,000 acres of land in need of drainage, of which 2,500,000 

 acres are marshlands. (Kept. Off. Ex. Sta. 1906.) This condition 

 prevails to a greater or less extent in other States. Under the rapid 

 increase of city population and the growing scarcity of good agri- 

 cultural lands, the reclamation of these marsh and overflowed lands 

 has become a necessity. When reclaimed the soil of these lands has 

 been found to be of the greatest fertility. The importance of this 

 reclamation as a sanitary measure cannot be overestimated. It is 

 evident that the drainage conditions on an area may be improved 

 either by hindering the entrance of damaging water upon one side, 

 or by facilitating its removal from the other. To accomplish one or 

 both of these improvements drains must be constructed which will 

 give gravity a better opportunity to remove surplus water. 



Methods of Reclaiming. The methods of reclaiming these 

 lands so far as they have been tried in this country, are by means 

 of ditches or canals, subdrainage with tile, building of dikes and 

 levees, and the use of pumps for disposing of the surplus water, and 

 by deepening and widening natural channels. In some instances 

 individual owners have either constructed ditches, dikes and levees 

 for the reclamation of this land or to protect it from overflows ; in 

 other cases adjoining owners have united in this work, but nearly 

 all the large systems have been constructed either by the States or 

 the Federal Government. These waste places, rich in fertility and 

 having an ample supply of moisture for plant growth, only need 

 draining to enable heat and air to penetrate the ground to make 

 them ideal locations for truck gardening on a large scale. Many of 

 these are so situated as to offer economy in transportation which fur- 

 nishes another important reason for their early reclamation. Either 

 by rail or boat products can be landed cheaply and quickly in the 

 market places of large cities or thriving towns at very little cost. 

 This adds greatly to the commercial value of the land and allows for 

 a much more li'beral expenditure for reclamation than could be 

 borne if there had to be added to the cost of production the cost of a 

 long-distance haul to market. 



Drainage Design. A consideration of the greatest importance 

 to the individual owner or to a community of owners is that the 

 ditches, canals, dikes or levees are large enough for the purpose in- 

 tended, and that they are built substantially and permanently. No- 

 where is the old maxim, Whatever is worth doing is worth doing 



