RECLAIMING the wet lands in Minnesota is one of the 

 most important works that has been undertaken. Mil- 

 lions of dollars worth of property has been added as a 

 result of the drainage work accomplished during the past 

 decade. Originally there were in Minnesota in its natural 

 state over 10,000,000 acres of so-called swamp land. Fully 

 95 per cent of this land was such that it could be easily and 

 cheap-ly drained. Fully 60 per cent of this land was either 

 open marsh, meadow or swamp sparsely timbered. 



Three-fifths of Area Drained. 



The state has already drained about 6,000,000 acres of this 

 land. The average cost per acre has been $1.80. For this 

 small sum per acre, the land has become available for agri- 

 cultural purposes. There are still 4,000,000 acres of land that 

 could be easily drained and made available for agricultural 

 purposes. 



Every dollar invested in the work of reclaiming wet lands 

 has so far netted a return of from five to eight dollars an 

 acre. This fact, alone indicates the wisdom of continuing at 

 all costs the work of draining the swamp lands. 



Good Quality of Soil. 



Much of the wet land area has a rich, black muck or vege- 

 table fold top soil, with a. clay subsoil. When it has been 

 drained it has become exceedingly productive. A trip through 

 regions that have been drained is enough to convince anyone 

 of the importance of this great work. The results of the work 

 are to be seen in many places in Northern Minnesota. 



The productiveness of this type of soil is shown to perhaps 

 the best advantage at Island, Minn., where the big Hartley 

 farm is located. Mr. Hartley has drained hundreds of acres. 

 On the reclaimed areas he has raised the most wonderful of 

 vegetables and grains. Truly this indicates that the work is 

 worth while. 



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