FORESTRY AND IRRIGATION 



February 



DESTRUCTION OF AGRICULTURAL LANDS ALONG THE KANSAS RIVER, RESULTING FROM 



THE SPRING FLOODS OF 1903. 



elevated from the pool of water belongs 

 to the Topeka Water Company, which 

 sustained a loss of about $2,500. The 

 city of Topeka was without fire pro- 

 tection for more than two weeks on 

 account of injury to the mains. A de- 

 structive fire would simply have run its 

 course without interference at this time. 

 The tracks of the Chicago & Rock Island 

 Railroad were not only destroyed, but it 

 was necessary to make a " fill " a thou- 

 sand feet long, in some places sixteen feet 

 deep, in order to lay the rails again. It 

 is estimated that this work cost the com- 

 pany more than $3,000. At its highest 

 stage the water was eight feet deep on 

 the knoll at the right, where the team 

 of horses is standing. 



All this loss of property was caused 

 by the removal of the native timber in 

 1900. This fact is especially noticeable 

 because the ground just above this point 

 was not damaged in the least, the land 

 being really improved by the deposit of 

 silt and mud, although the crops grow- 

 ing upon it were destroyed. The reason 

 of the immunity of this land is that the 

 owners allowed a portion of the native 

 timber near the river bank to remain in- 

 tact, and this growth checked the cur- 

 rent. The owners of land which is liable 

 to be thus overflowed should maintain 



a fairly good forest growth, in order to 

 protect the land and adjacent property. 

 Considering the nature of the soil in this 

 valley (a light sandy loam) , it is a danger- 

 ous proposition to remove all the tree- 

 growth, as the above illustration shows 

 more forcibly than any mere description 



can." 



As a future protection, this and all 

 the damaged land along the valley should 

 be planted to timber. Valuable species, 

 such as the Hardy Catalpa, Green Ash, 

 Osage Orange, Black, and Honey Locust, 

 and lastly the Oaks, Walnuts, and Hick- 

 ories, could be used to advantage for 

 this purpose. If the land is neglected 

 it will become a worthless jungle of 

 Cottonwoods and Willows. Land own- 

 ers should plant trees which will serve 

 the double purpose of protecting the soil 

 and producing valuable timber when 

 grown. All the sand land should by 

 all means be planted to trees, for in a 

 few years they will give back to the soil 

 considerable humus by means of the fall- 

 ing leaves and dead branches. 



The time to begin this work is at once. 

 The farmers of this region should not 

 procrastinate for ten or a dozen years, 

 and then lament over a lost opportunity 

 for doubling the value of their land. 

 The planting of trees will not prevent 



