264 Irrigation and Drainage 



ingly, of 70 per cent of coarse gravel from %inch 

 up to 4 and 5 inches in diameter, and a surprisingly 

 large per cent is composed of the larger sizes. Among 

 this gravel the river silt has been deposited until 

 fields of alfalfa and wheat, as well as gardens and 

 almond orchards, are grown upon these extremely 

 pervious beds. 



OPPORTUNITIES FOR SILTING IN EASTERN 

 UNITED STATES 



East of the Mississippi, extending from Wiscon- 

 sin through Michigan, New York, and into New 

 Jersey, as well as in New England, there are exten- 

 sive areas of very sandy lands which, if they were 

 subjected to this process of silting, so as to render 

 them less open in texture, and to increase the per 

 cent of plant -food they contain, would become pro- 

 ductive and very desirable lands. At present they 

 are gently sloping sandy plains, bearing a scant vege- 

 tation, but presenting ideal slopes for irrigation, and 

 very many of which are so situated that water could 

 readily be led upon them, both for silting purposes 

 and for permanent irrigation, at relatively small cost. 



Then, again, in the southern states, notably in the 

 Carolinas and Georgia, there are vast areas of sandy 

 soil which stand greatly in need of such improvement 

 as flooding with silt -laden waters could bring about. 

 These lands possess surface features and slopes which 

 readily permit of this being done ; and, what is more 

 to the point, the streams are abundant and heavily 



