THE SOUTHEBST CYPRESS. 53 



In the Mississippi Valley, with an overflow area of 50 to 75 miles hi 

 width affording millions of acres of very productive soil, this situa- 

 tion is especially emphasized. By comparison, timber growing as 

 an investment has little to offer. It must not be forgotten, however, 

 that a sharp distinction should be drawn between open lands and 

 those covered with a forest of large trees. The perfection of dredg- 

 ing by modern machinery and the possibilities in the control of 

 waters as demonstrated hi the Panama Canal and other engineering 

 works, are convincing evidences of the probability of success in the 

 reclaiming of overflow and swamp soils, and have at times led to 

 excessive speculation over tracts promising ready drainage. 



In the flush of logging virgin stands of cypress, very little serious 

 consideration has commonly been given to the question of the future 

 use for which the land is best adapted. The largest cypress manu- 

 facturers' association in Louisiana has, however, given definite con- 

 sideration and study to this problem along with the advance of lum- 

 bering. Tentatively, their policy is to clean cut cypress lands, having 

 in view their probable early drainage and value for agricultural 

 development, in spite of the high expense of removing the stumps 

 and clearing the lands for cultivation. Consideration of the combined 

 expense of draining and clearing the land, and the distance to markets, 

 will serve to indicate whether or not the investment is a paying one. 



It is important in this connection to distinguish clearly between 

 the rich, deep alluvial lands which he in continuous bodies of extensive 

 area and the numerous small, more or less isolated cypress tracts 

 where drainage features are very different. As a result of large 

 profits realized in the past from draining the open savannas or 

 grassy swamp lands, there is undoubtedly a strong tendency toward 

 a too optimistic view of the early reclamation of deep cypress swamp 

 lands. A large number of operators, convinced that reclamation is 

 certain to be profitable, have decided in favor of taking every cypress 

 tree of possible commercial value and leaving none for future returns. 



In reclaiming swamps which are the result of river inundation, the 

 first step of importance is to reduce the amount of overflow. This 

 BOggi 3ts measures for protecting watersheds against floods, both in 

 the info rest of the swamp-drainage system and the preservation of 

 our oavigable-stream channels. The long period of time necessary 

 must Qot I"' overlooked!, since plans for permanent reclamation call 

 for mi orderly progression of the work in necordaneo with the nood 

 for the land, market conditions, and transportation facilities. The 

 information available regarding the rate of growth, of second-growth 

 cypress tre< inds and the effect of drainage upon growth (see 



pp. '.','.) fo <\i',) will he helpful lo I lie owner of cypress land in arriving 

 broadly al conclusions regarding its comparative future valuo for 

 icull ure and timber production. 



