Vol. 4. JUNE, 1888. No. 38 



ARTIFICIAL FLOATING ISLANDS. 



Artificial floating islands, as far as I know, are only found in 

 some lakes of Mexico, where they are used for agricultural pur- 

 poses, and in these floating gardens all vegetables grow very 

 luxuriantly. So far the idea is not a new one, but it has never 

 been carried out on a large scale. 



Notwithstanding the tropical and sub-tropical climates would 

 be more favorable to the ^ egetation on such islands, we think the 

 temperate climate would also be suitable to it; hence, we wish to 

 call special attention to this subject. 



The islands can be made of large and powerful rafts of several 

 layers, covered with earth, the latter with sloping sides, so that 

 the center of the island forms a terrace; the slopes are covered 

 with large pebbles to prevent the earth from being washed away 

 by the action of the water. The rafts should be constructed in 

 such a way that other ones could be easily attached to them by 

 means of flat and broad bridges, so the several rafts or islands 

 would gradually cover the lake or other sheet of water so far as 

 should be desirable with regard to navigation; every raft being- 

 ready and covered with earth can be used at once as an island 

 and prepared as a garden, or planted with trees. 



The first raft should be fixed to the bottom of the lake by 

 means of several anchors, every anchor must be brought at some 

 distance from the raft so that the cable may be stretched as far 

 as possible before it sinks down ; in this way the raft will be im- 

 movable even in the severest storm, for the stretched cables of 

 the anchors hold it on all sides. The latter are, however, unne- 

 cessary for the rafts afterwards enclosed by others and only to be 

 used for the outside ones exposed to the force of the waves. But 

 the anchors should not be spared as it is the only way to secure 

 the firmness of the whole. To prevent any accident by ice they 

 should be fastened under the rafts. 



Of course the sort of wood used must be most durable, and the 

 earth-layers thick enough for the cultivation ot shrubs and trees. 

 There would be also no difficulty in building wooden houses on 

 the rafts, but they should be firmly attached to it; in this way 

 villages might be formed where there is now only water. The 

 height above the level of the water must be the same for all 



