CONSERVATION 
393 
are about thirty millions of acres that can be reclaimed by 
carrying on this work. 
Any crop can be raised on irrigated land that the character 
of the soil and the climate make possible. All kinds of 
fruits are produced in abundance in some portions of the 
western irrigated lands, on others garden produce is raised, 
and on still others grains and hay. 
2. Reclamation by Draining. — This was formerly done 
only by private individuals and on a small scale. Within 
the last ten years, however, the United States Government 
has undertaken drainage projects on a large scale, especially 
in the Everglades of Florida.. The plan is to cut through 
the rim of land that hems in the swamps and form a chan¬ 
nel to the ocean for the water which now covers the land 
from a few inches to ten feet or more in depth. The main 
ditches will be large enough to serve also as canals for 
transportation, and for the distribution of water for irriga¬ 
tion in dry seasons. The work already undertaken will 
make available about 4,000,000 acres of land now Useless. 
In New York State, the building of the Barge Canal has 
made it possible to reclaim by drainage the large tract 
known as Montezuma Swamp at the foot of the finger lakes. 
Hundreds of acres now covered only with cat tails and other 
worthless plants will be suitable for truck farming, being 
fertile, level, and unusually free from stones. 
Swampy land near the ocean is often reclaimed by build¬ 
ing a loose retaining wall around it, and pumping in sand, 
mud, and gravel from the beach or from some other part of 
the swamp or marsh. Such land has little value for agri¬ 
cultural purposes, but it affords safe and convenient sites 
for buildings. 
As the population increases, and the demand for food 
grows stronger, more pains will be taken to make the best 
use of all land. Other countries are much in advance of 
ours in this respect. 
