Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 76.djvu/470

466 two kinds—the swamp lands that may be reclaimed by drainage and the arid lands that may be reclaimed by irrigation. The United States Geological Survey estimates that 75,000,000 acres can be made valuable for agriculture by draining swamps. This is the equivalent of one sixth of all the land now under cultivation in the United States. This land would be much more fertile and much more productive than the most of the land that is now being cultivated. The reclamation of arid lands is just in its infancy. The first federal act to provide for government assistance for this purpose was passed in 1902.

Projects are now under construction or have been completed that will reclaim one and a half million acres and others are under consideration that will reclaim three and one half million. To what extent this work of reclamation will be carried in the future can scarcely be estimated, but doubtless many millions of acres can be and will be added to our cultivable lands in the future.

The period of low prices for farm products and extensive methods of farming is rapidly passing. The large grain and live-stock farms of the eastern states are giving way to the smaller dairy, fruit, vegetable or poultry farm. The large wheat farms of the northwest are being divided into moderate-sized farms for mixed farming. The ranges of the west and southwest are being broken up into stock farms and the movement everywhere is toward more intensive methods of farming.

The problem that now confronts the American farmer is to reorganize his method of farming so as to adapt it to the present conditions. The increased prices for farm products will increase their production and insure a supply sufficient for all needs for the future.