We need a positive, direct, and intelligent leadership that deals with specific and definite details and not in glittering generalities. What we want to know is how, and you have furnished the answer, Mr. Commissioner. [Prolonged applause.]

Doctor MEAD. I am sure everybody will agree that Doctor Long has been a source of inspiration and encouragement from the very outset of this conference.

I think it would be well at this time if you would appoint a secretary for the conference. I am open to suggestions.

Mr. MACRAE. Mr. Chairman, I nominate Miss Mae A. Schnurr.
Mr. FOLSE. I second the nomination.

Doctor MEAD. It has been moved and seconded that Miss Schnurr be appointed secretary of the conference. All in favor say "Aye.” [General response throughout the audience.] Opposed, "No." [No response.] Miss Schnurr is appointed secretary.

It seems that the best way to proceed in this conference would be to have at the outset an explanation of what has been done and an expression of the views of the bureau as to what ought to be done. Mr. George C. Kreutzer, director of reclamation economics in our bureau, has had general charge of the work in the South. We will ask him to present a review of what has been done and its results. [Applause.]

PROGRESS OF SOUTHERN INVESTIGATIONS

By George C. Kreutzer, Director of Reclamation Economics, Bureau of Reclamation

Doctor Mead, members of the conference, in presenting this I am going to give it to you in the form of a report because it contains a great many facts and figures that it is not desired to misquote or to leave an erroneous impression which I might leave if I spoke simply from notes.

The investigations of reclamation and rural development in the South originated by the authorization of the act of December 5, 1924. An appropriation of $15,000 was made for 1926 and a like amount was provided for 1927.

The special advisers on southern reclamation recommended in their report to the Secretary of the Interior that the tracts selected in each State of North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, and Tennessee be further studied to ascertain the nature of engineering work to be done on such selected tracts to formulate detailed plans and programs for the contemplated reclamation settlements and prepare estimates of costs of launching and guiding such settlements.

They recommended further that the plans for the creation of an organized farming community of at least 100 farms in each of the States mentioned should include the following features:

(1) Expert and experienced planning and supervision.

(2) Provision of money to be advanced to settlers to help complete improvement and equip farms.

(3) Centralized responsibility and control in launching and guiding the undertaking.

(4) Cooperation among the private, local, State and Federal Government agencies having related functions.

In carrying out these investigations along lines advocated we have had the whole-hearted cooperation of a number of experts of the Federal Department of Agriculture, State agricultural colleges, development departments of railroads, members of State reclamation committees, the owners of the tracts, county agents, and many local people interested in the welfare of their communities. Without this help little progress could have been made in the studies of seven widely separated tracts having an aggregate area of 135,000 acres. The owners of the tracts furnished maps, statements of crops grown in 1926, inventories of buildings and other improvements, data regarding income of tenants and rents received, and a wealth of other information. The State agricultural authorities and development agents of railroads of the South recommended a type of agriculture for each tract and assisted the bureau's investigators to arrive at the cost of developing and equipping farms. The agricultural colleges also furnished a large amount of building plans suited to southern conditions.

The Bureau of Public Roads of the Department of Agriculture detailed an engineer to make the drainage and clearing estimates and the Bureau of Soils and State authorities furnished information on the soils. This bureau has had the full-time service of a capable agriculturist of the South familiar with southern climatic conditions, markets, soils, and crops. A number of the regular employees of the bureau have assisted in these investigations especially on phases in which they had particular experience or knowledge.

The prices of land given for these various tracts are only tentative. Owners stated they would fix definite prices and terms when some agency had the authority to undertake development. The estimates for drainage, roads, and clearing are of a preliminary nature. Accurate estimates can not be made until topographic and subdivisional surveys are made and a detailed soil map is prepared for each tract. The information gathered is sufficient to determine feasibility except as hereafter mentioned. The following gives information on each tract:

GEORGIA

Albany tract.-This tract is located in central Georgia near Albany and comprises 24,345 acres. Price, $27 an acre. About 70 per cent is cleared and 30 per cent covered with timber and brush. The area cropped in 1926 amounted to 5,682 acres with crop values of $109,000. Crops consisted of cotton, corn, and peanuts. Soils are sandy loam and loamy sand, easily worked and adapted to a wide variety of crops. The agriculture recommended provides for keeping dairy cows, hogs, and poultry on farms. Cash crops would be cotton, peanuts, tobacco, and some truck crops. Pecans are recommended for each farm. These various cash crops will displace cotton as the main cash crop and introduce the general use of legumes and animal fertilizers. The soils require humus. On a 100-acre farm, 60 acres should be sown to cover crops and plowed under the first year. Farms would vary from 80 to 120 acres. Provision should be made for farm laborers and market gardeners on 5 and 10 acre farms. About 250 farmers would be required to settle the tract.

The cost of drainage is estimated at $40,000; clearing, $60,000; roads to serve each farm with an outlet, $60,000; sowing and plowing under cover crops on 12,000 acres, $120,000; permanent pastures on 3,000 acres, $15,000. Total estimated development cost, $295,000. Cost of land, development, administration, service, and reserve would require that farms be sold at an average of $52.50 an acre.

The cost of a completely developed and equipped farm of 100 acres, including buildings, fences, livestock, and equipment, will vary from $10,000 to $12,000. Of this amount, $7,500 would have to be invested the first year exclusive of cost of land. Estimated gross incomes would vary from $2,500 to $4,000 per year. Transportation facilities serving this tract are excellent and good local markets are at hand. Water is plentiful from artesian wells.

TENNESSEE

Mayland tract.-The tract is located on the Cumberland Plateau and surrounds the town of Mayland. It includes eight different ownerships with a combined area of 27,000 acres. The price averages about $10 an acre. The tract is covered with second-growth oak, hickory, maple, and black gum and some brush, excepting about 300 acres which is cleared. It is estimated that clearing will cost an average of $35 an acre. Settlement in this region has been slow and confined to areas along roads. Development has been retarded because settlers could not clear enough in the first year or two to make their farms profitable. Lack of roads and other community

conveniences also has been a drawback. On the tract is only one farm of 50 acres under cultivation.

The elevation varies from 1,800 to 2,000 feet above sea level. The cool summers and healthful climate favor farming based on livestock. Ample good water can be secured at shallow depths. The soil is a sandy loam underlaid with sandstone. It requires improvement before large yields of crops can be grown. Owing to the rolling nature of the surface of the land practically no drainage will be required. The agriculture recommended consists of combining cows, sheep, hogs, and poultry, and growing a certain amount of cash crops which would consist of Irish potatoes, sweet potatoes, and sorghum. Berries are another possibility. Each farm should contain a wood lot of 15 to 20 acres and have from 80 acres to 100 acres of tillable land and permanent pastures. To provide incomes for settlers the first year, 30 acres should be completely cleared, limed, and a cover crop plowed under before the settler attempts to farm. An additional 40 acres should be cleared but not stumped. Part of this should be sown to permanent pasture grasses and part prepared for meadow. This would provide 70 acres in production for the settler the first year. The area will make homes for about 250 farmers and 25 farm workers.

The cost of development, including clearing, roads, cover crops, and permanent pasture, is estimated at $717,500. This should be capitalized with the land and sold on long terms. The average selling price of partially improved farms will average about $50 an acre. The total cost of developing and equipping a 100-acre farm would amount to about $10,000. Gross farm income would vary from $2,000 to $3,900 per year.

The main line of the Tennessee Central Railroad passes through the tract and the town of Mayland. No farm will be further than 5 miles from the town of Mayland. Organizations will be required to market dairy and poultry products and livestock.

MISSISSIPPI

Richton tract. This tract is near Richton in southern Mississippi about 60 miles from the Gulf. The area submitted consists of 9.120 acres, priced at $6 an acre. Adjoining this is a large area of similar land which may be acquired to provide 24,000 acres. The higher elevations were formerly covered with long-leaf pine while low-lying areas supported a growth of bushes, scrub oak, and swamp timber. The mature pines have been cut leaving the greater portion cleared of everything except scattered growths of young pines, brush, and pine stumps. Pine stumps, known locally as "fat wood," are pur

chased by turpentine stills. The price paid at present is stated to be sufficient to pay for the cost of removing the stumps but there is uncertainty that this price will prevail for a number of years to come. In any event stumps other than fat wood, brush, and fallen timber will have to be removed before the land is ready for the plow. This is estimated at $25 an acre. A small area in adjacent farms is cultivated. The crops consist of cotton, corn, oats, cowpeas, grasses, sweet potatoes, sugar cane and sorghum, and small groves of pecans and Satsuma oranges. None of the tract submitted is in cultivation at present.

The topography varies from smooth plains along streams to even slopes and rolling surfaces on the uplands. Some of the uneven lands will require terracing to prevent erosion when broken up for cultivation. These uneven lands present extremely spotted soil conditions. Areas as small as 40 acres embrace in many instances Norfolk, Ruston, Caddo, Susquehanna, and Plummer soils. The Susquehanna soil is extremely heavy and is not regarded as being suited to intensive agriculture and closer settlement. The Caddo and Plummer soils are not much better. It was concluded that a large area should be soil surveyed in the vicinity to select a tract of about 20,000 acres embracing mostly soils suited to closer settlement. With this modification made farms would compromise soils easily worked and capable of quick improvement.

Very little drainage will be required. A few creeks and minor channels should be opened up to carry off surface water. The tract is served with three good highways. Additional roads to provide an outlet for each farm can be provided for about $50,000.

These soils also require improvement. On farms of 100 acres onehalf should be cleared, stumped, prepared, and sown to cover crops and plowed under before the farm is turned over to a settler. Thirty acres should have brush and fallen timber removed and sown to a permanent pasture of carpet grass and lespedeza. This will permit the settler to keep livestock the first year. There are a wide variety of cash crops that can be profitably grown in this locality. These include Irish and sweet potatoes, sugar cane and sorghum, cotton, cabbage, okra, tomatoes, turnip greens for canning purposes, pecans, Satsuma oranges, and peaches. Two canning plants within trucking distance of the tract afford a market for turnip greens, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, and okra.

Farms will vary from 40 acres to 120 acres, depending on whether livestock or truck crops predominate as the major enterprise. About 250 farmers will be required and provision should be made for 30 farm workers, who may later become market gardeners. The cost of drainage, clearing roads, cover crops, and pastures is estimated at $642,500. The average selling price of partially improved farms will amount to about $47.50 an acre.