d canals, conducted upon scientific principles. The question of
"cheaper" transportation on the waterways--a question of such gravity to
modern society--loses all importance in Socialist society, seeing that
the conceptions "cheap" and "dear" are unknown to it. On the other hand,
however, waterways, as comfortable means of transportation, that can,
moreover, be utilized with but slight expenditure of strength and
matter, deserve attention. Moreover river and canal systems play
important _roles_ in the matter of climate, draining and irrigation, and
the supply of fertilizers and other materials needed in the improvement
of agricultural land.

Experience teaches that poorly-watered regions suffer more severely from
cold winters and hot summers than well-watered lands, whence coast
regions are exempt from the extremes of temperature, or rarely undergo
them. Extremes of temperature are favorable neither to plants nor man.
An extensive system of canalization, in connection with the proper
forestry regulations, would unquestionably exercise beneficent
influences. Such a system of canalization, along with the building of
large reservoirs, that will collect the water in cases of freshets
through thaws or heavy rainfalls, would be of great usefulness. Freshets
and their devastating results would be impossible. Wide expanses of
water, together with their proportional evaporations, would also, in all
probability, bring about a more regular rain-fall. Finally such
institutions would facilitate the erection of works for an extensive
system of irrigation whenever needed.

Large tracts of land, until now wholly barren or almost so, could be
transformed into fertile regions by means of artificial irrigation.
Where now sheep can barely graze, and at best consumptive-looking pine
trees raise their thin arms heavenward, rich crops could grow and a
dense population find ample nutriment. It is merely a question of labor
whether the vast sand tracts of the Mark, the "holy dust-box of the
German Empire," shall be turned into an Eden. The fact was pointed out
in an address delivered in the spring of 1894 on the occasion of the
agricultural exposition in Berlin.[195] The requisite improvements,
canals, provisions for irrigation, mixing of soil, etc., are matters,
however, that can be undertaken neither by the small nor the large
landlords of the Mark. Hence those vast tracts, lying at the very gates
of the capital of the Empire, remain in a st