Loudon free press. (Loudon, Tenn.) 1852-1855, 1854-09-20
guunun fire. press,
AGRICULTURAL.
The Drouth and its Effects.


EDS. Co. GENT.-We have had, and are still
having very dry weather. season which will
be remembered as very Improbable by many
farmers. This season has eminently shown
the importance Of taking time by the foretop
and cultvating the ground thoroughly. Those
farmers whose soil was dry enough to pillow
and sow early, and who pulverized the ground
thoroughly with the roller and drag at the time
of seeding, have realized good crops of barley
ard oats.
On the other hand where the land was wet
and Misunderstanding delayed till May when
the drouth came and continued, poor crops were
the result.
This season has also shown the great superb
ority Of a clay soil to withstand the drouth. A
field which seemed TO be the best corn in our
town about the first of June, is now the poorest
It is a sandy loan and its stalks are now quite
dry and earless or nearly so.
April with US was wet month, yielding 7.8-
0 inches Of rain and melted snow. In May
we had 2S2 inches rain and most of that vas
at the commencement of the month During
the month of June 3.58 inches Of rain fell, Of
which 2.8-lO inches fell in the space of two
successive days. One sudden violent shower
gave over two inches; of this large portion
ran away into the streams and bitches. July
afforded about an inch of rain, and the second
day Of August we had an inch of rain, since
which we have been favored with none. l wish
every farmer would have thermometer and
rain guage and keep a register of the weather.
The cost of the whole would not exceed fifteen
dollars The barometer enabling him to fore
tell storms and rain, would soon repay the cost.
The barometer and thermometer can be pur-
chased in most of our cities and villages, but
the ombrometer or rain guage can be partly
constructed at home, TO facilitate which / APP
pend a description ofone recommended by the
Smithsonian institution. 1t consists of a zinc
funuel-two graduated cylindrical glass vessels
and a reservoir. 1t should be placed in an
open space away from trees, buildings or any
thing which may have tendency to increase or
diminish the quantity of rain which would
naturally fall into the funnel whose surface
should be placed about six inches above the
ground.
DREcrIoNs.-Place in the ground a cask or
barrel, watertight, the top rising above the
ground atSout three inches cover with boards
slightly inclined in the form of roof, which
project on all sides beyond the edge of the
barrel at leasta foot. A circular opening in
the middle receives the funnel, the borders of
which rest on the board. At the bottom of the
barrel to receive the water, is an earthen or me-
talIc vessel with narrow neck ian ordinary
eartIeu Jug will answer in which is placed the
end Of the funnel exactly filling the opening.
Il must contain about three quarts or a gallon.
The funnel is fastened by means of two clasps
TO the board, which must be covered up with
sod to make it ike the ground itself
To make the observation, remove the funnel
and pour the water from the jug into the large
graduated glass cylinder. The opening of the
funnel being one hundred square inches, one
inch Of rain in depth gives one hundred cubic
inches of water; and each division Of the glass
containing cubic inch of water, each Of them
represents hundredth of an inch ofrain fallen
into the ombrometer. These degrees are large
enough to permit us to measure thethousandths
OF an inch The divisions of the smaller gradu-
ated glass cylinder will measure directly the
thousandths ola inch, and it may serve in cas-
es ofaccident as a substitute for the larger
one.
The weather has such an important part in
the economy ofthe farmer, that it surely must
be very useful for him to note and fOresee its
changes. In a word the possession and right
understanding of the above instrument will rem
der him weather-wiser and happier, and render
his home more attractive. Yours truly, S. B.
BUCKLEY.--lCo. Gent.