The emigrant aid journal of Minnesota. [volume] (Nininger City, Minn. Terr. [i.e. Minn.]) 1856-1858, 1857-09-26
slow Drouth Benefits the Soil.

That season of extreme drouth-so often occurring
and in furious to our summer crops-should still prove
beneficial the SOIL strange, but chemical science
shows that drouths Of the material causes
the constituents of crops and cultivated
soils
Miners! matter is taken from the soil by the crops
grown upon it, and also carried away by the surface water
flowing streams, and thence carried to the sea-
These always in operation, unless counter.
ted by other influences, would in time render the earth
barren waste. The diminuton which arises from tho
first in part restored by manures but not in all
cases and Providence has provided way Of its to
supply lost mineral constituents needed in the growth of
plants At intervals drouhs to bring up from the
deep parts of the earth food for the of plants when
the rains shall again fall
n8ueace follows during dry weather continual
evaporation Of water takes place from the surface of the
earth which is not supplied by any from the clouds.
The evaporation from the surface creates vacuum (as
far rs the is concerned) which is once filed by
water rising up from the subso the water from the
subso replaced from the next below and in this
ner tho circulation Of in the earth is the
Of that which takes place in wet weather This progress
to the surface of the in the earth maniess itself
strikiugy in the drying up Of springs and wells, and
streams which supported by springs
Ii s not however, only the water which is broug to
the surface Of the earth but also all the water holds in
solution These substances are salts of lime and mag
nesa OF potash and soda and indeed whatever the SUBJ
soil top strata of the earth may contain The water
reaching the surace evaporated and leaves behind
in the zo its mineral salts, the chief Of which lns,
nagneaia, phosphate of le sulphate me carbonate
and licate of potash and soda and also, salt
ALI indispensable to the growth Of the vegetable pro-
ducts Of the farm Pure rain water, it FALLS will dis
solve but very small portion Of Of these sub
stances but when it sinks into the earth it then becomes
strongly imbued with carbonc acid from the decomposi
tcn Of vegetable in the soil, and thus acquires
the property Of readily dssoving minerals, which it
before cond have very little influence.
Several experiments tried by Professor Higgins 60 to
show this action of drouth in bringing matters to the
surface of the soil 10 he placed solution of
chloride Of basium in the bottom Of glass cylinder
and then filed it with dry soil After long exposure to
the rays of the SUM- the surface of the soil tested
with suphurc acid, and gave copious preoipitate Of
supdate Of baryta. Chloride Of lime, suphate of soda
and caroonse of potash experimental upon in like
auur and upon the application Of proper tests the
surface Of the sl showed their presence in large quan
ties drawn up BY the rising Of water from underneath,
IN the Of drouth.
The parelrl e,rh-every green thug awarfed in
growth withcred by long continued heat-seems suf
f.rng under affective dspensaton Of Providence yet
we should not ,uumur; it is blessing in disguise.
The Early and tc latter rain may produce ut once abun-
dart clops but dry weather is needed to bring TO the
surface food for future harvests from the depths Of the
earth where else it would lie forever unemployed 1t is
needed c:ns Of keeping up the fertility OF the cult
waited soil