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

That A season of extreme drouth-so often occurring
and vt, II injurious to our summer crops-should still prov.
beneficial to the soil, seems strange, but chemical science
show lis tiat ,iroutbs arc one of the material causes tt
restore The constituents of crops and renoyate cultivated
soils
Miners! matter is taken from the soil by the crops
grown upon it, and also carried away by the surface water
flowing into streams, and thence carried to the sea
These two causes. always in operation, unless counter
&C ted by otht influences, would in time render the earth
a barren waste. The diminution which arises from the
first cause is in part restored by manures, but not in all
case, and Providence has provided a way OF it's own t.
supply lot mineral constituents needed in the growth oil
plants. At intervals drouths occur to bring up from the
deep parts Of the earth food for the use of plants when
the rains shall again fall.
The manner IN which dronths exercise their beneficial
inAaelce u as follows: during dry weather a continual
evaporation IF wafer takes place from the surface of the
earth, which is not supplied by any from the clouds
The evaporation from the surface creates Il vacuum faa
far rs rhe water is concerned) which is at once filled by
water rising up from the subsoil the water from the
subsoil is replaced from. the next below, and in this man.
ner the circulation OF water in the earth is the reverse
of that which takes place in wet weather. This progress
tn the surface of the water in the earth manifests Itself
%s,rikiugly in the drying up Of springs and wells, and
streams which are supported by springs.
il j. not, however, only the water which is brought to
the surface Of the earth, bu, also all the water holds in
solution These substances are salts of lime and mag
nesia. Of potash and soda, and indeed whatever the sub.
soil or top strata Of the earth may contain. The water
o, reaching the surtoce, Is evaporated, and leaves behind
liz The zml its mineral salts, the chief OF which are lime,
magnesia, phosphate Of lit,e. ~sulphate..o of lime, carbonate
and silicatc of potash and Soda, and, also, common salt
AL indispensable to the growth Of the vegetable pro-
ducts If the farm. Pure rain water, as it falls, will dis
solve but a very small portion Of some Of these sub
stances, but when it sinks into the earth it then becomes
strongly in|,ued with carhonic acid from The d%ecomposi-
ticn Of vegetable matter in the soil, and thus acquires
the property of readily dissolving minerals, on which it
before conld have very little influence.
Several experiments tried by Professor Higgins go to
show this action Of droath in bringing matters to the
surface Of the soil. 10 one case he placed a solution OF
chloride Of hasium in .he bottom of ii glass cylinder,
and hen flied it with dry soil. After long exposure to
the RAYS of the sun, the surface of the soil was tested
witt, .~aip,uric acid, and gave a copious p~recipitate Of
snipdAte Of taryta. Chloride Of lime, ~sulphate of soda
AMI caro,aste of potash were ex perimented upon in like
n.a:.u=r and upon the application of proper tests, the
surface Of The sol showed their presence in large quaint
us, ,l'awn up BY the rising Of water from underneath,
d, n the case ut drouth.
Tn. pirr!r,l etrth--very green thing dwaried III
-rawt} or withcrei by loug continued Leat-seems sui
irring unie. al effective di>pensation of Providence, yet
~ -h1n!J not murmur it is a blessing in disguise
lte eariy and tiv latter rain may produce at once abun
.iant crops, bat dry weather is needed To bring TO the
surface food for future harvests from the depths Of til,
earth. WHERE else it you'd lie forever unemployed. Ii il
a needed inean> Of keeping up the fertility OF the cult
waited soil.