Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1859-07-15
BENEFIT OF DRoUGHrs.


weather, TO know that droughts arc one of the
natural causes to restore the constituents of
the crops, and renovate cultivated soils The
diminuton Of the mineral matter of cultva-
ted soils takes place from two causes
ftrd The quantity Of mineral water car
ried off IN crops and not returned to the soil
in manure.
Second. The mineral matter carried off by
rain water to the sea by means of fresh water
streams.
These two causes, always in operation and
counteracted by nothing, would in time rem
der the earth a barren waste. in which no YER
dure would quicken, no solitary plank take
root. A rational system Of agriculture would
obliterate the first cause of sterility, bv al
ways restoring to the soil an equivalent for
that which is taken Off by the crops but as
this is not done in all cases, Providence has
provided a way of its own to counteract the
thritaessness Of men, by insttuting droughts
at periods, to bring up from the deep parts
/ of the earth, food on which plants might feed
when rains should again fall. The manner in
which droughts exercise their beneficial infu-
ence is as follows: during dry weather,
continual evaporation Of water takes place
from the surface of the earth which, if not
supplied by any from the surface creates a va
cuum, so far as the water is concerned. which
is at once filled by the water rising up from
the subsoi of the land the water from the
subsoi is replaced from the next below, and
in this manner the circulation of water in the
earth Is the reverse of that which takes place
in wet weather. This progress to the surface
of the water in the earth maniests itself most
strikingly in the drying up of springs and riv-
ers, and of streams which are supported by
springs. 1t is not, however, only the mater
which is brought to the surface of the earth,
bW also all that irlich the ,gater holds in soiu-
tioH. These substances are salts of lime and
magnesia, of potash aud soda and indeed.
whatever the subsoil Of deep strata Of the
earth may contain. The water, on reaching
the soil. is evaporated, and leaves behind the
mineral salts which | will here enumerate,
viz lime. as air Stacked lime: magnesia, as
au Stacked magnesa phosphate Of lime. or
bone earth; sulphate of lime, or plaster of pa
rls carbonate of potash and soda, with sill
cate of potash and soda, and also chloride of
sodium or common salt; all indispensable to
the growth and production Of plants which
are used for food. Rain water, as it falls from
the Clouds would dissolve but very small
proportion OF some of these substances; but
when 1t becomes soaked into the earth, it
there becomes strongly imbued with carbonic
acid from the decomposition Of vegetable mat
ter in the soil, and thus acquires the property
of readily dissoving minerals on which it be-
fore could have very little influence ! was
first led to the consideration of the above
matter from perusal of a lecture of Profess
sor Johnston, on this subject, and on a re-ex-
animation of some soils which we're analvzed
some years since, there was perceptible lar
ger quantity of a particular mineral substance
than was first found. And as none had been
applied IN the meantime, the thing was diff
cult of explanation, until | remembered the
late long protracted drought. then also re-
mcmbered that in several of the provinces in
South America soda was obtained from the
bottom of ponds, which were dried in the dry,
and again filed in the rainy season. As the
above explanation depended on the principles
of natural philosophy, experiments we're at
once instituted to prove the truth Into a
glass cylinder was placed a small quantity of
chloride of barium in solution this was then
filled with dry soil, and for sometime exposed
to the direct rays of the sun on the surface
The soil on the surface Of the cylinder was
now treated with sulphuric acid, and gave
coplous precipitate of ulphate of baryta.-
The experiment was varied by substituting
of lime, sulphate of soda, and carbo-
nate of potash, for the chloride of barium
and on the proper resolving agents being APP
piled, in every instance the presence of these
substances were detected in large quantities
on the surface Of the soil in the cylinder
Here then is proof positive and direct, by
plain experiment in chemistry, and natural
of the agency, the ultimate bene-
fetal agency Of droughts.
We see therefore in this, that even those
things which we look upon as evils, by Prov
idence, are blessings in disguise and that we
should not murmur even when dry seasons
afict us, for they too, are for our good.
The early and the later rain may produce at
once abundant crops but dry weather is al
so beneficial dispensaton Of Providence, in
bringing to the surface food for future crops,
which otherwise would be forever useless
Seasonable weather is good for the present
but droughts renew the storehouses of plants (
in the soil, and furnish an nabundant supply of (
for future crops.-GEoRGE TRow- |
BRIDGE, Camden, ~ y, in Ohio Faiiey Far /
ner