New-York tribune., 1881-08-30
the subject until the regular session of
Congress-,
THE DROUTH


Certain weatherwise prophets who think they
know Just how the horns of our satellite should
point to insure an average RAINFALL predict that
this is to be " dry moon." 1t is comforting to
know that meteorological science places small
faith in lunar appearances or influences but if
the prophets have made lucky guess there are
woes in store for us before the autumnal
equinox which It'll unpleasant to contemplate
Already the wells are drying up throughout
considerable areas in Connecticut Long Island,
New-York and Pennsylvania, while in some
parts OF New-Jersey bathing has become a
costly luxury 20 be enjoyed only by the wealthy
classes. In more than one town the thirsty in
haoltants are buying water by the bueketfull
from enterprising vendors who pesidle il
through the streets. The Passaic River, which
furnishes the water supply for hundreds of
thousands of people, aud which was never
famous for its purity, is growing more un-
ceanly as its volume shrinks ; and if the moun
tain springs which feed it continue TO fail. the
consequences to health and comfort will he
calamitOus.
over most of the district from which the citv
draws it's milk supply the pasture fields are
burned brown and bare. With the exception of
a dashing shower on the 9th of July. that
only mostened the surface of the ground. no
ram OF any consequence has fallen for two
months Farmers are cutting up their corn to
reed the cattle, and the itself is shrivelling
up IN the dry air. The young clover is diving
or dead Root crops promise only a slender
growth, ana late-sown seed still lies i'm the
ground without enough moisture to help it
germlnate. With no organization among milk
producers to oppose the dealers combination to
depress prices, the outlook for this branch of
agriculture is gloomy enough The market
gardeners are suffering quite as severely.
Celery set out three weeks ago is actually
smaller than when IT was transplanted and the
crops OF later vegetables will not be worth
gathering. Strawberry plants are making no
CROWN Tor next years yield, peaches p-ema-
tureiy ripened are dropping to the ground at
hall their proper size and half grown pears are
clingng 10 the leaiiess trees and baking in the
sun. Even deep-rootcd forest trees are showing
signals of distress. Their foliage is already
turning not to the rich autumnal colors of more
prosperous years, but 80 dull yellow and brown.
while the leaves are falling i'm showers as If il
were late October. The drenchiiig rain we need
would undoubtedly start Il fresh growth. bur
these tender shoots would be scorched by the
first frost aud give "A shock to the vitality of the
trees from which they would be slow to recover.
Jusb now 1t is peculiarly aggravating to read
that the English harvest has been drowned
under Il fortnight's steady rain. If the auan-
MY OF water ON the planet is constant
and the suns heat is invariable the general
evaporation will vary little one year with am
other, and the total rainfall may be counted AS
nearly uniform Nevertheless, unIyind seasons
seem 10 follow each other with alarming fire.
quency in these latter days. 1t is high time for
national academies of science To set themselves
tn investigating whether these simultaneous
drouths and floods are occasioncd 10y any med
dlcsome interference with the harmonies of
nature ny civilized man. 1t is pretty well estab-
lshed that he has brouglSabout, in centuries
past, some disastrous climatic revolutions and
II this world Is to remain a comfortable place
for his descendants to live in, he ought to study
how to keep it in good repair The moon,
however, is beyond his reach. He has no means
of hanging q wet moon in the sky to break lid
n resolute drouth, aud if his science discovers
that rainfall depends upon the heavenly bodies.
he can keep on draining and dam,ning and
chopping down forests, and trusting to luck
for his victuais and drink.